Munich Startup: Who are you and what do you do? Please introduce yourself briefly!
Anna Hadzelek, Re-Shirt: Hello! I'm Anna, and I come from the fashion world: After studying design in Bremen, I worked for a Munich-based label for several years. Now I'm the founder of Re-Shirt and I'm behind our innovation: the first reversible textile printing technology. In other words, the first way to print shirts on short notice. This means I'm constantly commuting between my workshop and my desk, between technical tinkering and organization.
Munich Startup: What problem does your startup solve?
Anna Hadzelek: In general, the problem we're working to eliminate is resource waste. More specifically, we're concerned with textile waste, which has become firmly established in our consumption habits.
Lower environmental costs at events
With Re-Shirt We reduce textile waste by targeting teams and communities: Anyone who wants to equip a team with uniform clothing for a specific event can, thanks to our new technology, rent printed shirts from us in quantities of 20 or more and return them afterwards. This way, we free large events from high environmental costs – for example, the water consumption of 3,000 liters per shirt alone.
We also offer a solution for people who would like to continue wearing their shirts: permanent prints on secondhand shirts. This is particularly suitable for merchandise or for non-profit associations, and it conserves resources.
Munich Startup: But that's been around for a long time!
Anna Hadzelek: Actually not! What's been around for a long time, and in large quantities, are good, unprinted shirts that end up in sorting plants and, in the worst case, even shredded. Simply because the total mass of used clothing—approximately 1.2 million tons annually in Germany—is so huge.
Printed shirts for rent
The reason we're the first to offer prints on secondhand shirts is because it requires a good network and some logistical tweaks. You know how it is at home: It's often harder to find something than to get it new. And suddenly, you're on your eighth lint roller. The fact that we're also the first to offer printed shirts for rent is great, and honestly, makes us a little proud.
Munich Startup: What have been your three biggest challenges so far?
Anna Hadzelek: Three at once? Phew! The development of printing technology wasn't a given; it's at the forefront. Staying on top during the pandemic also required a lot of patience – and it paid off. And the third one is sure to come.
Munich Startup: How are things going?
Anna Hadzelek: They're doing well! The team is growing, as is our network of sorting facilities, printing, and washing workshops.
Munich Startup: How do you rate Munich as a startup location?
Anna Hadzelek: We find ourselves in an inspiring and appreciative environment here, with a relatively high density of very accessible advisory and support services. Along the way, we've encountered many receptive listeners, which is great. At the same time, there's significant pricing pressure on the infrastructure level, but that's simply the downside of dense networks. We enjoy being here.
Munich Startup: Risk or security?
Anna HadzelekFor me, the question is like "Eat or drink?", and the answer is the same: Both, of course! Although without any security, the risk loses its appeal. And vice versa.
