b'GLOBAL BUSINESSfilm festival. We also have a queer naming convention for some of our yarn, like Polari, Constant Craving and Annabel.Giving back is also part of the businesss ethos. Cabin Boy Knits takes part in Knit the Rainbow, a U.S.-based initiative that provides crocheted garments to LGBTQ+ homeless youths, and Red Scarf Day, an annual event that encourages participants to create scarves for people living with HIV/AIDS. Closer to home, Walker and Godin run a not-for-profit mens knitting retreat at their cabin which provides space for gay, trans and straight men. The proceeds from this yearly event help Christopher Walker (above right) with partner Jamie Godin (above left) have turned afund scholarships to give other knitters access sideline yarn business that they run out of their weekend cabin into a global successto the retreat.thanks to the help of an active social media presence and worldwide fan baseIt takes more than talent and a good idea to stake a claim in the global marketplace. For that theyve made with your yarn, so ImThe festival and yarn shops closedCabin Boy Knits, their international success getting free advertising all the time, Walkertemporarily, so we had to find another revenuestems from a great mix of online promotion, says. Our online audience is growing at anstream. That motivated us to quickly set up anevent marketing, and a clear, inclusive vision. exponential rate. Were a global business now,online store, Walker recalls. [Moving online]Up next, Walker and Godin are looking and a lot of that growth has been built throughwas a great success because, unbeknownst toto place their yarn in even more bricks-and-social media. us, the amount of knitting and the numbermortar locations by pairing with distributors Social media savvy is just one element ofof knitters increased significantly dueto thewho align with their goals and values. I want Cabin Boy Knits success. Walker and Godinisolating effects of COVID. to be smart about my business choices, and have also crafted names for themselvesThe rise of virtual festivals also providedIm very selective about who we do business by forming bonds with like-minded dyersCabin Boy Knits with a new revenue stream,with, says Walker. Running a business around the world. Over the years, Walkerwhile simultaneously exposing the businessisnt easy, especially when youre essentially has presented at events in Canada, theto a wider global audience. Today, 50 per centworking two jobs. But thanks to the support of U.S., Denmark and beyond, seizing anyof the businesss revenue comes from outsideour customers and community, were making opportunity to talk about his passion andof Canada.it happen. champion sustainable product development.As for creating products under strained You can never spend enough timesupply chains, Walker says the company networking because it opens up so manybenefited from a little foresight: While opportunities. Thanks to our ability to get outobserving the impact of the wool supplyVALUES FIRSTthere and make connections, Ive been able tochain in China at the beginning of 2020, we teach or speak at festivals, trade shows, andanticipated that the same issues would impactCabin Boy Knits is guided by the international knitting organizations all over,North America. Seeing this, we stocked up onprinciples of diversity, equity and and those connections have been huge to ourwool and were able to secure enough fibre toinclusion. This applies both to the success, says Walker.meet demand throughout COVID.suppliers and sellers theyve brought Creative partnerships have also beeninto their network, as well as their key. Through their networks, the pair haveQUEER PERSPECTIVE customer relationships. collaborated with a diverse group of designers,Being queer and Canadian is in Cabin BoyThis philosophy is front and centre farms, dyers and knitting experts. I loveKnits DNA. In addition to selecting a lesbianon the company website, which connecting with people. Thats definitelyand non-binary owned and operated shop instates, We welcome and encour-one of the main ingredients of our success,Montreal as the first shop to sell their yarn,age the participation of all pro-Walker adds. Walker and Godin are keen to apply ducers and consumers that value an LGBTQ+ lens to all facets of their sustainable agriculture and regional COPING WITH COVID-19 growing business.textile manufacturing regardless of Like many businesses, Cabin Boy Knits felt theWe weave a queer and Canadianage, gender, gender identity, race, sting of the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to theperspective into everything we do, sayscultural background, religion, abil-public health crisis, the businesss income wasWalker. For example, our first knittingity, sexual orientation, geographic coming from knitting festivals, store trunkdesign was named after the queer film Winterlocation, and all other characteristics shows, and sales to private clients, and allKept Us Warm, which was the first Canadianthat make our members unique. three revenue streams were impacted.anglophone movie to appear at the Cannes 2021|QBiz CANADA |15'