Rhone Apparel
 | This article contains content that is written like an advertisement. (July 2019) |
 | |
| Industry | Textile |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2014 |
| Founders | Nate Checketts, Carras Holmstead, Casey Edgar, Kyle McClure, Ben Checketts |
| Headquarters | 484 Pacific St., , |
Number of locations | 14 |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Nate Checketts (CEO), Ben Checketts (Creative Director) |
| Products | Men's sportswear (activewear) |
| Brands | Rhone, SilverTech, GoldFusion |
Number of employees | 100 (2023) |
| Website | rhone.com |
Rhone Apparel (referred to simply as Rhone) is an American company producing and selling men's activewear.
History[edit]
Rhone is a company that was founded in 2014 in New Canaan, Connecticut by brothers Nate and Ben Checketts, Casey Edgar, Kyle McClure and Carras Holmstead.[1] The company's name is inspired by the river and region in France with the same name, known for its historical significance and aesthetic beauty.[2]
Initially launched as a web-only retailer, Rhone later partnered with Bloomingdale's in November 2014, expanding its sales to five locations. In 2015, the company's products were stocked in a total of 127 locations, including retailers such as Nordstrom, Equinox, and CorePower Yoga.[3] In November 2015, Rhone generated 62% of its total annual revenue for 2014.[4]
In September 2015, Rhone announced the closing of a $5 million Series A financing round, with investments from individuals in sports, media, and fashion industries.[5] Since its inception, Rhone has raised a total of $6.2 million in funding.[3] In February 2016, the company acquired a building in Stamford to serve as its new headquarters.[6]
Profile and products[edit]
Rhone is a clothing line for men aged between 25-50, who have an active lifestyle. It uses sustainable fabrics like organic cotton, recycled polyester, merino wool, and modal.[citation needed]
The company's product line aims to distinguish itself from brands like Lululemon, Nike, and Under Armour[5] by claiming that it uses superior materials in order to create clothes that last longer than the average product.[citation needed]
Research on antimicrobial fabrics, the founders discovered that weaving silver into cloth created permanent antibacterial and anti-odorant protection.[7][citation needed] Silver thread is woven into many of the company's products.[8]
The company sometimes stitches inspirational messages onto its products, such as "Don't Die Without a Few Scars" or "What We Do in Life Echoes in Eternity."[9] Flatlock stitching, where the seams lie flat with edges of fabric butting together rather than folding together, is used to avoid chafing.[4] The Polartec Power Dry patented construction creates a fabric that is quick wicking to improve breathability and performance.[5]
Style names come from masculine icons like Durden after "Fight Club" character Tyler Durden[10] or Mako after the shark from The Old Man and the Sea.[1]
References[edit]
- ^ a b Dave Ruden (28 July 2014). "Top Of The Line: Two New Canaan Football Graduates Looking To Make It Big In Men's Activewear". The Ruden Report. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
- ^ "Our Story". Rhone Apparel. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
- ^ a b Fareeha Ali (13 January 2016). "Activewear retailer Rhone Apparel grows 500% in 2015". Internet Retailer. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
- ^ a b "Rhone Apparel Gets Into the Activewear Game". Bloomberg Business. 23 December 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
- ^ a b c Jason Belzer (11 November 2015). "Move Over Lululemon, Rhone Is About To Take Over The Men's Activewear Market". Forbes. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
- ^ Alexander Soule (3 February 2016). "Just for men: Rhone picks Stamford for new headquarters". Stamford Advocate. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
- ^ "Growing New Canaan startup to move to Stamford". News 12 Connecticut. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". Rhone Apparel. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
- ^ Dominic Bonvissuto (28 October 2014). "Rhone Apparel Review". Jeans & Ties. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
- ^ David Colman (18 July 2014). "Rhone Apparel Makes Activewear Just for Men". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 28 March 2016.