Inuk from Labrador launches Big Land-inspired apparel

An Inukman from Labrador has started his own clothing company, drawing inspiration fromthe Big Landfor his designs.

Josh Pamakoriginally hails from Nain on the north coast of Labrador people throughout the province commonly refer to Labrador as theBig Land butnow lives inNova Scotia where he launched Pamak& Co.

He stumbled into his business unintentionally, making T-shirts for himself and family as a teenager.

"I kind of just did it for a laugh usually, something to do for a gift or something. I figured it was just a nice personalized way to give things to family and friends,"Pamaktold CBC's Labrador Morning.

Fifteen years later, he opened a shopafter his designs started turning heads and people began asking where they could get their hands on his pieces.

But one design put Pamakon the map,his own rendition of the popular East Coast Lifestyle clothing brand which launched in 2013 and swept the Maritimes, and then the globe.

"The one I'm a bit more popular for was basically like a novelty shirt. I just did a riff on the whole East Coast Lifestyle to make it North Coast Lifestyle, which kind of went with the whole Labrador theme," he said.

"It's where I grew up. I'm a Labrador boy through and through, so anything that I can do that basically talks to me, the people of Labrador and more specifically the Inuit, I'm more than happy to do."

Products

Right now Pamak sells T-shirts, hoodies and recently started designing and selling leggings inspired by the Labrador flag and the Northern Lights, that can be found on his company's Facebook page.

"People seem to really like some of the designs I have up. People have been asking where my website is and things like that but unfortunately I don't have one yet. It's something I'm hoping to get going in the near future," he said.

Pamakofficially launched his Facebook page in early September, to a "pretty good" response, but still holds a day job until things hopefully take off.

"I'm an automation I.T. and instrumentation designer. I guess not a lot of people understand what I do," he said.

"Basically I draw pictures all day for that too. I do technical design at work, then I get to do some funner design work in my spare time."

For now Pamakis just having fun with his designs and representing Labrador. He's interested in making the clothing company a full-time operation, but won't chase his hobby into the ground.

"I'm the type of person that when something stops being fun I'll stop doing it," he said."If it gets a bit too stressful or a bit hectic, I may scale it back a bit."

With files from Labrador Morning

Read more articles from CBCNewfoundland and Labrador