Pre-order apparel brand, Kostüme, which reported 200% organic growth in 2024, has launched a crowdfunding campaign, seeking investment which will enable the business to scale up.
Riding high on the back of its 2024 performance, the pre-order apparel business has announced the launch of a Crowdcube campaign, offering customers and the public the opportunity to participate in the Bristol brand’s future.
With its focus on product quality, sustainability and customer satisfaction, Kostüme currently has the highest Trustpilot rating of any cycling apparel brand and has already won a number of product and business awards, with one veteran industry reviewer describing their bib shorts as ‘the best thing I’ve put next to my skin’ in a 10/10 review.
Kostüme’s small batch pre-order model means only products that are already sold get manufactured, effectively eliminating the overstocking, discounting and high volume of returns that have plagued the industry in recent years. Cutting this waste not only means a dramatic reduction in its environmental impact, but it also allows Kostüme to spend significantly more on the final specification of its products without passing the extra cost onto the consumer.
The clearest benchmark of Kostüme’s unique approach is best illustrated by the fact that sales grew almost 200% in 2024, despite zero use of paid ads or performance marketing. With customers direct in 29 countries, this 100% organic growth is attributed to exceptional product reviews and word of mouth, plus a growing awareness and understanding of the benefits of the model.
Kostüme founder and CEO Ed Bartlett said: “This new investment will enable us to accelerate a number of key areas of our growth strategy, including finalising our winter insulated range, introducing direct fulfilment for EU customers, plus important circularity initiatives including repairs and a take-back scheme.
“It will also allow us to plan much further ahead, which in turn will help us to further reduce the lead time between pre-order and delivery. I’m very excited to be able to extend this opportunity to our loyal customer base and beyond, thanks to Crowdcube’s exceptional reach and reputation.”
Having already secured backing from the ex-Chairman of Wiggle, Kostüme’s Crowdcube campaign launches publicly on January 30th, with the majority of its investment target having already been committed (at the time of writing) via exclusive early access for its customers.
Source: bing.com
