Welsh celebrities have been spotted wearing fleeces made by Cai Rhys, who runs his clothing brand Gwalia from his mam's garage in Cardiff. Despite appearances, the 27-year-old from Canton is the sole operator, with his embroidery machine sitting right beside his bed.
From stolen car to business gamble
When Cai had his car stolen, he used the insurance money to buy an embroidery machine instead of replacing the vehicle. At the time, he was working for an events company, but his dream was to own his own clothing label. Five years on, the gamble has paid off: he has quit his job to work full-time on Gwalia, with his mum Manon helping run operations from her garage.
The brand's name comes from the old poetic word for Wales. "I started Gwalia because I felt in Welsh clothing it tended to be the same thing, which was a big print graphics with something massive to do about Wales," says Cai. "Obviously, everyone loves it. I was guilty of buying some t-shirts myself. But there wasn't really a brand that I felt promoted Welsh history and Welsh heritage in a more cool way."
Building the business from home
Cai soft launched the brand in 2022 around the time of the Eisteddfod in Boduan, Gwynedd. He handled all digital marketing himself with a tripod in the garage. "When I started Gwalia there wasn't really that much income because you're still starting a brand and it's obviously going to take time to build," he recalls. "So I funded the business all through freelance work and as soon as I got that payment through for work it would go straight into Gwalia."
He has relied on taxis and lifts since giving up his car, but says the decision was worth it. "Still to this day I'm working in my mum's garage, or Gwalia HQ as I like to call it," he laughs. "I've currently got an embroidery machine in my room, right next to my bed, so I do all the Gwalia stuff in there and then we've got a screen printer in the kitchen."
Viral moment and celebrity support
A turning point came when a TikTok of Cai's went viral with over 770,000 views. The video responded to an influencer who said Wales should be part of England. "Rather than calling her out on it, I just wanted to educate her about why Wales is its own country," he says. That led to a busy Christmas, with Cai and his mam packing about 130 orders in two weeks.
More recently, the Welsh flag-inspired sherpa fleece debuted at the Eisteddfod in Llantwd in Pembrokeshire. Celebrities including radio presenter Mirain Iwerydd, Traitors star Elen Wyn, and TV presenter Sian Lloyd have worn it. Pre-orders after the Eisteddfod brought in more than 300 orders.
Future plans
Cai hopes to keep the brand in Wales and expand in the next couple of years, offering jobs to local talent. "There are so many creative people in Wales. Like Matthew Rhys said, 'We're a small but mighty nation.' I feel like I've timed Gwalia as a business at a really good time," he says.
