The Munich label HYRES brings friendly messages for more diversity and mutual acceptance to T-shirts and sweaters. It doesn't just sound good, it looks good too. We wanted to find out more and spoke to the four founders.

Please introduce Hyres: Who is behind it, how did the idea come about and what does the name mean?

We - Sarah, Canan, Beni and Max - are friends with German, Persian and Turkish roots. We all have one thing in common: we were born and raised in Munich. And yet we are very different because we grew up with different values, traditions and cultural influences. The question of our own identity and "Where do you come from and who are you?" has always been with us and has also led to the crucial question that we have enjoyed discussing at length and in depth: Do you have to decide on "the one identity"? Can you only call one place home? Is one language, culture or tradition better than another?

© Hyres

Our own experiences and identities as Germans, as mixed-race children and as children of former guest workers have shaped us and have repeatedly shown us how important it is not to have to commit to one or the other. We wanted to translate this cultural diversity, which we are very grateful for and which for us is an expression of diverse identities, into a label and colorful messages.

So one summer evening in 2018, the idea for our first statement shirt was born: Servus Habibi! And our name: HYRES.

HYRES comes from High Resolution and means high-resolution. The background to this is that people are far too quick to make judgments about people or situations without knowing what history they carry with them, what background they have or why they act the way they do in certain situations. The name HYRES therefore means, figuratively speaking, that the big picture is always made up of many small parts and that you have to take a closer look in order to recognize and understand the big picture, i.e. people and their actions.

© Hyres

What message do you want to convey with your clothes? And do you have the feeling that you're reaching people with it?

Our aim is to send a friendly message to the world with fair and sustainably produced garments and to make a statement for more diversity and mutual acceptance - multiculturalism to wear, so to speak.

"We Are All Hybrid Kids"

Our first T-shirt, which started it all, had the words: Servus Habibi. We found the idea of building a bridge between two traditions and worlds incredibly exciting and important. People should be encouraged to "build bridges" with our products. HYRES is therefore fashion for everyone who feels at home in several cultures, cities, worlds and traditions - we are all hybrid kids!

We have already received many responses saying that they are also hybrid kids and love the message behind them. Many simply find the sayings or designs funny because they either use them themselves or know them from friends and can identify with them.

What can I buy from you at the moment and are there plans to expand the range?

Our collection currently includes T-shirts, sweaters, hoodies, accessories, lounge wear, beanies and caps as well as masks and bags. Our store is divided into women, men and kids, but the styles are unisex and can be worn by everyone.

We will be adding more products to our range in the coming weeks - let us surprise you!

© Hyres

How do you come up with your design ideas?

Quite differently. However, we are usually inspired by our surroundings and prick up our ears to see which words or messages lead to a common denominator and provoke reactions. We love the mix of funny ideas like "Baklava for peace" as well as ideas that make you think like "Nobody is born hating".

"Fuck Fast Fashion"

Where do you produce and do you value sustainability?

Sustainability is a very important aspect for all of us that we have firmly integrated into our everyday lives. According to many studies, the textile industry is one of the dirtiest industries of all. Fast and cheaply produced fast fashion garments in particular contribute to a huge amount of resources being wasted.

In line with the motto "Fuck Fast Fashion", we have therefore made a conscious decision to take responsibility in the production of our garments. This means that all of our garments are made from natural fibers from sustainable organic cotton plantations. To avoid overproduction and the associated waste of resources, most products are made exclusively to order.

One of your messages is "Nobody is born hating" - if you look around Germany (and the world) at the moment, you might have some doubts about that. Are there any (Munich) initiatives, organizations or whatever that you think are worth supporting and that are committed to fighting (everyday) racism?

We deliberately chose this message in a provocative way because we wanted to give people food for thought. We are not born with hatred, stereotypes and prejudices, they develop in the course of our socialization.

The causes and facets of (everyday) racism are very complex. But there are many associations and organizations here in Munich that fight racism in many areas and do a great job.

The work of Bellevue di Monaco, which offers a wide range of counseling and training services for refugees and people seeking help, is particularly worth mentioning at this point. The "München ist bunt" association, for example, also campaigns for tolerance, democracy and against racism and anti-Semitism. The clubs "Bunt kickt gut" and "Boxwerk München " are also great examples for us of making a statement and advocating coexistence.

We are currently also working with the restaurant "Servus Habibi" and have collaborated with artists such as Kaled, Simon Pearce and Daniel Aminati.

This content has been machine translated.