Outerknown's New Retail Strategy & Focus On Sustainable Innovation

Forbes

01-04-2025

Outerknown's newest product was tested by co-founder Kelly Slater in locations around the world.
In the world of sustainable fashion, Outerknown's goals for 2025 include innovation on both the product and retail sides of its business.
On the product side, the brand, co-founded by 11-time world champion surfer Kelly Slater and creative director John Moore, most recently unveiled an updated version of its sustainable Apex Evolution board short.
Outnerknown's new Apex board shorts are made from recycled fishing nets.
This product, three years in the making, was produced in partnership with Bureo, which utilized its NetPlus® material made from 100% recycled fishing nets.
Through the NetPlus recycling program, discarded nets are sourced directly from fishing communities before they end up in the ocean. The entire process, from collection through recycling, is third-party audited and certified for material traceability.
However, the product isn't solely about sustainability; it was performance-tested, too. Slater tested the product by surfing in them in places like Tahiti, Fiji, and Hawaii—some of the most challenging conditions for swimwear.
'We delivered on all of Kelly's precise design requests: better no-slip braided drawcords, an enhanced waistband that cinches without bunching, and reinforced ultrasonic-welded seams where it matters most,' said Moore, Outerknown's Creative Director. 'This yielded a truly responsibly-made trunk with a little more substance than the first Apex—without compromising any performance qualities.'
Beyond product innovation, Outerknown is also recalibrating its retail strategy.
'We've spent the last 10 years building a strong digital business and establishing our own vertical retail stores, but we realized there are still many communities where the brand is absent,' said Outerknow's new CEO Dylan Slater. 'Our goal is to allow the Outerknown story to be told by partnering with retailers who share our vision.'
This shift includes re-engaging the brand's wholesale channel, which has been largely dormant for the past year while the team mapped out the sequential steps to grow the business alongside its direct-to-consumer foundation.
Initially, Outerknown focused on independent specialty surf shops and other surf-inspired retailers, aligning with Kelly Slater's audience and the brand's core identity. Looking forward, Outerknown will work to extend beyond the surf community and explore broader retail opportunities.
The realignment comes as Outerknown integrates under a larger business umbrella that also includes Firewire and Slater Designs.
'Each brand has different strengths and opportunities,' said the CEO. 'Firewire is a globally distributed, wholesale-driven hard goods brand, while Outerknown is apparel-focused with mostly U.S.-based direct-to-consumer sales. The common threads are Kelly Slater and our shared commitment to sustainability and responsible innovation.'
The Apex Evolution board short exemplifies this commitment, showcasing how the brand works to create products responsibly without sacrificing performance, quality, or style.
Along with this, the company continues to expand its use of regenerative organic certified (ROC) cotton, which currently represents about 15% of its products.
For other brands considering a shift toward sustainable materials, Slater acknowledges the challenges but emphasizes the opportunity. 'Yes, it's a premium investment, but customers are willing to pay for value and integrity,' he says. 'The key is storytelling—educating consumers on what goes into each piece and why it matters.'
To reinforce this message, Outerknown leverages content marketing, social media, and in-store experiences to connect with consumers, as well as video content to dive deeper into the stories behind its branded products.
While some DTC brands eventually scale into big-box retail, Slater shared that's not in Outerknown's immediate plans, but instead, they plan to focus on growing organically to ensure their retail partners and customers truly understand and appreciate the story.
As Outerknown approaches its 10-year anniversary, the brand is making strides in sustainable fashion. With Apex Evolution leading the charge, a refined retail strategy in place, and a continued commitment to responsible product innovation, the company is working toward a future where performance and sustainability coexist seamlessly.