Canadians Make Great Athletic Apparel

The only two Canadian fitness apparel companies that I was aware of previously to hearing about Strongbody Apparel are Respect Your Universe and Lululemon. I regularly wear both of these companies’ products. Now, I’ll be rocking gear from a third Canadian athletic apparel company called Strongbody Apparel. Manufactured in Vancouver, Canada, Strongbody Apparel (SBA) combines luxury style with athletic functionality and the result is sleek, high-quality gear.

The Gastown Jacket
 

SBA already manufactures and sells shirts, sleeveless hoodies, pants, and hats and now their launching their first jacket, a bomber jacket called the Gastown Jacket, and it looks to be a real game-changer. What’s nice about SBA is they explain EXACTLY what’s in the jacket (see above). There are three layers: the mesh inner layer, the middle waterproof membrane, and the soft polyester outer shell. Flatlock stitching on the seams prevents chafing and the zippers are made by Japanese company YKK, the world’s largest zipper manufacturer. The sleeves feature 4-way stretch and Durable Water Repellent (DWR), causing water to have that “bead and roll off” reaction when it hits the fabric. The Gastown jacket is now available via Kickstarter and will ship in March of 2017. So, what makes SBA stand out from its other startup counterparts? Well, for one, their clothing’s textiles use derivatives of shrimp and crab shells to FIGHT odor.

 

SBA’s textiles are dipped in chitosan, an antimicrobial material that is extracted from chitin, a component found in crustaceans such as shrimp and crab shells. Chitosan kills bacteria, the same bacteria on our skin that breaks down workout sweat into funky odors. The chitosan-polyester blend is found in nearly every SKU that SBA sells. Patagonia has experimented with chitosan-infused apparel too, but for a startup to make it a staple of their brand is quite innovative. Is the chitosan blend patented?

"Unfortunately not, very few clothing companies have patents on clothing and  99.9% of the time to patents don't get approved," says Strongbody Apparel founder Quincy Samycia. "Unless it's technology based, from a design perspective it's not really possible." 

 In addition to the odor-fighting properties, SBA products are wrinkle-free, stretchy, moisture wicking and form-fitting. The Gastown Jacket Kickstarter is the second campaign from SBA.

In 2012, Samycia and his co-founder Meghan Conyers started the brand in Vancouver with a $5,000 credit card, tested and improved product for two years, and launched their first Kickstarter campaign in 2014 with a goal of about $11,000 USD. They raised nearly $18,000 USD and successfully shipped the sleeveless hoodies, shirts, pants, and hats. Now, they’ve already doubled their goal for the Gastown Jacket campaign, as they goal was $7,461 and SBA has garnered nearly $19,000 and counting. Clearly, their fans were happy with the product after the first Kickstarter. The waterproof and windproof Gaston Jacket includes a lifetime warranty and can be worn to the office, gym, trail running, basically anything.

"The differentiating factor for us, is we are fusing technology and fashion to bring you a more versatile jacket that can be worn for any occasion," Samycia says. "From the office to the mountains to the trails, spring, fall, winter, summer it's good for all seasons with mild weather conditions."

Fitness enthusiasts should definitely keep Strongbody Apparel on their radar, and ladies, let’s hope they release some women’s gear too, right?

Check out the new Strongbody Apparel Gastown Jacket, available in Midnight Black and Asphalt HERE

For more information about Strongbody Apparel, visit strongbodyapparel.com.