Emily Hakala and Spencer Robinson attended the same high school and were frequently late to their first-period class. Instead of being discouraged by the late start to their day, they realized how important the phrase “Skip School Not Breakfast” actually is.
Since high school, Hakala and Robinson have gone to separate universities. Hakala is a sophomore at Brigham Young University and Robinson is a sophomore at Utah Valley University. Though they don’t attend the same school anymore, their inside joke lives on within their brand; every apparel item reads, “Skip School Not Breakfast” or the abbreviated version, “SSNB.”
“[The phrase] ‘Skip School Not Breakfast’ is a reminder to me to keep my priorities straight,” Hakala said. “Especially as a college student, I find myself prioritizing school or work over my own well-being. This little slogan reminds me that it’s okay to take care of myself every once in a while, plus who doesn’t like breakfast?”
Skip School Not Breakfast has a unique process when it comes to creating an apparel item. They don’t start entirely from scratch, they upcycle.
“We go to a thrift store and hand-pick high-quality shirts,” Robinson said. “Then we go home and come up with the designs and logos ourselves. We print out the vinyl, then use a t-shirt press we bought for the business and print on the shirts. We want to give people clothing they enjoy wearing and feel good about.”
Skip School Not Breakfast is just getting started. For now, the business is made up of not only Hakala and Robinson but also a few of their close friends. Together they brainstorm design ideas for the shirts and model them for their Instagram page.
UVU students can join in on the inside joke by following the brand’s Instagram page @skipschoolnotbreakfast. The Instagram account is used for sharing information about new clothing and other important information about the brand. If a student would like to get a hold of the apparel items, they can do so by simply direct messaging the account.
“Right now we sell sweaters and shirts, but we’re in the process of making stickers as well,” Hakala said. “We take donations if you are looking for a good home for your lightly used shirts, sweaters, and hoodies.”
