Research Unit⁶²

Research Unit

Erin-Lee and Chad Petersen are the passionate pair of makers behind Research Unit, a Cape Town-based company that designs and hand-crafts elevated, considered, and sustainable apparel and accessories for women, men, and kids. This dream originally started as a side hustle on Erin-Lee's bedroom floor and ultimately gained its stride thanks to countless YouTube tutorials and seed capital from the sale of an iPhone 4 while they juggled various other jobs. Today, Research Unit has grown in leaps and bounds. The team now works with communities across Cape Town, from Hanover Park to Khayelitsha, to empower skilled people, especially women, by working closely with them to sculpt, perfect, and design products of superior quality that can be used and loved for a long time to come. Hand-made in small batches by experienced machinists, tailors, and garment analysts, each item considers form, fit, and function with close attention to detail. By giving back to these communities, Research Unit works to keep the skills and industry within these local economies alive and thriving.