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| Industry | Textile |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2014; 10 years ago (2014) |
| Founders | Nate Checketts, Carras Holmstead, Casey Edgar, Kyle McClure, Ben Checketts |
| Headquarters | 484 Pacific St., Stamford, United States |
| Number of locations | 14 |
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Key people | Nate Checketts (CEO), Ben Checketts (Creative Director) |
| Products | Activewear |
| Brands | Rhone, SilverTech, GoldFusion |
| Number of employees | 100 (2023) |
| Website | rhone.com |
Rhone Apparel (referred to as Rhone) is an American company producing and selling activewear.
History
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. 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.
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. In November 2015, Rhone generated 62% of its total annual revenue for 2014.
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. Since its inception, Rhone has raised a total of $6.2 million in funding. In February 2016, the company acquired a building in Stamford, Connecticut to serve as its new headquarters.
Profile and products
Rhone primarily manufactures and sells activewear. The company uses fabrics like organic cotton, recycled polyester, merino wool, and modal in their products. Many of the company's offerings include antimicrobial and breathable fabrics. Flatlock stitching, where the seams lie flat with edges of fabric butting together rather than folding together, is used to avoid chafing.
Historically focused on men's activewear, Rhone began selling a permanent line of women's activewear in April 2024, after having offered temporary women's collections in the past.
The company sometimes stitches or adheres inspirational messages onto its products, such as "Don't Die Without a Few Scars" or "What We Do in Life Echoes in Eternity."
References
- 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.
- ^ Fareeha Ali (13 January 2016). "Activewear retailer Rhone Apparel grows 500% in 2015". Internet Retailer. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
- ^ "Rhone Apparel Gets Into the Activewear Game". Bloomberg Business. 23 December 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
- ^ 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.
- "Rhone Fabric Guide". Rhone. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
- "Growing New Canaan startup to move to Stamford". News 12 Connecticut. 26 February 2016. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
- Dojc, Mike. "Rhone Makes Bold Swing Into Womenswear With LPGA Partnership". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-05-07.
- Steele, Lauren (2020-05-03). "Pioneering activewear brand Rhone (finally!) launched a women's collection". Fast Company. Retrieved 2024-05-06.
- Dominic Bonvissuto (28 October 2014). "Rhone Apparel Review". Jeans & Ties. Retrieved 28 March 2016.