We Spent 2.5 Years Developing Fabric Before Selling One Item | Rory MacFadyen of Reflo

Rory MacFadyen never planned to run an apparel brand.

He was on a solid corporate trajectory in sport. Middle East sponsorship deals. Major events. A comfortable path.

Then he saw the scale of waste in sportswear.

At the same time, his best friend Pete discovered how to turn unlimited plastic waste into performance fabric.

That was the spark.

In this episode of Screw It Just DO It, Rory shares how Reflo was born, why they spent two and a half years developing sustainable performance fabrics before launching, and how they went from being doubted to landing partnerships with the Australian Open and the WM Phoenix Open.

We talk about rejection, tall poppy syndrome in the UK, raising growth capital, bringing Harry Kane in as an investor, and why entrepreneurship is far harder than people think.

This is not a fast-fashion story.

It’s about long-term thinking, graft, resilience, and trying to flip an industry on its head.

Key Takeaways

• Why there is never a perfect time to launch

• How to build credibility before you look big

• Why founders must sell, not just manage

• The truth about hustle culture and burnout

• How to build a brand rooted in mission, not marketing

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