ONES TO WATCH: FORLOH
For FORLOH founder Andy Techmanski, his journey into apparel was out of a need to find exactly what he wanted. “I started developing my idea for this brand out of the necessity of not being able to find a hunting apparel brand that had a full offering of styles for my family, and because I felt like the then-current brands were going through several years of devolution of quality in fabrics and durability,” he tells MR. “Technical outdoor and mountaineering brands were and are still evolving and using some interesting technologies, but hunting and fishing seemed years behind. Once I formulated a business concept, I hired a lot of experienced clothing manufacturing people, that are a lot smarter than me and brought the depth and ability to execute the vision.”
FORLOH, short for “For the Love Of Hunting,” found its niche in consumers that appreciate that everything in the line is Made in the USA. “Made in the USA is the number one pillar to the foundation that is FORLOH,” Techmanski says. “It wasn’t easy to be able to make such technical clothing here, and we did have to build our own factories to essentially get the level of quality and technical specificity. But for us, it is all about the pride of knowing we are supporting American workers earning a fair living wage, and that pride translates into a lot more quality and durability in products.”
Techmanski also notes that a key advantage of making his products in the U.S. is that the brand can bring new styles and tech to market within 10 to 15 weeks. He also says that his competitors using international manufacturing sources are on annual or even 1.5-year cycles, and in a lot of the cases, by the time they get to market that tech is already old and dated.
As for bestsellers, Techmanski says it’s all about the camo. “Our customers are buying most of our camo items equally and in a kit, base layer, mid and outer layer,” he says. “When hunters commit to a brand they need the full complement of the kit to fulfill the gear requirements of a hunt. There are varying temperatures and environmental conditions that change within one day out in the field.” Retail prices range between $45 for a men’s T-shirt to $379 for a jacket.
For spring 2021, the brand will be launching a full suite of new technologies that will keep wearers cooler, drier, and more comfortable in warmer weather. “We will also be launching a full offering of fishing and lifestyle pieces that are molded around outdoor activities on land and in the water,” Techmanski concluded.