Munich Startup: What does your startup do? What problem are you solving?
Maximilian Rupp, Hacoy: Hacoy is not a fashion brand in the conventional sense. We see ourselves as missionaries for sustainable and ethical fashion. Our clothing collections are made from high-quality and sustainable materials, produced in a fair working environment that ensures respect and care for everyone involved in the process. We value not only functionality, but also timeless, outstanding design.
We can counteract the problem of clothing waste and have founded an initiative, the Circular Fashion Orbit, as our commitment to the planet and future generations. Through this program, we ensure that every Hacoy garment has an “endless lifespan”. Whether recycling, resale or upcycling – we are committed to ensuring that our products do not end up in landfills and remain in the fashion cycle.
Hacoy wants to show a different path in the fashion industry. With our “no overproduction and no sales” policy, we reduce waste and value sustainable quality and fair working conditions. Our ultimate goal is not just to clothe people, but to do so in a way that protects our planet and its inhabitants.
Munich Startup: But that already exists!
Maximilian Rupp, Hacoy: The concept of ethical fashion is indeed not new and it is encouraging to see that awareness and implementation of these principles are increasing over time. What sets Hacoy apart from others, however, is our approach of integrating sustainability and ethics not as an afterthought, but as a central foundation for everything we do. While many brands gradually transitioned to more sustainable practices, Hacoy emerged from the desire to create a fashion line that is ethical from the ground up. Our approach to a “circular fashion cycle” is proof of this and ensures that our products are not only ethically produced, but also have a sustainable life cycle. This holistic approach is still quite rare in the industry. Our commitment goes far beyond our products. We strive to positively influence every aspect of our activities, from a harmonious working environment with fair working conditions for our employees to our commitment to the community. All of this combined with our innovative strategies such as zero overproduction and a sales-free model distinguishes Hacoy in a sector that has been evolving for years.
Munich Startup: What is your founding story?
Maximilian Rupp, Hacoy: My journey as an entrepreneur has been colorful, marked by an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to do things differently. My first business was a fictional restaurant in my childhood bedroom, my first customer was my mother, who kindly supplemented my pocket money in exchange for tap water from our house, and during my studies at Polimoda in Florence, I developed “Studibon”, an app for student discounts. Entrepreneurship has always been part of my DNA.
The desire to make the fashion world a better one arose from my first job at a handbag label in Munich. Here I experienced firsthand the often overlooked ethical and moral aspects of the fashion industry. This realization prompted me to create something that stands for more than just profit and fleeting trends. I decided to create a brand that is rooted in ethics and sustainability. A brand that can proudly testify that fashion can be made in a better way.
Our designer Romana, a brilliant creative mind whom I got to know at my last job, shared this vision. Together as a team, we embarked on the founding adventure, with her bringing invaluable creativity to the unique design of our collection, while I took on full entrepreneurial responsibilities. We see Hacoy not just as a brand, but as our mission to have a positive impact on the status quo of the fashion industry. Hacoy thus started as an online shop during the pandemic with our bestselling model at the time, the Hacoy linen shirt with removable tie for working from home.
Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Maximilian Rupp, Hacoy: Every entrepreneurial journey is peppered with a series of challenges, and so is ours. One of the biggest hurdles we faced was gaining visibility in the fiercely competitive fashion world. Despite our unique value proposition, it has been and continues to be difficult to properly communicate our brand recognition to the public. However, we are proud and grateful that we have now been able to achieve coverage in renowned publications such as Textil Wirtschaft, InStyle Men and Vanity Fair, as well as various smaller media outlets, thanks to our targeted PR strategy.
Another challenge was finding retail space in a good location in Munich. Despite increased vacancy, we encountered numerous obstacles, especially the usual long-term rental contracts that are not particularly founder-friendly. After months of searching, we were fortunate to find a shop in a very good location that offered a one-year rental contract. A rarity in the industry. We were relieved to have the flexibility we needed as a young, growing brand.
However, perhaps the biggest challenge has been and continues to be educating consumers about the importance of ethical fashion. In a society accustomed to the temptations of cheap, fast fashion, rethinking is a very slow process. Many people are not yet willing to pay for sustainability in fashion and prefer to go the route of promotional offers and lower quality from apparent trend fashion, which is propagated among other things through social media. It will continue to be our mission to influence positive changes that benefit people and the environment, and to remain true to our principles.
Munich Startup: Where do you want to be in one year, and where in five years?
Maximilian Rupp, Hacoy: Our goal is to make the Hacoy brand a household name in the Munich area within the next year. We want more and more people in the city to know our brand and what we stand for. This should not only be about brand recognition, but about anchoring the ethos of sustainable and ethical fashion in local culture. We want our mission to reach people here in Munich and find approval.
In five years, I would like to be able to elevate the Hacoy brand to a prestige level that matches the quality and value of the brand. I would like to be able to expand my flagship store in a location where we can reach as many people as possible, and I want to create more sustainable jobs. Our mission should grow and new ideas and projects should emerge that reach more and more people. For this, Hacoy needs more customers, more awareness beyond Munich, and consumer conviction that holistically sustainable fashion is good for people and the planet. That’s what we’re working towards.
Munich Startup: How have you experienced Munich as a startup hub so far?
Maximilian Rupp, Hacoy: Munich as a startup hub offers a mix of opportunities and challenges that have also shaped our journey. There is no shortage of networking events in the city, but I’ll be honest – I often shy away from them. The reason is that such events often feel more like a performance competition than a genuine opportunity for constructive collaboration or exchange of learning content.
For the practical aspects of running a startup in Munich, such as finding affordable retail space, Munich is not an easy location for us in retail. However, a physical presence in Munich is crucial for Hacoy to test and validate our brand in a real-world environment and to be close to our customers. It’s a risk, but one that I believe is essential for our growth.
One thing I’ve observed in Munich is that the city is full of creative minds and innovative ideas. However, there seems to be a gap in implementing these ideas. Many aspiring entrepreneurs could benefit from more accessible information and support, for example in the form of startup centers or mentorship programs that help them take the crucial step from idea to implementation. Munich certainly has the potential to be not just a city of ideas, but also a cradle for successful startups.
Munich Startup: Hidden champion or shooting star?
Maximilian Rupp, Hacoy: At Hacoy, we see ourselves more as a “hidden champion” than as a “shooting star”. This is in line with our approach to growth and impact. We’re not chasing fleeting fame or quick success. Instead, we focus on building a solid foundation based on ethical practices, quality products, and a sustainable business model. Our path is characterized by steady progress rather than a sudden leap into the spotlight. We have set ourselves a high goal that first requires a change in awareness among consumers when it comes to fashion, something that cannot happen overnight. As a “hidden champion”, we want to accompany this change with our commitment to a better fashion world. We see ourselves as missionaries striving to build an image with our brand that enables us in the long term to bring about positive changes in the fashion industry that benefit people and the environment.
