Wylder Goods for environmentally-conscious outdoor women
Jainee Dial and Lindsey Elliott were sick of the lack of technical gear for women. To address the issue, they combined their business sense and love of adventure to create Wylder Goods, an online marketplace featuring lady-centric gear and home apparel. Their sustainable mission and partnerships with like-minded companies makes them stand out from the crowd.
The Wylder life
Outdoorsy ladies can attest to the lack of fitting and attractive gear available for adventurous activities. Jainee and Lindsey noted their new company will not follow the “Pink it and shrink it” theory that many outdoor goods stores think makes any piece of gear suitable for women.
“When Lindsey did a pack rafting trip down the Grand Canyon, she searched endlessly for a pair of down pants for women. Companies tried to sell her men’s pants as ‘unisex,’ which, let’s face it – could never account for hips or ass,” Jainee shared.
The duo hopes to fill this gap and work with providers who offer hiking pants in more modern, thoughtful colors and designs that are not yoga tights or outdated khakis. Wylder Goods also aims at featuring clothing and shoe options that make transitioning between urban and outdoor life easy.
“Simplicity and functionality are key criteria for how we will determine which clothing and products to carry,” Jainee noted.
The company will be online-based but is located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Lindsey and Jainee said their hearts lie in the Rocky Mountains, hence making the locale their home base. The area is also the epicenter of the outdoor world with access to many outside pursuits within a few hours.
“It’s also incredibly business-friendly and there are hundreds of entrepreneurial initiatives in place to support new businesses,” Jainee shared.
While it will begin as an e-commerce company, Wylder Goods may also move to the real-world marketplace. The founders are considering pop-up shop ideas for particular events and festivals. They are also looking into offering adventure travel opportunities and small group trips in the future.
“We have ideas for a mobile store to both sell the products we love and educate and inspire women through tangible opportunities for connection,” Jainee told us. “Building our community through peer-to-peer engagement is extremely important to us and we plan to engage in real-world events and community gatherings as often as possible.”
They’ve got big plans for future partnerships, and are currently working with Juniper Ridge, Patagonia, Synergy, Meridian Line, Tentsile, Zeal Optics, Nau and more.
The B-corp
Wylder Goods is officially a Benefit Corporation or B-Corp. Never heard of it? Co-founder Jainee explained:
“Becoming a B-Corp is a relatively new opportunity with legislation to do so passed in over 30 states in the U.S. From the products produced to the healthcare offered to employees and even in the cleaning products used in offices, B-Corps are held to rigorous standards for certification. This creates a community of like-minded businesses that consumers can trust, but it also sets the bar high for business owners. There is certainly added pressure to creatively adapt to these standards while maintaining financial viability.”
Patagonia and Cotopaxi are fellow B-Corps, and Lindsey and Jainee look up to them for leading a paradigm shift. The duo is also inspired by the lifetime products of classic brands Filson and Woolrich.
“The brands we partner with create products that strike a balance between beauty and functionality, and are creating thoughtfully designed, tried-and-true products that are built to last,” Jainee noted.
Wylder Goods plans to take environmental sustainability seriously, working with partners who have similar agendas. But they’re not only creating an e-commerce site. Jainee and Lindsey decided to use the online marketplace as a way to build a community of people who care about health and the environment.
They have clearly begun curating a thriving community as over 473 backers raised $46,065 with eight days left to go in the Wylder Goods Kickstarter campaign. The women surpassed their $45,000 goal and will officially move forward with the company thanks to the new funds. The fundraiser continues until 1pm CDT on May 19. Backers can choose pledge rewards from a shout-out to a Wylder Goods hat, tank, and leggings created in partnership with Meridian Line.
“We are in the beginning stages of developing our non-profit partnerships,” Jainee added. “Core to our mission is the desire to protect wild places in perpetuity for the benefit of future generations. We support community activism and organizations that are facing our current ecological crisis with solution-oriented practices and educational models, and are creatively telling the stories of how we all relate to wild places. We love the work that American Rivers, The Conservation Alliance and Leave No Trace are doing in the world and hope to align with non-profits with a similar mission.”
The ladies
Jainee calls herself a storyteller, and uses her Bachelors of Science in Digital Media Production to create music videos, documentaries and commercials. She shares her clients stories through digital media and web design. Jainee also founded JDial Creative, an independent contracting and creative consulting business. She co-founded The B-Rad Foundation, a memorial non-profit that combines environmentalism, health advocacy and adventure while assisting underserved youth.
Lindsey’s degree in International and Environmental Studies has provided her with resources for her work in non-profits, educational settings, economically and environmentally marginalized communities and field studies programs. She is on the board of directors for The B-Rad Foundation and has worked with lobbyists, the government, business owners, Native American Tribes, schools, conservation organizations and universities to promote environmental change.
Lindsey lived in her Honda Element for 8 months while creating Wylder Goods and has five major tips to offer those considering the “van life”:
- Bring as little stuff as possible.
- “The game of organization is constant tending – don’t let it get out of control… Keep your gear clean. If you take care of your gear it will take care of you.”
- Pack a hammock. They are the perfect lounge space that takes up little room.
- “Road life can be really lonely. Bring a dog.”
- “Never go anywhere without dark chocolate, whiskey, popcorn and bubbly water :)”
The two women enjoy being outside visiting hot springs, fishing, boating, foraging for food, surfing, rock climbing, doing yoga and traveling.
We asked Jainee and Lindsey how to get our less outside-enthusiastic pals to join us outdoors. They replied that it’s important to remember you don’t have to be a pro or a rugged outdoorsperson to be “adventurous.” You can always rent cheap gear if you don’t have any, and there are many places to hike and get outside near metropolitan areas across the U.S. Jainee also mentioned showing your pals Dirtbag Darling, She Explores and Misadventures Magazine to learn about other wild ladies and checkout gear guides and other resources.
Besides giving some love to our fellow lady-centric publications, the Wylder Goods founders shared some people who inspire them. They look for adventurers who are brave, honest and pushing boundaries in science, activism, conservation and athleticism. They named climbers Steph Davis and Lynn Hill, activist Katie Lee, author Terry Tempest Williams, freediver-fisherwoman Kimi Werner and Ashima Shiraishi, a 9th-grade professional rock climber.
“We also support the not-so-famous but badass everyday warrior women raising kids, growing food in their backyards and working for the causes they believe in,” Jainee added.
“We also exist to serve artists and entrepreneurs hustling to make time to pursue their passions, and of course, we are grateful for the boyfriends, husbands, brothers and fathers out there who love their wild women and support equality.”
Whoa is stoked Wylder Goods made (and is currently surpassing) their Kickstarter goal. We cannot wait to see how they follow their environmental goals through creative partnerships and entrepreneurial endeavors.
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