New Brunswick firms get regional Startup Canada Awards

Two young Fredericton entrepreneurs whoturned their struggles with mental illness into a successful clothing businesshave won a regionalStartup Canada Award for Sustainable Development.

Wear Your Labelis onefive New Brunswick companies to win east coast regional awards withStartup Canada.

Remsoft, Introhive, Ignite Fredericton, and Rt.Tech Software Inc.are also winners.

Kayley Reed, 21, and Kyle MacNevin, 23, saidone in five Canadians will experience a mental illness at some pointin their lifetime and that mental health issues should be treated the same as physical health.

The pairstarted the Wear Your Label brand in 2014in hopes of sparkingconversations to create awareness andreduce the stigma.

Their T-shirts, tank tops and sweatshirtscarry messages, such as "Sad But Rad," "It's Okay To Not Be Okay,"and "Self-care Isn't Selfish."

Wear Your Label, along with the other New Brunswick winners, will receive their awards at the Atlantic awards reception will take place inHalifaxon Oct. 14.