A final thesis project evolved into a thriving business for a Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) alum.
Sara Jonsdottir was a fourth year Bachelor of Design in Fashion and Technology student at the Wilson School of Design at KPU when she began Revol Cares, an apparel brand specializing in leak-proof period underwear. But the idea didn’t come to her right away. She was encouraged through mentorship from instructor and future colleague Shirley Thompson.
“Shirley was my instructor in the class that I designed Revol Cares in, and she was actually really pivotal in pushing me to think further and kind of opened my mind to what I was actually capable of,” she says. “Originally I had proposed regular underwear but she said to me, ‘I really believe that you can do something that has more impact.’ That’s when I came back with period underwear.”
Once Jonsdottir graduated, she purchased a few sewing machines, registered the company and began selling directly to consumers. It wasn’t long before interest in her products grew.
“What really inspired me was to design a product that I specifically needed, but at the time, I didn’t realize how many people also had the same need,” she says. “It’s a very taboo subject and it’s not something everybody talks about very openly. But once I did, I had a lot of people reaching out that were interested, and so it grew very organically.”
Today, Revol Cares products are available online and in stores across North America, including Safeway and London Drugs. Jonsdottir and her team, which includes a staff of seven, design and ship products worldwide directly out of a warehouse in Vancouver.
Part of that team is Shirley Thompson, who joined the company in 2022 as vice-president of business development.
“Sara was a diligent and pragmatic student, ready to take theory and apply it to something tangible that could impact people’s lives in a positive way,” says Thompson. “This is what is still at the heart of the brand and what inspired me to make the leap back into the apparel industry, where my career began.
“My experience in wholesale product development complemented Sara’s e-commerce expertise, so we rebranded and built out a reusable leak-proof underwear collection for pharmacy and grocery retailers, which is the only one of its kind recognized by the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.”
Jonsdottir, who is a recipient of KPU’s 2021 Outstanding Young Alumni Award, says her time at KPU played a pivotal role in moulding who she is today.
“KPU really creates an environment where they encourage students to think differently than they did when they entered university,” she says. “The industry connections at KPU also allowed me to get a lot of internships and work experience while I was still in school. I feel like that had a really big impact on my learning, getting a taste of the actual workforce before graduating.”
“The advice I would give any student that wants to start an apparel brand is to really spend time on the research and the purpose behind what you're doing,” she says. “I always say I pick myself up by my big girl panties and just keep going because it's not easy, but it's really worth it when you have the passion.”
KPU's Bachelor of Design in Fashion and Technology is a unique, industry-focused program that gives students the design skills, business acumen and marketing savvy they need to compete in the global fashion marketplace.
International Women’s Day, March 8, 2025, is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.