Varlo
Varlo is a US direct-to-consumer high-performance sports apparel brand, founded 2019 and headquartered in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, serving triathlon, cycling, running, and multisport athletes with tiered apparel, custom team gear, and accessories sold via its own e-commerce storefront and experiential events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersPhiladelphia, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Varlo does
Varlo (DBA Varlo Sports) is a US-based direct-to-consumer high-performance sports apparel company specializing in triathlon, cycling, running, and multisport gear. Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, the company designs and sells tiered triathlon suits (Legacy, Pulse, and themed collections such as Horizons, Terra, Mercury, and SOHO) priced from $89 (youth) to $499 (PRO Element), alongside cycling jerseys and bibs, running apparel, swimwear, race accessories, and gift cards. The brand carries a differentiated identity as the only Black-owned cycling apparel company in North America and emphasizes inclusive sizing across men's, women's, and youth segments.
The company operates a Shopify-based e-commerce storefront at varlo.com with global shipping, complemented by an experiential mobile retail channel (the Varlo Experience Tour) at endurance events and REI store locations, and a B2B Custom Team Apparel service for clubs and organizations. Underlying product technology centers on performance fabric engineering rather than software or digital IP; no AI/ML capabilities, APIs, or proprietary digital platforms are disclosed. Marketing relies on organic social, email, earned media (The New York Times, Cycling Weekly, Women's Health, Triathlete, VeloNews), an athlete ambassador program, and collaborations with SuperTri, Black Girls RUN!, Saucony, and H2O Audio.
Varlo's revenue mechanics are predominantly transactional unit pricing on DTC apparel, supplemented by custom B2B team orders. In January 2024 the company closed a $30 million seed funding round led by REI Co-op Path Ahead Ventures with participation from Todd Leff and John Cassimatis, earmarked for growth and product innovation. The company is privately held with 1-10 employees, reflecting an early-stage operating footprint relative to its capital raise.
Varlo firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Varlo
- Legal name
- Varlo
- Website
- https://varlosports.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Varlo is a US direct-to-consumer high-performance sports apparel brand, founded 2019 and headquartered in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, serving triathlon, cycling, running, and multisport athletes with tiered apparel, custom team gear, and accessories sold via its own e-commerce storefront and experiential events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Varlo industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performance Athletic Apparel
- NAICS
- Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (4581), Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992)
- SIC
- Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Team Sports Equipment & Uniforms Retail (CRAMABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Athletic Footwear & Sport Apparel Retail (CRAMABAC)
Keywords
Where Varlo is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Philadelphia
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Varlo business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Direct Consumer Sales: E-commerce retail sales of high-performance sports apparel directly to consumers through varlo.com. Products include triathlon suits, cycling jerseys, running gear, swimwear, and accessories across men's, women's, and youth categories.
- Custom Team Apparel: B2B custom apparel services for sports teams, clubs, and organizations requiring personalized team kit and gear.
- Seed Funding: Varlo raised $30 million in seed funding from investors including REI Co-op Path Ahead Ventures to support growth and product innovation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Entry-level triathlon suits |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mid-range triathlon suits |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Premium/professional triathlon suits |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cycling jerseys |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Cycling bibs |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Accessories |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Varlo product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Varlo designs, brands, and sells high-performance sports apparel for triathlon, cycling, running, and multisport athletes, including tiered triathlon suits (Mezza, Summit, PRO Element), cycling jerseys, bibs, and accessories across men's, women's, and youth sizing. The company sells primarily direct-to-consumer through its Shopify e-commerce storefront at varlo.com with international shipping, and also operates a B2B custom team apparel service that produces personalized kits for sports clubs and organizations.
Product overview
Varlo is a high-performance sports apparel company that produces specialized gear for triathlon, cycling, running, and multisport athletes, emphasizing inclusivity. The product portfolio centers on triathlon suits (available in Legacy, Pulse, and other collections) across multiple performance tiers (Mezza, Summit, PRO Element) for men, women, and youth. The cycling line includes Momentum and Canopy Momentum jerseys plus Roam Cargo Bibs. The company also offers custom team apparel services, accessories like race belts, and virtual gift cards. Products are organized into themed collections including Legacy, Horizons, Terra, Heritage, Wildbloom, Mercury, and SOHO.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Legacy Triathlon Suits
Companies that use Varlo
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Varlo technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Varlo partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- SuperTriflagshipVarlo is the official global apparel provider for SuperTri, the governing body for triathlon and multisport events worldwide. This partnership provides significant visibility and credibility in the triathlon community.
- Black Girls RUN!coreVarlo announced a collaborative performance capsule collection with Black Girls RUN!, an organization dedicated to encouraging women of color to pursue running and active lifestyles. The partnership aligns with Varlo's commitment to inclusivity and diversity.
- SauconycoreVarlo collaborated with Saucony on a performance capsule collection timed with Saucony's new shoe debut, extending reach to Saucony's customer base of running enthusiasts.
- H2O AudiominorH2O Audio and Varlo partnered to elevate athletes' performance, combining H2O Audio's waterproof audio technology with Varlo's athletic apparel for swimmers and triathletes.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Varlo competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pearl Izumi: Established US-based performance apparel brand specializing in cycling and triathlon gear, with a tiered product portfolio spanning entry-level to premium suits, jerseys, and bibs. Directly comparable to Varlo's triathlon and cycling apparel focus across men and women categories.
- Castelli: Premium Italian cycling and triathlon apparel brand offering high-performance suits, jerseys, and shorts used by professional athletes. Comparable to Varlo's premium PRO Element tier positioning and triathlon specialization.
- Rapha: Premium DTC-focused cycling apparel brand with tiered product collections and strong brand/community positioning similar to Varlo's tiered Legacy/Pulse structure. Both brands emphasize direct-to-consumer e-commerce and community-driven marketing.
- 2XU: Performance apparel brand focused on triathlon, running, and compression gear with tiered product offerings. Comparable to Varlo's multisport positioning and premium triathlon suit category.
- Zoot Sports: Triathlon-focused apparel brand offering wetsuits, tri suits, and running gear for endurance athletes. Direct peer in the triathlon suit category with overlapping product lines.
- Orca: Triathlon and open-water swimming apparel brand with a tiered suit portfolio and global presence in endurance events. Comparable to Varlo's triathlon specialization and event sponsorships.
Emerging players
- MAAP: Premium cycling apparel brand with strong design identity and DTC-first distribution, comparable to Varlo's DTC-led model and tiered product collections targeting performance cyclists.
Broad incumbents
- Nike: Global athletic apparel incumbent with a broad cycling and triathlon apparel line alongside massive marketing and distribution. Represents the competitive ceiling Varlo must differentiate against.
- Lululemon: Premium athletic apparel incumbent expanding aggressively into running and training categories. Comparable as a premium-tier DTC and community-driven brand competing for the same aspirational athlete consumer.
Others
- Saucony: Endurance running and multisport footwear/apparel brand and existing Varlo collaboration partner. Included as an adjacent ecosystem participant given the capsule collaboration that bridges Varlo's apparel with Saucony's running customer base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Varlo social profiles
Digital presenceVarlo financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Varlo leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Varlo funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Varlo M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Varlo
What does Varlo do?
Varlo designs, brands, and sells high-performance sports apparel for triathlon, cycling, running, and multisport athletes, including tiered triathlon suits (Mezza, Summit, PRO Element), cycling jerseys, bibs, and accessories across men's, women's, and youth sizing. The company sells primarily direct-to-consumer through its Shopify e-commerce storefront at varlo.com with international shipping, and also operates a B2B custom team apparel service that produces personalized kits for sports clubs and organizations.
Is Varlo a public or private company?
Varlo is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Varlo founded?
Varlo was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Varlo based?
Varlo is headquartered in Philadelphia, United States, in the North America region.
How does Varlo make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct Consumer Sales are the primary driver. The others are custom Team Apparel and seed Funding.
Who are Varlo's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pearl Izumi, Castelli, Rapha, 2XU, Zoot Sports and Orca. MAAP is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Nike and Lululemon. Saucony is listed as an others.
Does Varlo have an API?
No public API is recorded for Varlo.
What industry is Varlo in?
Varlo's product category is Performance Athletic Apparel. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMABAE, Team Sports Equipment & Uniforms Retail, with a secondary code of CRAMABAC, Athletic Footwear & Sport Apparel Retail. Its NAICS code is 45911 and its SIC code is 3949.