About Burke and Bowen

THE PROBLEM

We always wanted to bring a product to market, but not just another product; one that mattered. 

So, we started searching and came across a global problem: clothing is the second most at-risk product of modern-day slavery. We concluded that this is a problem we want to solve.

After copious amounts of research, we found not many companies are pursuing a solution to this problem. Some have dedicated themselves to sewing their products in an ethical manner, but few mention where they are producing their fabric, let alone where their cotton is grown.

A prominent factor contributing to unethical labor in the apparel industry is the lack of transparency in the supply chain. We found a start to solving this problem is to be transparent and upfront about our processes, charting a new path along the way.

We decided to create clothing so the end consumer can know where their clothes are made, every step of the way. Not only do we tell you the city our clothes are sewn in, but we start with the city our cotton was grown in.

We are doing ground-level research to guarantee that nobody involved in the supply chain of our products is being forced to work, underpaid, or given unsafe working conditions.

We are doing this because this is where our passion and our purpose collide. We envision a world where our friends can shop for quality apparel and not leave feeling guilty, so we are building a brand where you don’t have to choose between your conscience and your style.

The apparel of tomorrow that we should have had yesterday.

Welcome to Burke and Bowen.

ABOUT THE NAME

We were inspired by the resilience of Jack Burke and Andy Bowen, who fought the longest boxing match in history at 110 rounds. Bowen was scheduled to fight another man who never showed, so the no-show's trainer, Burke, saw an opportunity and stepped into the ring. The fight was eventually ruled a draw, but not without each man giving everything they had and leaving it all in the ring. This fight was resilience, tenacity, and grit on display.

Burke broke every bone in each of his hands and was bedridden for 6 weeks after. He still resisted retirement and continued fighting.

Bowen fought only four more fights after that historic feat. His match against Kid Lavigne left him unconscious and never to wake again.

We believe such perseverance and resilience resembled in that match and in those men embody this company.

Thus, BURKE & BOWEN.