A Carleton alumna has partnered with WaterAid Canada to launch a new brand of fitness apparel for the “socially conscious athlete” which launched on Nov. 9.
LVD Fitness was created by former Carleton student Mallory Rowan and current student Josh Reyes. The pair created the brand during an entrepreneurship course at Carleton. They partnered with WaterAid, and part of each sale will be donated to provide a child with one month of clean water.
WaterAid builds systems that purify water, and then focus on teaching the community how to maintain it.
Rowan said she found it difficult to find time to volunteer and make a difference, so this was an opportunity that might help other athletes like her.
“We set out to create a community for all lifters to come together and make a difference. We’ve found millennial athletes are intensively supportive of what we are doing,” Rowan said.
The company is now selling t-shirts, snapbacks, hoodies, and decals online.
According to Rowan, since the launch of the online site business has been successful. Customers have been buying from Canada and the United States, as well as the United Kingdom.
“Business is great. We just launched our online store [on Nov. 9] and saw over $600 in sales in the first 12 hours,” she said.
LVD Fitness also received a Hatch grant from the Carleton University Students’ Association. This grant helps student businesses with their start-ups, and provides resources and support.
“We donate on a semi-annual basis and in return, WaterAid Canada provides us with a transparency report within 30 days of our donation so we know exactly where our donation has gone,” Rowan said.
