Poland’s capital Warsaw has emerged as a hub for multinational companies and global investment banks, with the country aspiring to become central Europe’s main financial center. However, in a basement of a residential building a few blocks away from the bustling business district, Sebastian Wareluk’s sewing machine buzzes nonstop.
Wareluk, along with his partner Wojciech Ostrowski, owns Dwa Borsuki, a backpack company. While they manufacture bags for big brands like Garnier, they also have a significant customer base within Poland’s LGBTQ community.
“About four and a half years ago, we started this business with the goal of creating colorful backpacks. As a gay couple, we wanted to embrace our identity and cater to the LGBTQ+ community in Poland, as well as anyone who supports the community,” said Ostrowski in an interview with DW.
LGBTQ and Polish politics
In recent years, the rights of LGBTQ individuals in Poland have been threatened by the anti-LGBTQ rhetoric of the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS).
Two years ago, various communities in the country declared themselves “LGBTQ ideology-free zones.” However, some of these areas have renounced that status after facing condemnation from the EU for engaging in discriminatory practices.
Despite these challenges, businesses like Dwa Borsuki have not shied away from serving the LGBTQ community or recognizing the potential of Poland’s “pink economy,” a term used to describe the purchasing power of the LGBTQ community.
‘Pink money’ throughout Poland
Ian Johnson, the CEO of Out Now, a global marketing firm specializing in LGBTQ research and marketing, stated that within the 10 largest EU economies, Poland’s “pink economy” ranks seventh and contributes nearly 165 billion zloty (€36 billion; $38.2 billion) annually.
“Considering that ‘pink money’ represents the combined income of almost two million LGBTQ adults in Poland, who generate around €36 billion per year, it’s logical that businesses would be interested in attracting more of this income,” added Johnson.
From multinational companies like Ben & Jerry’s, which produced a rainbow hologram to support LGBTQ rights, to small businesses like Dwa Borsuki, the potential of Poland’s “pink money” has been a motivation to continue catering to the LGBTQ community, despite political obstacles.
Ostrowski emphasizes that their business also appeals to customers who support the LGBTQ community. Dwa Borsuki even offers a rebate to customers who show evidence of having made a donation to an LGBTQ organization.
About an hour and a half away from Warsaw in the city of Lodz, Waclaw Miklaszewski, co-founder of the Polish flip-flop brand Kubota, shares a similar viewpoint on supporting the LGBTQ community.
“We don’t wait for the government to understand these things because society comprehends them faster. It was natural for us to support the LGBTQ community in Poland,” explained Miklaszewski in an interview with DW.
Kubota’s vibrant flip-flops have been popular in Poland since the mid-1990s. They now have an annual turnover of over €6 million and were listed on the Polish stock exchange last year.
Miklaszewski emphasizes that supporting the LGBTQ community involves more than just displaying a rainbow logo. “It’s about actively promoting support through all products in our rainbow collection. We donate a significant portion of the income generated from these products to LGBTQ-supporting NGOs,” he stated.
Society and businesses supporting LGBTQ people
While businesses like Kubota and Dwa Borsuki openly show
