Designed by a professional fighter for world-class fighters and fight lovers, we make the world's most cutting-edge kit, engineered for combat. BoXXerworld is about loving the fight game and being passionate about design. From meeting all your custom-made boxing and Muay Thai needs to bringing you the hottest new ready-to-wear designs... making you look bling in the ring is how we get our kicks. We specialise in designs for boxxergirls (specially designed for the female form) and can cater for children and larger sizes. All graphics and colours can be be combined and selected as YOU choose.
Our Story
BoXXerworld came about a little by chance when founder and pro boxer Laura Saperstein travelled to Thailand from the UK in 2008 for a training holiday and to look for fights. Through a friend she was introduced to a Thai lady, a former tailor who was working as a maid and struggling to make ends meet. As a way of giving the lady some work, and curious to see if she could do it, Laura asked her to copy a pair of boxing shorts she'd brought from London. The shorts were beautifully made and top quality, but didn't fit her female shape correctly. The first pair took three attempts before they were right... a process not assisted by the fact that Laura spoke no Thai and the tailor, Tan, spoke not a word of English.
Following that first pair of shorts, the relationship gradually grew, Laura experimenting with more and more complex designs - all communicated through pointing, drawing and quite a bit of giggling and occasional hair pulling. As Laura got to know more about Tan she realized what a hard life the tiny lady had. Unable to afford a home of her own, she was living in a boiling hot room under a tin roof in the ramshackle house of a friend, working all day as a maid for around US$200 per month, and at night and on weekends pulling in a little extra cash as a tailor. She'd had one child - who, sadly, had not lived - and was deserted by her husband. Over time, as Laura became both impressed and appalled at the hard-working nature of the lady and the hardships she was suffering, she decided she wanted to help secure a decent future for Tan, one in which Tan's many skills were respected and valued.
"It seemed so wrong that she was working full-time as a domestic servant and still living below the poverty line, despite the many talents she has. I didn't know how long I was going to be in Thailand, but I discovered I loved working with Tan, despite the language barrier, and got a real kick out of designing. I decided I was willing to invest some capital in a business that would allow her a chance at financial security and happiness, even if it meant I left the country and made the business a gift. The only problem was that I had to convince her to leave her maid job. She'd been ripped off for three months wages in a factory before and was terribly afraid to leave a reliable boss."
Of course, setting up a business, learning about textiles and design, and establishing a shop was no small enterprise, and when Tan finally decided to trust in the new business and come on board full-time, the girls found themselves working 14 hours a day, seven days a week. Along the way, a friend of Tan's, Dew, was brought in to help, sleeping on Tan's floor and throwing herself into the business one hundred percent like the others.
"Dew had been working for less than $5 per day as a waitress. She has two children whom she has been forced to leave in the north of Thailand (a 24-hour bus ride away) with her mother because it was better money than she could hope to earn in her home village! She hasn't seen her children for a year because she cannot afford to. It was heartbreaking, and I wanted her to have the chance to help her kids have a better future," Laura said.
Laura believes one hundred percent in the quality and uniqueness of Boxxerworld's products, and understands that, especially in today's world, success can only be guaranteed with total dedication. She hopes that when customers buy Boxxerworld products they realise that they are not only getting a unique garment to treasure, but will also be making a difference in the lives of some very special Thai ladies who deserve a break. When fighters buy from BoXXerworld, they know they are not contributing to the profits of a sweatshop, but to a business that believes in a decent and dignified life for all involved. Laura's dream is to build the world's premier fightwear and fight-inspired street-wear brand. She believes through creating a top-quality product and fair prices, she will also be able to help some deserving people change their futures.
"It might not be possible to change the world through one business, but it is possible to fight poverty and degradation in a direct way. By creating an ethical business and a great product, everyone is a winner."
Thank you so much for your support!