“Strength in movement”: Mayo barrister turns idea into crowdfunded clothing brand after year of travel

When Castlebar's Joe Canning was volunteering on a goat farm in Okinawa, Japan, he had a lot of time to think.

His days were simple: three hours of work on the farm in the morning, followed by long afternoons swimming or snorkelling by the sea. In the evenings, he would return to a small cottage with no Wi-Fi. For someone used to the pace of a legal career, the quiet offered something rare — space.

It was there, halfway around the world, that the Castlebar-area native decided it was finally time to act on an idea he had carried for years.

“When I go home, I’m going to launch something myself,” he remembers thinking. “Clothing is something I’ve always been interested in — how things are made, fabrics, fibres. I said to myself, when I get back to Mayo, I’m going to finally do it.”

That idea would eventually become Lúth, a performance apparel brand he has been building in the evenings and weekends alongside his work as a barrister.

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Back home in Mayo

Canning has spent the past decade working as a lawyer in Ireland and abroad, including several years in Luxembourg with the European Parliament. But returning home to Mayo last autumn gave him the push he needed to begin.

Now based in Turlough and originally from the Castlebar area, he says being back in the county has played a big role in getting the project off the ground.

“One of the best things about being from around Castlebar is the community,” he says. “I went to school here, I have a great network here, and people are very willing to help.”

That support has already shown itself. Just over two weeks ago, Canning launched his first product — the Lúth Core Tee — through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign.

The campaign set out with a goal of €7,500.

It reached that target in just eight days.

“I was so nervous before launching it because it’s all me,” he says. “My neck, my name, my brand — everything was on the line. But when it funded in the first week, it felt absolutely amazing.”

At the time of speaking, the campaign had already surpassed its target and continues to attract backers ahead of its closing date on March 19.

“I’ve been totally taken aback by the support,” he says. “People in Mayo really like to support local initiatives and give someone the bounce of the ball when they start something new.”

A simple idea with a different approach

At first glance, the product might appear simple — a black performance t-shirt.

But for Canning, the concept behind it is more deliberate.

Most performance clothing on the market is made primarily from synthetic materials such as polyester. Canning wanted to try something different: a performance-ready everyday t-shirt made predominantly from natural fibres.

“I started looking into it and realised that most performance clothing is plastic-based,” he explains. “It’s often made on the other side of the world as well.”

Concern about microplastics — and a personal preference for natural materials — pushed him towards a different direction.

“I really believe the future is natural fibres,” he says. “Cotton, wool, blends — things that are better for the environment and better for your body.”

To make that happen, he travelled to Portugal last year to meet textile mills and garment factories. The country has become known for high-quality textile production within Europe.

The result is a product manufactured in Portugal in relatively small batches.

“We’re aiming for about 200 t-shirts in this first run,” he says. “Smaller production runs mean more focus on quality and less waste.”

The meaning behind the name

The name Lúth itself reflects the philosophy behind the brand.

Canning originally considered naming the company after the Irish word for “run”, ruth, but felt it would limit the brand too narrowly. Instead he discovered the word lúth, which loosely relates to strength, agility and movement.

“It doesn’t have a perfect English translation,” he explains. “But it represents something like quiet strength or movement.”

That idea became central to the brand’s message.

“I don’t want it to be an aggressive performance brand,” he says. “But I also don’t want it to just be a lifestyle brand selling ordinary t-shirts. I want something in between.”

The brand’s tagline reflects that philosophy: “Strength in movement.”

For Canning, that idea applies to everyday life as much as sport.

“Movement can be anything,” he says. “Going for a run, going to the gym, or just walking to the shop for a pint of milk. It’s good for your body and your mind.”

Starting small

Despite the early success of the Kickstarter campaign, Canning is determined to keep the brand growing slowly.

The immediate goal is simple: deliver the first production run to supporters.

After that, he plans to gradually expand — perhaps introducing different colours, a long-sleeve version of the shirt, or other items in the future.

“I still have a full-time job,” he says with a laugh. “So this is very much evenings and weekends.”

His longer-term vision is modest but clear.

“In a few years’ time, if we had two or three products and a reputation for quality natural-fibre performance clothing in Europe, that would be success to me.”

But in the short term, the dream is closer to home.

“I’d love to see people wearing Lúth around Mayo,” he says. “That would make me very proud.”

Taking the first step

For others in Mayo thinking about launching their own idea alongside a day job, Canning’s advice is straightforward.

Start.

“You can spend all your time planning and thinking about the mountain ahead of you,” he says. “But at some point you just have to take the first step.”

For him, that moment came when he formally registered the company in Ireland.

“Once it existed, it suddenly became real,” he says. “And I thought — well, we might as well go for it now.”

From a quiet farm in Japan to a small startup rooted in Mayo, that decision has already taken him further than he imagined.

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