Trew Gear, a snowboard and ski apparel brand with a strong following among backcountry freeriders, has raised $1.6 million in capital that to extend its product line, add staff, and fortify its direct-to-consumer operations, the Portland Business Journal reported.
BroadPeak Capital, formerly known as Skyline Capital, made the investment, according to the report by the Portland Business Journal. Trew will use the capital to relocate its operations from Hood River, OR, to a larger space in southeast Portland that will also house its first brick & mortar store.
It will also further the brand's move to a direct distribution model that will enable Trew to launch products in months rather than annually, according to Trew Founder Tripp Frey.
“When we started this business seven years ago, our goal was to make the best gear possible,” Frey said Sept. 21 in a press release announcing the company's line for the upcoming winter season. “We came to realize the many limitations of building premium products in a traditional retail model. By selling direct to the consumer, these limitations and the retail markup go away. “By selling direct to the consumer, these limitations and the retail markup go away.”
Tripp Frey founded Trew in 2008 to create waterproof breathable outerwear for the cold and wet conditions found in the Pacific Northwest mountains. The company has partnered closely with Japan's Toray to develop fabrics and uses its trademarked Dermizax NX waterproof breathable membrane and Quix Down waterproof down insulation. It also uses Nuyarn, a merino/polyester fabric blend introduced by a New Zealand company of the same name last year.
In 2014, Trew launched a wholesale business, which is has now abandoned after discovering it slowed innovation, priced many of its customers out of the market and diluted its its relationship with the customer.
Going forward, Trew will sell direct only through its online store, over the phone, via a mobile RV store, and soon, a brick & mortar store in Portland.
