and businesses, if you can’t buy from them, share their content, spread the word. More diversity in cycling will bring more talent and make the sport better for everyone.
Many industries are seeing women lead the charge in more ethical and sustainable business practices. How has your experience as a woman in the sportswear industry shaped your approach to building The Long Run Club?
I think women can bring a more holistic point of view to sustainability and an attitude of exploration, what if we tried this, have we looked at this option etc. We’ve built the Long Run Club to be the ethical custom kit brand, meaning that every decision we make is based on sustainability and ethics first, budget and logistics become secondary because where there’s a will there’s a way. Probably an attitude honed from years of working in a male-dominated industry!
We like your ‘If you want to go fast go alone, if you want to go far go together’ philosophy. How does this translate into your relationships with your suppliers, customers, and the wider cycling community? I’ve been very lucky to be surrounded by strong, talented women for my entire career but I have also gone out of my way to seek relationships and mentoring from other women
I admire. I think it’s really important to get to know everyone within your business and only (where possible) work with those you like and respect, male or female. This eliminates the Sunday scaries but also allows you to build a more authentic brand that you can be truly passionate about. We visit our factories in person, attend events to see our customers and generally get involved in as much and share as much as we can.
What makes you different from others offering custom cycling kit? No one else is looking at custom kit like us. Our passion is disrupting the industry with better kit. Better for the teams we serve and better for the planet. We are B Corp certified, 1% for the planet and a member of the Better Business network. From fibre (ours are made from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles) to fabric (spun in Italy) to being crafted in our sustainably powered factory in Europe, every part of the supply chain is considered for as little environmental impact as possible whilst performing to a really high standard. Design wise we create garments that will be worn and worn again, working with clients to encourage them to consider longevity from the start. We carbon offset every order and issue an impact certificate so you know exactly what you’ve saved for the planet. We keep getting asked if we will do retail and you can never 100% say no but I love how much positive
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