Ep 67—FRESH BLOOD, Part 6: Rebuilding Local Manufacturing with Justin Bastarache

FRESH BLOOD continues with Part 6, featuring Justin Bastarache, Founder of Whelk and Pipo Canada.Justin started with a sustainable headwear brand, then found the larger problem: almost nobody was making caps in Eastern Canada anymore. So he began building the factory himself.Andrew and Justin talk about what it takes to make locally in a category dominated by imports. Labor, pricing, training, minimums, lead times, and why “Made in Canada” can matter more clearly than another sustainability claim.They also get into his biodegradable brim, the limits of competing on price, and the reality of building a small factory from the ground up.This is a conversation about local manufacturing, practical sustainability, and creating capacity where it had almost disappeared.Thank you to our sponsor Inside Denim.Justin BastaracheFounder of Whelk and Pipo CanadaWhelk, Pipo Canada, LinkedInPlease follow us on: Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.