Brampton-born, Youssef Eid, has set out to make three changes in the GTA, combat poverty, grow local economy and expose consumers to ethically manufactured clothing.
The inspiration behind his business, Phil Anth Clothing, began on a trip the 17-year-old took to Aruba. While on vacation, Eid ventured into local towns and was shocked at the conditions people had to live in> it was a sharp contrast to what he had experienced in the resort he was staying in.
Witnessing others living in such an impoverished environment struck him and inspired him. He decided to take action and make change happen in his own community.
Two years ago, Eid started Phil Anth as his ongoing mission to help people living in poverty in the GTA through proceeds from each item sold in the Phil Anth store.
His journey began designing graphic t-shirts to raise money. He realized that this could be his opportunity to build a sustainable business that would help people.
Currently, Phil Anth’s product line features high quality essentials including basic t-shirts, polos, and henleys. Their current line is exclusively for men, but they are working on a foray into the women’s clothing market.
Through Phil Anth Youssef has managed to shed light on the unethical practices of the clothing and fashion industry. Phil Anth’s transparent pricing outlines the real cost of the goods consumers are purchasing.
From the sustainably sourced materials, labour, and packaging, consumers are able to see the cost of every step including its retail markup. Phil Anth marks up its items 2% or less–a stark contrast to most items found in a regular retail store, generally at a markup of 30% or more. With Phil Anth, customers know exactly what goes into every product they purchase
Phil Anth’s ethical practices not only promotes transparency with consumers, but also supports the local economy. By manufacturing their products in Brampton, it provides employment opportunity for those in the local community. In doing so, Phil Anth can ensure the highest ethnical standards and employee practices in their factory.
Giving people in his community the opportunity to work and earn a living in a safe environment is one thing Youssef values.
With plans to continue expanding and growing his brand, we can expect great things in the future. Youssef hopes his journey will propel him to help those in need not just on a local level, but internationally also.
