THE CARIBBEAN BUSINESS REPORT
Jamaican brothers create luxury luggage
By Tangerine Clarke
When young Jamaican
entrepreneurs, Randy and Davian
McLaren wanted to realize their
dream to create durable luggage,
they brainstormed, and decided
that the collection of vegan
leather goods, should be named
Bresheh — a rural moniker for
breadfruit.
“Why breadfruit? I said,
why not Bresheh. We wanted
something that represents us
culturally, and something
that people would connect
with to show the essence of
us as Jamaican,” said Randy
McLaren.
Born in the parish of St.
Thomas, Randy, a spoken-word
poet, was so enthralled with
the history of the breadfruit, so
much so, that he performed his
poem “Meh Love Me Breadfruit”
on stage, that talks about the
first Bresheh tree, planted in
Bath, Jamaica.
The Roast by Bresheh
Executive Backpack is one of
the successful brand sellers.
It is described as having style,
comfort, and versatility, and
exquisitely designed. The bag
helps to store, organize, and
carry personal and professional
essentials. “It is here to make
your dreams happen,” states the
tagline.
The knapsack is a perfect
travel partner, great for work,
adventure, and weekend
getaways. These bags come in
colors, Rusty Brown, Charcoal
Black, Ash Grey, with a cream
internal fabric that represents
the color of the inside of
breadfruit.
The bags could also be
personalized with name, initials,
and logo.
During an interview with
Caribbean Life in the media
center of the recently concluded
8th Biennial Diaspora Conference
in Kingston, Jamaica, Randy
spoke passionately about
building the Bresheh brand that
started in 2015. The young men
created the much-needed bags
using a vintage sewing machine,
left by their grandmother on
the veranda of their Kingston
home.
After a study, they found
Jamaica was importing more
than one million backpacks
annually, a niche market
that they quickly tapped into,
to create an authentic brand
that caught the attention of
consumers.
Davian, who honed his design
skills, merged ideas, with older
brother, Randy, and ventured
out to grow their product, that
became recognizable from the
backs of Jamaican students
who proudly wore the Jamaicamade
backpack everywhere they
went.
Today, Bresheh.com, boosts
skillfully designed travel bags,
knapsacks, laptop sleeves, tote
bags, and duffel bags, all made
from artificial /vegan leather.
The young businessmen
did not only lay a foundation
for them and their family but
others, for whom they created
job opportunities. Single
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parents, young people in the
deaf community, and up and
coming designers are some of
the employees who drive the
Bresheh Enterprise.
The Portmore, Jamaica
factory are meeting the demands
of online shoppers from across
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The company has plans to
branch out worldwide, said
Randy McLaren, adding that
the enterprise plans to invest in
outlets in Jamaica, and cities in
North America.
“The sky is no limit,” said
Randy, who attended the recent
Diaspora Conference in Kingston
to introduce the brand and to
attract buyers to his growing
business.
“We thought this was the
safest way to introduce ourselves
to communities.”
“We decided to go vegan,
as opposed to using animal
leather. We wanted to keep our
brand as clean as possible. We
source man-made leather from
a supplier,” he said, noting that,
the leather, cut and designed are
at a low-cost.
“The retail price is also suited
to every shopper. And each
design is creative,” said the
entrepreneur, who gives back
to the community, as part of his
company’s policy.
“We are dream makers
because we are looking to raise
the salary level of dressmakers
and tailors. Our rate of pay is
higher, than most,” said Randy,
whose social mission is to inspire
youth across Jamaica.
“Bresheh is an enterprise with
a social mission. Apart from
providing jobs for young people,
we provide training for those
who are lacking some of the soft
skills that would help with ways
to succeed in a workspace,” said
Randy.
The company is actively
involved in digital marketing,
online presence, and has big
plans to move into diaspora
spaces.
@pickbresheh/Facebook/
Instagram, @roastbybresheh/IG
Damion Fray of Taktikus Energy Healthcare, entrepreneur,
New York, left, accepts a purchase of the Rusty Brown
Bresheh Executive Backpack, from Jamaican entrepreneur,
Randy McLaren, creator of Bresheh. The purchase was
made at the Bresheh Enterprise booth, at the marketplace,
as part of the recent 8th Biennial Diaspora Conference in
Kingston, Jamaica. Photo by Tangerine Clarke
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