From a sewing machine at home to a modern workshop: Iulia’s story and the business developed with EU support in Tiraspol

For Iulia Cernobrivcenko, the pandemic was not only a time of uncertainty, but also a new beginning. It was the moment when a simple family idea gradually turned into a business built on trust, perseverance and the support of the European Union.

While on maternity leave in Tiraspol, Iulia increasingly thought about her family’s financial security and what she could do in the long term. Together with her mother, she decided to turn their sewing experience into a real business opportunity with the support of the European Union’s EU4Business initiative.

An economist by profession, Iulia joined forces with her mother, Victoria Pirogova, an experienced seamstress who had spent many years creating costumes for a local theatre. Their skills complemented each other naturally: Iulia manages the administrative and financial side of the business, while Victoria oversees production and ensures the quality of each product.

“At the beginning we were sewing protective masks in large quantities,” Iulia recalls. “Then personalised orders started to appear. Step by step, we realised that we could do more and that the business had real potential to grow.”

Victoria remembers how their collaboration came about naturally:

“I was already working from home for different clients. When my daughter went on maternity leave, I suggested that we try working together. I wanted her to have stability. That is how everything started — slowly but steadily.”

A turning point came when Iulia discovered the Business HUB in Tiraspol — the first support centre for entrepreneurs in the region, established in 2022 under the European Union’s Confidence Building Measures programme, implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Moldova. Participation in trainings, practical workshops and meetings with other entrepreneurs provided Iulia not only with business knowledge, but also with the confidence to take her idea further.

“For me, the Business HUB was like a real school,” she says. “I learned how the market works, how to develop my business and, most importantly, I gained confidence.”

After analysing market demand, Iulia identified a clear niche: professional clothing for medical staff.

“Doctors and nurses spend long hours at work. They need comfortable, durable and well-designed uniforms that provide comfort throughout the entire day.”

What started at home with just two sewing machines gradually grew into a fully-fledged workshop, now known as Fatin. In 2024, with support of around €17,000 from the European Union through the EU4Business initiative, Iulia managed to significantly expand her activity and move production into a modern space equipped with professional machinery.

“We purchased industrial sewing and overlocking machines, equipment for specialised stitching, an embroidery machine, and professional ironing equipment,” she explains. “All of this has helped us work more efficiently and improve the quality of our products.”

The expansion also meant new jobs. Galina Bezprozvannaia, who joined the team after working in a large textile company, says the difference is clear:

“When you have good equipment, you can work faster and more precisely. That is immediately reflected in the quality of the final product.”

Today, the workshop produces uniforms for medical professionals, beauty industry specialists and employees in the food service sector, and the number of clients continues to grow. In addition to financial support and mentorship, Iulia also received assistance in developing the brand’s visual identity so that the products could be more easily recognised on the market. She is currently working on a catalogue for the new product range.

Looking ahead, she plans to automate part of the production processes to increase order volumes and improve efficiency.

Iulia’s initiative is part of a broader programme by the European Union and UNDP aimed at supporting entrepreneurs on both banks of the Dniester, strengthening local businesses and creating sustainable jobs. So far, more than €529,000 has been invested in strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region.

For Iulia, however, everything remains deeply personal: a business born in the family and grown through patience and hard work. And every uniform sewn in her workshop tells the same story — that with the right support and determination, even the most modest beginning can take flight.