TikTok recognizes London, Ont. LGBTQ+ business as a Canadian favourite
TikTok has recognized London-based LGBTQ+ business, Rainbow Certified, as one of Canada’s favourite brands on the platform for 2022.
The business was created in December 2019, but according to its co-founders, it really became their “lockdown baby” when the COVID-19 pandemic hit a few months later.
They create and ship Pride merchandise, like stickers, pins, shirts and Christmas ornaments.
“Businesses small or large usually carry some kind of Pride merchandise throughout June because it’s Pride month,” explained Sarah Couvillon. “But then those kind of products typically go away throughout the rest of the year.”
Rainbow Certified aims to fill that gap.
“We wanted to create a business that celebrates Pride in our community every single day,” said Rachael Newby.
In the early days, they were excited if they got a single order in a week. These days, however, they’re filling five to 10 orders a day.
“Did we really just get an order from Sri Lanka?” joked Couvillon. “Like how did someone from there hear about us?”
They attribute much of their growth to TikTok, where Rainbow Certified has amassed more than 40,000 followers in the last year.
“It just gives us all a chance to get involved and see what the LGBT community wants, and just celebrate Pride and the aspects of why we do it,” said Newby.
Their entire operation is run out of their London home right now, but they are hoping to eventually have a storefront.
Dozens of retailers across North America, and even a couple in Europe, now carry their merchandise.
Couvillon and Newby haven’t been able to leave their day jobs to fully commit just yet, but the plan is to transition Couvillon to that role sometime in the New Year.
“Definitely been a challenge at times,” said Newby. “But in possibly the best way, because we’ve seen each other’s strengths and weaknesses.”
“We’ve been stuck together 24/7 through lockdown, created a business, and we both work from home,” added Couvillon with a chuckle. “I think it’s safe to say our relationship is very solid.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Feds 'not interested' in investing in LNG facilities: energy minister
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says the federal government is 'not interested' in subsidizing future liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects, including the electrification of projects currently in the works.
Chants of 'shame on you' greet guests arriving for the annual White House correspondents' dinner
An election-year roast of U.S. President Joe Biden before journalists, celebrities and politicians at the annual White House correspondents' dinner Saturday.
Aerial photos show wide devastation left by tornado in China's Guangzhou
Aerial photos posted by Chinese state media on Sunday showed the wide devastation of a part of the southern city of Guangzhou after a tornado swept through the day before, killing five people, injuring dozens others and damaging over a hundred buildings.
Health minister 'deeply appreciative' of doctors but capital gains changes here to stay
Health Minister Mark Holland says while he is 'deeply appreciative' of the work doctors in Canada do, the federal government has no plans to scrap the proposed capital gains tax changes outlined in the latest budget, despite opposition from the Canadian Medical Association.
A top Qatari official urges Israel and Hamas to do more to reach a ceasefire deal
A senior Qatari official has urged both Israel and Hamas to show "more commitment and more seriousness" in ceasefire negotiations in interviews with Israeli media, as pressure builds on both sides to move toward a deal that would set Israeli hostages free and bring potential respite in the nearly seven-month-long war in Gaza.
What Trudeau's podcast appearances say about the Liberals' next ballot box question
Trudeau recently appeared on four podcasts as he travels the country talking up the Liberals' latest budget, which he's pitching as a plan to inject more economic fairness into society for those under 40 — a cohort that has kept Trudeau in power since 2015 but is increasingly turning to Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
Russian drones set a hotel ablaze in a Ukrainian Black Sea city
Russian drones early Sunday struck the Black Sea city of Mykolaiv, setting a hotel ablaze and damaging energy infrastructure, the local Ukrainian governor reported, while ammunition shortages continued to hobble Kyiv's troops in the more than two-year-old war.
A munitions explosion at a Cambodian army base kills 20 soldiers, but its cause is unclear
Security was tight around a military base in southwestern Cambodia on Sunday, a day after a huge explosion there killed 20 soldiers, wounded others and damaged nearby houses.
Deadly six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 sparked by road rage incident
One person was killed in a six-vehicle crash on Highway 400 in Innisfil Friday evening.