As part of the Start-up Academy, Gerhard Zschau received start-up coaching from July 2019 to September 2020 to help him set up his fashion label LABA.
The fashion label's website can be accessed at www.laba.de
We conducted the following interview with Gerhard Zschau in July 2021.
In the summer of 2016 - when I was still blogging for the site "Lauter Bautz'ner" - I had the idea of putting the countless legends and stories from Upper Lusatia onto textiles or using other shapes and raw materials and interpreting them creatively.
Shortly afterwards, I started producing buttons under the label "LABA". With motifs such as "granite skull", "Quark & linseed oil" or the local "Nor" - which is Upper Lusatian and stands for "Yes!". In the same year, the "Walk The Lein" gym bag made from newly produced mangle cloth was launched on the market. The special feature of this accessory: it was made entirely in Upper Lusatia. The range was later expanded to include T-shirts, hoodies and coffee filters.
Since 2016, I have been producing garments and accessories under the LABA label that mainly focus on Upper Lusatia and its cultural characteristics. In order to creatively interpret bilingual Lusatia, I also involve various artists from the region and beyond in the design and production processes.
It is very important to me that the goods produced under the four letters were not manufactured under slave-like conditions. I therefore pay attention to fair trade certifications and the use of regional raw materials and manufacturing processes.
Since summer 2020, I have been on the road with the LABA Fashion Truck to bring my products to people in the district of Görlitz in addition to my online business. The converted tricycle (type: Piaggio Ape) is the first fashion truck of its kind in Germany and one of the few in Europe.
I also support various associations (such as the Oberlausitzer Tafel, Löbau lebt or Mission Lifeline) and initiatives (such as the Thespis Center of the Deutsch-Sorbisches Volkstheater) by selling LABA goods. So far, I have been able to donate over 2,600 euros. This is very important to me because our democracy has a very difficult time without a functioning civil society.
The extremely positive feedback from our dear customers. That was very important. And the response from the journalistic media. Shortly after the release of "Walk The Lein", for example, Super Illu ran a short article about the gym bag.
Today I'm motivated when people come up to me and say they have an idea for a T-shirt motif - that's really great. And if I can then implement this idea and present the artists with the finished product - that's really cool.
Apart from that, selling your own goods is a significant part of the motivation - in every phase of self-employment.
When you start a business alongside another job, you sometimes lack the necessary focus due to a lack of time. For example, you quickly learn the hard way when you order over 100 T-shirts that you didn't actually want, or when you buy a Piaggio Ape and are told that the repair costs will only amount to 300 euros - but then add a zero after the purchase.
The biggest challenge, however, is the project management & launch of the "Kiep It Real" backpack. Due to the fact that this wicker pannier is a product that is manufactured 100% in Upper Lusatia by four different trades, it is almost exclusively a matter of forming these four different people into a team. Communication is incredibly important in this project.
Another obstacle is the almost endless time it takes to complete projects, which are largely carried out by external partners. Patience is a virtue that you learn very quickly.
And yes, good old-fashioned bookkeeping was one of the biggest obstacles in the way of founding a company.
In spring, I would like to launch a backpack on the market that is largely produced in Upper Lusatia. Its name is "Kiep It Real". The shape is reminiscent of a pannier and the raw material, namely willow, is the same that was used to make the basket over 150 years ago.
In fall 2021 - after a two-year project phase - I would like to launch the "Kiep It Real" backpack, which is grown and produced in Upper Lusatia. The shape is reminiscent of a pannier and the raw material, namely willow, is the same that was used to make the basket over 150 years ago.
Last but not least, I would like to try to establish the "LABA" label as a brand that stands for everything that makes or should make up Upper Lusatia: Craftsmanship, creativity, quality, multilingualism, boundlessness, spontaneity, enjoyment, serenity, tolerance, fun with one's own history. Nor.
To-do lists: without them, you go crazy.
Social media: Business accounts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook should be managed with the same passion as your own store. This means responding to inquiries as quickly as possible and keeping the virtual shop window looking good.
Bookkeeping: Deadly boring but really important.
And: Communication is everything!
And also: Do what you want. Not what others want. Only then will it be good.
