2SLGBTQI+ Inclusive Excellence Award 2025

Thoughts on winning the CanadianSME National Business Award

In a time when trans rights are under attack, to spotlight a trans-led business is rare- and we are so grateful for the consideration.

We are committed to leading with integrity. We value our community over profits, because each staff member is also a member of the same global community, which we’ve connected through our community programs. We make choices that benefit the greater good- from sustainable manufacturing to healthcare for all- which makes it much harder to keep operating. That’s why it’s so rewarding when these choices lead us to validation, as they did with this award.

A special message or advice to small business owners

For me, it’s about seeing myself, my staff, my customers, my retailers and my community partners as points in the same web. When we value the interconnectedness of our community, we can see the specific gifts that each person brings to the table. We are all working for the same goal, and when I stop seeing each piece of the network as a standalone, I create lasting relationships that strengthen our web at every point. This is truly the only way I see small businesses withstanding the many storms headed our way.

Origami Customs

At Origami Customs, We make swimwear, lingerie, chest binders, and tucking gaffs for the gender-diverse and trans community. We’re the ONLY people that do FREE custom sizing for anyone, regardless of size or gender. We know that each body is unique, so we make each piece of clothing fit you perfectly. We’re also the only company in the world that doesn’t label our products according to gender; anyone can wear any product we offer. We invented the first-ever technology that allows us to destroy the binary in undergarments. And not in a poorly-fit, baggy, “unisex,” unflattering way. In the perfect, body forming, made for all genders and body types, kind of way.