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Rob Ortega and Ben Giusto
Photo courtesy of Rob Ortega
Rob Ortega and Ben Giusto are student-entrepreneurs striving to enrich their community.

Two students designing clothing to help the community

As Ohio moves into the second month of quarantine, two local students are hoping to make a difference by starting their own clothing line. Rob Ortega, a senior at Cleveland State University, and Ben Giusto, a graduate student at Case Western Reserve University, are the founders of R&B Apparel.

Both Giusto and Ortega wanted to create a clothing line that reflected their love of Cleveland, as well as give back to the community.

“We decided to make these shirts because we want to provide a more authentic and personal connection between the community and Cleveland landmarks,” Ortega said. “We also wanted to make these to show Cleveland is united not by these landmarks, but because with each shirt purchased, we are giving back to a different charity within the Cleveland community.”

With the initial launch, R&B is offering three different products that feature different landmarks in Cleveland. The initial products available will be a t-shirt for $35, a long sleeve shirt for $40 and a quarter zip for $55. The entire line will be available on their website starting June 1.

The first charity that R&B will be donating to is called Flashes of Hope, a charity dedicated to fighting childhood cancer. Ortega and Giusto said they chose this charity because of the effect it can have on the future of Cleveland.

“Giving back to children fosters growth, education and health for our young generation and helps our community prosper by keeping Cleveland healthy and unified,” Giusto said.

If you are interested in placing a pre-order R&B can be reached at rbclothingcompany@gmail.com