Ten Thousand
Performance-focused apparel maker Ten Thousand added $21.5M in new funding.
DTC investor Provenance led the investment, with participation from Fernbrook and Alfa.
Athletes and Operators
Founded in 2017, Ten Thousand offers no-nonsense, premium training gear for men.
Originating with the basics—like purpose-built workout shorts and shirts—the company’s assortment has expanded to include apparel across Train, Recover, Live, and Tactical categories.
After initially gaining traction with CrossFitters and military operators, with new capital secured, Ten Thousand has its sights set on becoming “the next great American activewear brand.”
Part of the plan, the company also announced a three-year partnership with Life Time, becoming the exclusive men’s apparel outfitter of its personal training staff. Of note, the gym operator recently signed Aussie activewear brand LSKD to outfit its female trainers.
Guy’s Gear
As the activewear category continues to grow along with the rise of functional fitness, guys are buying more workout gear, and brands are moving in.
- Founded in 2014, Rhone made waves as a lululemon alternative for men.
- Expanding beyond leggings, lululemon made growing its men’s business part of its strategic plan in 2019.
- From NOBULL to Alo to Gymshark, upstart brands are taking on the likes of Nike and lulu with activity-specific and performance-oriented apparel.
Elsewhere, while Vuori finds favor with women across the globe, the California activewear brand was founded on the lack of suitable men’s attire for a yoga class — growing a loyal following with “sensible” collections for everyday life.
Looking ahead: For its part, Ten Thousand says it has been profitable since 2020, and keeping up with demand has been a huge challenge. With a full war chest, the brand is scaling marketing efforts and ramping production to push the pace.
