What Kostüme does

Kostüme Limited is a Bristol, United Kingdom-based direct-to-consumer cycling apparel company founded in 2020, operating with a headcount of 1-10. The company designs and sells premium technical cycling apparel — bib shorts, winter tights, windproof cargo gilets, jerseys, base layers, caps and warmers — engineered specifically for Audax and ultra-distance endurance riding, with a flagship proprietary 4-layer Italian-made chamois that combines memory foam with an aloe-infused microfibre top and has been validated against five competitors using gebioMized pressure-sensing software.

Its commercial model is a small-batch preorder approach, with most drops limited to 350 pieces worldwide and products shipping 6-8 weeks after campaign close; ready-to-ship inventory is also offered. All garments use OEKO-TEX, GRS or Bluesign-certified recycled materials, including ECONYL regenerated nylon and Polartec Power Shield RPM PFAS-free waterproof/breathable membranes, with manufacturing split between Italy and Romania. Pricing is positioned at the premium tier of the category: women's bib shorts at £150, men's bib shorts at £200-£210, winter bib tights at £285-£300, gilets at £155, base layers at £20-£65, and accessories £25-£60.

Kostüme sells exclusively through its own BigCommerce storefront at kostume.cc with worldwide delivery and import duty prepaid, serving customers in over 30 countries. Marketing is product-led and earned-media-driven: limited edition "EDIT" drops, Mailchimp waitlists, Instagram and YouTube presence, and coverage from road.cc, Cyclist and Rouleur Magazine (which awarded Best Cycling Shorts '25 and consecutive Editor's Choice accolades). The brand is endorsed by world record-setting endurance cyclists Sarah Ruggins and Alan Colville, anchoring its positioning in the ultra-endurance niche. The company has no disclosed institutional investors; a capital raise of approximately $209,203 was completed on 30 January 2025.

Name

Kostüme

Legal name

Kostüme Limited

Website

https://kostume.cc

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kostüme is a Bristol, UK-based direct-to-consumer cycling apparel brand that designs, preorders and sells limited-edition (350-piece) bib shorts, tights, gilets, jerseys and base layers built from Italian-made recycled fabrics and a proprietary aloe-infused chamois, targeting ultra-distance and Audax endurance cyclists across 30+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cycling Apparel

NAICS

Apparel Manufacturing (315)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Bike Apparel, Helmets & Protective Gear Retail (CRAMAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Bike Parts & Components Retail (CRAMAHAB)

Keywords

• Cycling apparel
• Recycled cycling clothing
• Endurance cycling gear
• Premium bib shorts
• Limited edition sportswear

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct-to-Consumer Apparel Sales: Limited edition cycling apparel sold directly through their e-commerce platform. Products are made in strictly limited editions (350 pieces per batch) and available for pre-order only. Products typically ship 6-8 weeks from the end of the campaign. Also offers Ready to Ship items for immediate dispatch.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kostüme designs, manufactures and sells premium sustainable cycling apparel — including bib shorts, winter bib tights, windproof cargo gilets, jerseys, base layers and accessories — through a direct-to-consumer small-batch preorder model. Products are made from Italian-made recycled technical fabrics (GRS-certified, OEKO-TEX certified, Bluesign-approved, PFAS-free) with proprietary innovations like the 4-layer aloe-infused chamois and clipless drop-seat design, and are sold as limited editions of approximately 350 pieces per batch to endurance and performance cyclists in over 30 countries.

Product overview

Kostüme is a UK-based direct-to-consumer cycling apparel brand pioneering a small-batch preorder model with limited edition seasonal drops (called 'EDIT' collections). The product portfolio centers on premium cycling apparel and accessories engineered for Audax and ultra-distance endurance riding. Core offerings include award-winning bib shorts with a unique clipless drop-seat design, winter bib tights with Italian-made waterproof membranes, windproof cargo gilets using Polartec technology, jerseys with multi-pocket cargo systems, and base layers in both sleeveless and long-sleeve configurations. Accessories include cycling caps with ponytail-compatible designs, neck warmers, arm warmers, knee warmers, and leg warmers. All products are made from recycled materials (GRS-certified, OEKO-TEX certified, Bluesign-approved) and manufactured in Italy and Romania. The company sells direct to customers in over 30 countries with import duty prepaid.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• #EDIT001 Women's Comfort Break Bib Short Flagship women's bib short featuring a clipless drop-seat design for hassle-free toilet breaks, OEKO-TEX certified ECONYL regenerated Nylon fabric, and a 4-layer chamois with memory foam and aloe infusion. Designed for all-day comfort on ultra-distance rides and aimed at female endurance cyclists.
• Men's Cargo Bib Short - #EDIT007 Award-winning men's bib short with clipless drop-seat mechanism and dual high-capacity leg cargo pockets for carrying ride essentials. Shares the same Italian-made 4-layer chamois and premium recycled fabric as the signature line. Awarded Editor's Choice '25 by Cyclist magazine.
• #EDIT006 Men's Winter Cargo Bib Tights High-performance winter tights featuring Italian-made 2-layer GRS-certified recycled softshell with fully waterproof and breathable membrane (20k/18k rating). Includes clipless drop-seat design, dual cargo pockets, and chamois for cold-weather endurance riding from -8C to +8C.
• #EDIT006 Women's Winter Cargo Bib Tights

Quantifiable outcome

• Beat 5 leading competitors in gebioMized pressure-sensing test for chamois performance
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• PolarteccoreTechnology or IntegrationKostüme partners with Polartec for fabric technology. Using Polartec Power Shield RPM fabric for the Windproof Cargo Gilet - a high-stretch 2-layer recycled fabric that is waterproof, breathable, and PFAS-free. This partnership enables the creation of category-leading weather protection products.
• gebioMizedcoreTechnology or IntegrationUsed gebioMized pressure-sensing software to scientifically test and compare chamois performance against 5 leading competitors. Results showed Kostüme achieved near-perfect pressure distribution with no hotspots - far and away the best of the group.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/Kost%C3%BCmefilms
• Instagraminstagram.com/kostume.cc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kostüme