Lockdown: the rise of small businesses

There’s no denying that we’ve seen a whole host of trends over the past year, from making banana bread until we’re sick of the sight of it, to people pulling on a pair of running trainers for the first time in a bid to complete Couch to 5K and tie-dying clothes until tie-dye kits became impossible to buy. These aren’t the only things that lockdown has bred. Small businesses have also been on the rise—largely due to job losses caused by Covid—and Gen Z are leading the way in establishing their own. In fact, Gen Z accounted for 18,000 start-ups registered in 2020, according to The Accountancy Partnership.

Like hundreds of thousands of other workers, BA (Hons) Performance: Design and Practice graduate Milli Collins was hit by this. “In the first lockdown I couldn’t go into my ordinary job [art therapist] because I worked with vulnerable people and I couldn’t work from home so I was out of work and was very bored,” she tells me.

So two months into the first lockdown, Collins started her own small clothing business, Quite Nice Clothing (QNC), which creates wearable deconstructed meals and drinks.

“I was doing a lot of drawing and trying to stay creative when the idea just came to me. I just thought it would be really funny to have people wearing deconstructed chicken pies on their t-shirts. I started designing, set up an Instagram and gave it a shot. To be honest, I hadn’t prepared at all and I only expected my family and friends to be interested but it took off and people were into it so I went for it!” she says of the birth of QNC.

What started off as just a clothing business has now become a business that’s home to a vast array of products such as placemats, prints, tote bags, t-shirts, long-sleeve t-shirts, hoodies, and soon tea towels and reusable food wraps. The products have been such a hit—so much so that she’s gained a hefty 5306 followers within just 10 months. This doesn’t come as much of a surprise because, as mentioned on QNC’s website: “Now more than ever people need a bit of playfulness in their lives” and QNC delivers exactly this.

“I just thought it’d be really funny to have people wearing deconstructed chicken pies on their t-shirts”

Each design is carefully hand-drawn and then edited on Photoshop, and Collins makes an effort to find interesting packaging and household names that are easily recognisable. Being a big sushi fan, her favourite design so far is the salmon nigiri t-shirt. Sadly she doesn’t do custom orders, but plans on doing them once she’s saved up for a DTG (Direct to Garment) printer.

Importantly, QNC is committed to being as climate neutral as possible, as this is something close to Collins’ heart. So in an effort to reduce transportation emissions, all the products are made in the UK; the tissue paper and mailing bags are both compostable and recyclable; t-shirts and tea towels are made from organic cotton which is grown without damaging pesticides; the ink used is water soluble which is better for marine life as there are no micro plastics; garments are made from the best quality materials so they last longer than your average fast fashion garment; and the launch of reusable food wraps is underway.

The response so far has been great. “I think the products are pretty good as gifts and they are unusual so I think people respond well to that,” she explains. “Food and drink are so personal to people and it’s something we all have in common so I think that most people can find something they relate to—maybe it makes them think of a memory, a friend or home.”

‘QNC is committed to being as climate neutral as possible’

Right now, Collins is hoping to continue the way she’s going, keep creating and grow her customer base. And one day hopes to have her own warehouse and hire someone to help her out.

If you’re feeling inspired to set up a small business yourself, Milli’s best advice would be: “prepare a bit before, get samples, test out suppliers, create content for socials in advance, do a lot of market research because I did none of these things and had to catch up quickly afterwards. I think coming into it, you want to know your product is the best quality it can be and that it’s something unique.”

Feature image: QNC set of four pasta placemats. Photo credit: Milli Collins.