An Ilford dad and his sons have set up a boys clothing company after a lockdown idea for a side-project became a business.

Tandy Virdee, dad to eight-year-old twins Deivan and Rylan, explains how Rocketsonic came about.

He said: “During Covid-lockdown we worked on a personal home-schooling project during the summer. My sons wanted to know what I do for a job - I am a digital marketing professional. While working from home there was no better way of teaching them the ins and outs of marketing.”

Firm in the belief that Deivan and Rylan “might as well start young”, Tandy initially set about making this a mini-project to show them the basic concepts of marketing.

Part of this was to set up an Instagram page, the growing popularity of which saw this side hustle transform into a business.

Tandy decided to change tack after Rocketsonic started to receive orders around three weeks after the idea came to life. He creates the design for individual pieces of clothing, which is then sent to a supplier near Blackpool to be placed onto the garment.

The dad of two said: “This is different to what the boys learn at school, and I’ve enjoyed teaching them about what I do.”

During the first lockdown Tandy’s wife would teach Deivan and Rylan the more conventional subjects in the mornings, with the focus turning to Rocketsonic in the afternoons.

Of his sons, Tandy said: “They are quite inquisitive and ask a lot of questions for a young age.”

With the boys now back at the St Aidan's Catholic Primary Academy in Ilford, this unexpected venture is now entirely in Tandy’s hands.

Though the 52-year-old didn’t initially intend for Rocketsonic to become a functioning business, he’s happy that something positive has emerged from a tough period of home-schooling.

“I wanted to give my sons an insight into concepts relating to business that I didn’t learn about until I was older. It also helped to keep them occupied!”

With Rocketsonic never intended as a primary source of income, Tandy will be contributing a percentage of the proceeds to Unicef, a charity that is “close to us”.

For further information, visit rocketsonic.co.uk or @rocketsonicwear on Instagram.