Montreal’s Manmade grows in Canada, U.S. with luxe fabric, bold ads

Four best friends from Montreal had a simple idea: Create men’s underwear that’s breathable, won’t ride up, or chafe sensitive areas.

What started with weekend brainstorming at a cottage evolved into Manmade, a Canadian direct-to-consumer apparel brand that’s disrupting the premium men’s apparel industry across Canada and the United States. In what could be considered a “ballsy” move, they’ve now set their sights on global expansion.

Robert Marzin, co-founder of Manmade, recently shared the company’s journey on Export Development Canada's (EDC) Export Impact Podcast, providing insights into Canadian entrepreneurship, U.S. market entry and international growth strategies.

Launched in 2020, Manmade set out to solve real problems in men’s underwear. Today, the brand has expanded into a full men’s apparel line, staying true to its mission of delivering comfort, quality and thoughtful design.

Tune in to the Export Impact Podcast and find out how Manmade overcame challenges to scale globally. Follow us on your favourite streaming platforms, so you never miss an episode. New episodes are released on the last Thursday of each month.

The story of Manmade begins with four childhood friends. After spending a decade in banking and finance, Robert Marzin, alongside his co-founders Berto (a CPA), Anthony, and Phil (both bankers), felt a strong pull toward entrepreneurship and launching a purpose-driven business.

"We all had the entrepreneurial itch, the entrepreneurial spirit," Marzin explains. "Each of the four of us brought different skill sets that were complimentary.”

During a weekend cottage getaway, the group began brainstorming business ideas. One topic kept surfacing: underwear. "We’d be like, ‘Do you guys always have to adjust yours?’ And some of the guys were like, ‘Yeah,’” Marzin says—sparking a deep dive into the men’s underwear industry, where they discovered that most fabrics lacked breathability and lost shape throughout the day.

Their breakthrough came with modal fabric; a breathable material sourced from beech trees. "What's cool about it is that it’s breathable like cotton, but the caveat here is that it doesn’t stretch out at the end of the day," Marzin notes.

While underwear accounted for 90% of sales in Manmade’s early years, it now represents just 50% of revenue, with overall sales growing 3x year-over-year. This shift reflects the brand’s successful expansion into a broader men’s apparel line, designed with versatility and comfort in mind. Their product range now includes:

• T-shirts that don't stretch out or shrink in the dryer
• Versatile pants suitable for gym, casual wear or nights out
• Socks, swim shorts, sweaters, jackets and polos

The company's expansion strategy centers on dominating their home market first. "Right now, our major market is Canada,” explains Marzin. "It’s underserved when it comes to the type of products that we’re selling. In the U.S., there are so many options for consumers."

While about 90% of Manmade's sales are in Canada, further expansion into the U.S. market remains a logical next step to global growth. 

How can Canadian apparel brands enter the U.S. market?

To enter the U.S. market, Manmade initially shipped directly from its Montreal facility, leveraging the de minimis rule (Section 321), which exempts shipments under $800 from duties.

However, recent changes to trade regulations—including the suspension of the de minimis rule—forced a strategic pivot. "We had to make a complete 180 and decide to have a third-party logistics provider (3PL) in the U.S.," Marzin explains. A 3PL is an external company that manages logistics services such as warehousing, inventory and shipping on behalf of other businesses. While the company now works with a U.S.-based third-party logistics provider, its long-term goal is to open a dedicated warehouse in the U.S. staffed by Manmade employees.

Currency volatility remains an ongoing challenge for Canadian companies exporting to the U.S. "You could lose 5 to 10% or increase your costs by 5 to 10% easily," Marzin notes.

To mitigate this, Manmade uses forward contracts—agreements to lock in exchange rates for a future date, typically up to 12 months in advance. Since U.S. sales currently don’t fully offset those costs, active currency hedging is essential.

Looking ahead, Marzin projects that U.S. sales will represent 40% of revenue next year, creating a natural hedge against currency fluctuations and strengthening the brand’s position in the international market.

For online startups, securing traditional financing can be a major hurdle. Banks often require collateral such as inventory or purchase orders—assets that many early-stage companies simply don’t have. Brands like Manmade rely on projected sales and flexible inventory models, which can make access to credit nearly impossible.

"EDC played a big part, because getting financing or a line of credit as an online company with no track record is close to impossible," Marzin explains.

"EDC actually guaranteed the line of credit. They have a product that insures it, so banks can take less risk," he adds. "They were the reason we got our first line of credit with RBC."
 

Manmade’s marketing journey offers valuable lessons for Canadian apparel startups entering competitive markets.

Initially, the company tried to emulate established brands—hiring professional models and actors to replicate the polished campaigns of larger companies. “When we first started, we thought we had to be like everyone else. We’re like okay, if the bigger companies are successful, then we should do something like that,” Marzin explains. The results were disappointing—averaging just five sales per day during the first three months.

The turning point came through an unexpected opportunity with the Montreal Gazette—a Canadian daily newspaper. When asked for a photo, co-founder Anthony suggested they pose in their underwear. The resulting front-page feature led to a complete sell-out of their inventory.

This experience shaped Manmade's ongoing marketing philosophy: “Not taking ourselves too seriously and being different than everyone else,” says Marzin. Their approach includes:

• Handwritten thank-you notes with every order
• Personalized email sequences that acknowledge repeat customers
• Celebrity partnerships that feel organic—many started as regular customers
• Humorous, self-deprecating advertising

When expanding internationally, Robert and his team at Manmade discovered that success at home doesn’t guarantee traction abroad. One of the biggest hurdles they faced in the U.S. export market wasn’t logistics or currency—it was marketing localization.

For Canadian startups aiming to scale globally, Manmade’s experience offers three key takeaways:

1. Test and adapt marketing strategies for each target market

“So you really have to take the time to study and test videos, and understand what’s working and what’s not, and double down on what’s working because it’s not just an easy way of saying, ‘Hey, this video’s doing good in Canada, so it’s going do well in the U.S.,’ because it’s not true,” Marzin explains.

2. Recognize that domestic success doesn’t guarantee international appeal

"The marketing that works in Canada doesn't necessarily work in the U.S.," Marzin explains. "Something simple like my accent; I have a very particular accent—I’m Italian descent. When I speak and make a video in the U.S. right away, there’s almost a disconnect because I’m not like them.”

3. Collaborate with local partners who understand the market landscape

"What we try to do more and more is get American people that connect with the American consumer, especially since their humour is different than ours,” says Marzin.

Manmade’s evolution from a fun idea to a fast-growing men’s apparel brand is a powerful case study in Canadian entrepreneurship and international growth. By combining purpose-driven design, strategic export planning, and early support from EDC, the company has successfully navigated the complexities of cross-border trade, including U.S. customs, currency risk and marketing localization.

Ready to learn more? Listen to the Export Impact Podcast on edc.ca, or subscribe on Spotify, Apple or Amazon Music, and start turning your international business goals into reality.

This content was created in part using generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI).