Very newly launched athletic wear brand EIGHTYONE 20 is combining function and design to bring stylish apparel to men and women. EIGHTYONE 20 firmly professes to be working smarter because they design, manufacture and retail their own products and this in turn enables them to offer high quality gear at groundbreaking prices. The brand spent over a year crafting their first line and their fabrics, sourced from United States mills, are specially designed to perform.
EIGHTYONE 20’s gear features technology like Everdry Tech and Temperature control and individual pieces have been refined with meticulous detail to create inspired designs that are aesthetically and functionally pleasing. We had a chance to delve deeper into the brand. These guys are not amateurs. Trust us, they really know what they are doing. See the interview below.
“The EIGHTYONE 20 customer is passionate about fashion-forward designs, high quality fabrics …”
What does the name “EIGHTYONE 20” mean and where does it come from?
With a background in textiles, our name comes from the 80% and 20% blend of cotton and polyester that makes traditional fleece. The extra one percent? Whether it’s running faster, jumping higher, or a new personal best, we are committed to helping athletes go the extra distance.
Could you please elaborate on your fabric technology (Everdry Tech and temperature control)?
Everdry Technology is what is featured in our tshirt fabric. The name comes from the wicking that we add to our fabric as well as our fabric blend. Our tee is made with polyester and cotton but is developed in way that all of the polyester is facing the back and the cotton is on the front end of the fabric. This means that while the fabric has a cotton hand-feel to it, the polyester back helps the fabric remain dry and wick away sweat more efficiently. Temperature Control, similarly to Everdry is the name for the process that our heavier fleece fabrics go through. Our fleece fabrics are made using polyester yarns that are treated to retain warmth while remaining dry.
Where are your clothes manufactured?
All of our clothes are manufactured in Mexico and made with fabric sourced from mills in the US.
Who is your quintessential customer?
The EIGHTYONE 20 customer is passionate about fashion-forward designs, high quality fabrics, and performance minded technology. They lead a healthy lifestyle and take pleasure not in following the latest trend, but in finding a product that complements their identity.
Will you be offering seasonal collections?
Yes, we are developing rain-proof items like joggers and expanding our collection for Spring/Summer 2015.
Is there a brand out there that you aspire to be like?
From a business model stand point, we are inspired by companies like Everlane and Warby Parker in the way they’ve taken advantage of today’s digital tools to develop their brand. In terms of design, Japanese and Northern European labels appeal to us. Brands like www.rains.dk, MUJI, or Filippa K, and more specifically, their intelligent and modern approach to luxury inspire us. We strive to translate some of that into our brand.
Could you elaborate on this statement about your brand – “We have refined every detail to create inspired designs that look as good as they perform”?
What we mean by this is that we’ve spent a lot of time thinking of the design of our garments and always with an eye on performance. While we wanted to create distinct fashion looks, we also wanted to make sure that there was nothing superfluous about our designs and that all of these elements added up to a garment that performs well. Between high quality fabrics, modern silhouettes, and details like thumbholes or zipper pockets, we’ve created products that don’t sacrifice function for fashion.
In the crowded athletic wear space, what pivotal thing do you think EIGHTYONE 20 possesses that will ensure its longevity as a brand?
Aside from our aesthetic and passion for activewear, we think that EIGHTYONE 20 will become relevant and continue to grow due to the fact that we don’t sacrifice quality over value. As we don’t have to go through retailers and middle men, we can continue to focus on improving our garments. Wether it is finding new performance technology, new fabrics, or better designs, without being concerned with the costs and mark ups that retailers and brick-and-mortar shops have to deal with in order to survive.
Where can people buy your brand?
Our brand is available online exclusively at eightyone20.com.
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