Munich Startup: What does your startup do? What problem does Jambo solve?
Julia Seiss, founder and managing director of Jambo: Jambo is a sustainable brand for handmade children’s clothing. We offer cross-generational and cross-cultural work opportunities and contribute to solving poverty in old age and social isolation by offering meaningful and paid employment to senior citizens and people with a migration background.
Munich Startup: But that’s nothing out of the box!
Julia Seiss: Of course there is sustainable children’s fashion, but at Jambo we combine local production with social integration. Our products are not only environmentally friendly, but also create added social value – and there can never be enough social projects. We also try to act sustainably in all areas: We reuse packaging boxes, deliver within Munich by subway and only use Oeko-Tex certified fabrics.
Social integration in an anonymous urban society with Jambo
Munich Startup: What’s your founding story?
Julia Seiss: Jambo was born out of the desire to create social integration in the form of cross-cultural and cross-generational exchange in an increasingly anonymous society and to counteract the high cost pressure in large cities. Thanks to our passion for sewing, we have a strong affinity for sustainable and handmade fashion. And what could be better than connecting things that are close to your heart?
Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Julia Seiss: The biggest challenge was to combine craftsmanship and social integration, while at the same time ensuring sustainable materials and fair production conditions.
Munich Startup: How is business going?
Julia Seiss: As Jambo is still a young startup, we are currently focusing on expanding our production and distributing our clothing via online sales and local channels. We want to have built up a stable distribution network within a year. In five years, we plan to be known throughout Germany. It would be great if more locations for this project were to be established in Germany.
Munich: Ideal location for startups with a social and sustainable focus
Munich Startup: How have you experienced Munich as a startup location so far?
Julia Seiss: Munich is an ideal location for startups with a social and sustainable focus. Thanks to programs like the Munich Impact Incubator, we receive valuable support and access to a great community. The people of Munich also place a high value on sustainability, which is a great boost to interest in Jambo.
Munich Startup: Outsource or do it yourself?
Julia Seiss: We rely on local production in Munich to ensure the highest quality and fair working conditions. All our products are made in Munich, where we sublet a sewing school that is not used during the day.
