In 2018 there were around 150,000 committed active racing triathletes in the UK, according to the Triathlon Industry Association. And on top of that, Sport England believes that around 215,000 people in England did at least one triathlon in the last year, with the help of events such as GO TRI opening up the sport to beginners.
After noticing a gap in the market for professional quality triathlon clothing at an affordable price, in addition to being a triathlete himself, Daniel Puddick co-founded Sundried in 2016 with his friend and business associate Daniel Mulholland. The company started off with tri suits and now it provides gear for each of the individual activities (swimming, cycling and running) as well as general activewear.
“Daniel (Puddick) has been an entrepreneur pretty much his whole life,” explains Parren. “He has run some really successful companies, including a large online sunglasses retail business. Sundried had been brewing as an idea for a while, so he decided to exit that business in 2015 and launched Sundried at the beginning of 2016.”
One of the unique selling points of the brand is that everyone who now works for the company is either an athlete or a personal trainer. Puddick himself has competed in half Iron Man challenges and Parren is a qualified personal trainer.
“The point of this is that we know what athletes expect from their clothing. So, rather than making the products for the sake of it, we know what is needed at a professional level from our own experience,” she says.
Tri suits
Triathlons consist of swimming, cycling and running, and so a tri suit has to cope with each activity as there is no time to change in between.
“One of the biggest requirements is that the suit needs to be quick drying so that you don’t chafe and feel wet and cold for the rest of the race,” says Parren.
“It’s also about choosing fabrics that can be used in a swimming pool. Our tri suits are chlorine resistant because you don’t want the fabric breaking down over time because of this chemical.”
Other factors such as sweat wicking, multi-way stretch, and comfort also need to be considered as some triathlons such as the Norseman Xtreme Triathlon can take around 10-12 hours to complete.
Some of Sundried’s latest tri suits, which are said to be more advanced than the original pieces, are also aerodynamic. They have special features on the arms and legs and also have mesh panels under the arms for breathability.
The company currently offers two suits for men and two for women – one for entry level competitors and one for more experienced athletes.
Recycled plastic bottles and coffee grounds
Sustainability has always been high on the brand’s agenda since its launch in 2016. The pilot collection was made in Italy and Portugal with Italian and Portuguese technical fabrics in order to keep the manufacturing local, thus keeping emissions low.
A year down the line, after conducting a lot of research and development for all things eco-friendly, Sundried unveiled its Eco Core collection of activewear made 100% from recycled plastic bottles in 2017. And following this, the company launched its Eco Charge range made from coffee grounds the year after.
“As we discover more sustainable materials, we have been looking at how we can use these,” says Parren. “Back in 2016, plastic pollution and sustainability weren’t topics that were as ubiquitous as they are now, so it’s great that we were a part of that then.”
Last year, Sundried launched a biodegradable T-shirt using its Eco Tech technology. The product is made using biodegradable polyamide, and if disposed of properly in landfill, will decompose in just three years.
The company hasn’t had to compromise performance to produce its sustainable products either. In fact, “the fabrics lend themselves really well to performance wear”, according to Parren.
For example, when it comes to the Eco Charge range, scientific tests have shown that when treated with boiling hydrochloric acid, coffee grounds create a black powder which has strong antioxidant properties. Once treated and transformed into yarn, the coffee grounds release polyphenol-rich compounds which are plant chemicals with antioxidant capabilities that withstand damaging energies such as heat and light better than traditional fabrics. This means that when the fabric is subjected to sweat, heat (during washing), and UV rays, it holds up much better than typical fabrics such as cotton and dries up to 200% faster.
A one-stop shop for triathlons
As previously mentioned, Sundried doesn’t just specialise in tri suits; the company offers activewear for the three sports and even for yoga. Just last year, the brand launched a large standalone cycling range and has plans to launch another cyclewear line, this time using a new Italian fabric called Miti.
Sundried also has a line of seamless products including leggings, sports bras, vest tops, T-shirts and boxers. “The seamless styles are comfortable and also very flattering,” says Parren. “These products fit more like a second skin and are ideal for yoga or to wear as baselayers or for compression.”
Elsewhere, the company is still doing a lot of R&D for other products. Sundried is looking into long sleeve tops, and it has more accessories such as bags, goggles and swim hats coming soon.
“You need a lot of kit for triathlon, so it’s great to be able to offer all of it. We want to be that one-stop shop for triathletes.”
A booming business for a booming sport
Considering that Sundried only launched in 2016, it is already quite well-established and Parren says that it is moving to become an SME (small and medium-sized enterprise). As the company is based in the UK, unsurprisingly 58.5% of sales are UK-based, with Germany (11.4%), Italy (8.9%) and the US (9.8%) following behind.
One initiative that has helped the brand become well-known is its use of brand ambassadors. Alice Hector, a professional triathlete, is Sundried’s flagship ambassador and also sponsored athlete. She has won many Iron Man races and competitions abroad and is a big face for the company. “It’s great that she’s a woman as well because triathlon is a very male-dominated sport,” says Parren.
“The explosion of the business from being unknown to internationally recognised is very exciting for us. When you’re out at races and you see people wearing the Sundried clothing, it’s just a great feeling,” she concludes.
Source: https://www.wtin.com