Kitsbow — which described itself as the “only outdoor apparel company using lean manufacturing in the U.S.” — is no more.
In an emotionally worded statement, the cycling-focused company announced Tuesday that it would close because it could not “get enough operating capital to grow.” A recent funding round through WeFunder hauled in only about half of the $1 million target set by Kitsbow.
That was enough to cover its expenses at the time but not to survive long-term.
“It is devastating and disappointing — in ways that words cannot possibly convey,” the statement said, adding the closure is “terrible for our investors, new and old, and a blow to the tiny segment of our industry that is attempting to make apparel in the U.S. instead of overseas.”
Kitsbow sought to gain a foothold in that segment as a made-to-order shop with strict material sourcing and sewing standards. It also sought to invigorate the economy of tiny Old Fort, N.C. (population 815), where it was based.
