Carve Designs
Carve Designs is a Mill Valley, California-based women's surf and activewear brand founded in 2003, producing sustainable swimwear and apparel using proprietary fabrics (Signature Tricot, Lux Compression, FlyWeight) and selling direct-to-consumer via its Shopify storefront with a secondary wholesale channel.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersMill Valley, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Carve Designs does
Carve Designs is a Northern California-based women's surf and activewear brand founded in 2003 by Thayer Sylvester and Jennifer Hinton. The company designs and sells sustainable swimwear and apparel targeted at active women engaged in swimming, surfing, paddle sports, yoga, and beach-to-everyday lifestyles. Its core product portfolio spans 300+ swim SKUs organized into specialized fits and fabric technologies, including Signature Tricot Swim (UPF 50+ sun protection), Lux Compression (high-support for active water sports), FlyWeight, Stellar Knit, and Insulated Swim, with extended sizing including D/DD cup and long-torso options. The brand extends into adjacent apparel categories including denim, dresses, tops, bottoms, and accessories built around cross-category hero pieces such as the Carson Jean and Jordy Beach-to-Everything Dress.
The business operates a direct-to-consumer model primarily through its Shopify-based e-commerce storefront at carvedesigns.com, supplemented by a wholesale program for retail partners. Pricing spans $58-$82 for bikini separates, $98-$128 for one-pieces, and $64-$188 for apparel, with free standard U.S. shipping on orders $125+. Customer acquisition is driven through content marketing, email and SMS, affiliate and influencer partnerships, and a points-based Carve Rewards loyalty program. Personalization and product recommendations are powered by third-party Shopify ecosystem tools including Rebuy, with no proprietary AI or ML capabilities disclosed.
In December 2025, Carve Designs was acquired by Charles Komar & Sons, Inc., a diversified apparel group. Both co-founders remained with the company to continue leading creative direction, while Carve gained access to Komar's global sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution infrastructure. The acquisition positions the brand for potential geographic expansion beyond its current U.S.-only footprint and scaling of its wholesale channel. Prior to the acquisition, Carve Designs had operated independently for over two decades, with a single disclosed 2016 investment from Kanders & Company, consistent with its patient, values-driven approach positioning sustainability as a core operating principle rather than a marketing feature.
Carve Designs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Carve Designs
- Legal name
- Carve Designs
- Website
- https://carvedesigns.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Carve Designs is a Mill Valley, California-based women's surf and activewear brand founded in 2003, producing sustainable swimwear and apparel using proprietary fabrics (Signature Tricot, Lux Compression, FlyWeight) and selling direct-to-consumer via its Shopify storefront with a secondary wholesale channel.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Carve Designs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Women's Sustainable Swimwear and Apparel
- NAICS
- Apparel Manufacturing (315)
- SIC
- Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Retail-Women's Clothing Stores (5621)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Swim & Surf Performance Wear (CRAAAEAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Intimates, Lingerie, Swimwear & Sleepwear Brands (CRAAAAAF), Marine Apparel & Footwear Retail (Wetsuits, Rash Guards, Deck Shoes) (CRAMAIAJ)
Keywords
Where Carve Designs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mill Valley
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Carve Designs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Direct E-commerce Sales: Retail sales of sustainable swimwear and apparel through owned e-commerce website. Customers purchase individual items at one-time prices ranging from $55-$188.
- Wholesale Distribution: B2B sales to retail partners through wholesale program mentioned on website
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard retail pricing for individual items |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Carve Designs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Carve Designs designs, manufactures, and sells women's sustainable swimwear and apparel, including bikini tops and bottoms, one-piece swimsuits, tankinis, rashguards, boardshorts, cover-ups, tops, bottoms, denim, and dresses. The brand produces garments using organic cotton, recycled polyester, and proprietary fabric technologies such as Signature Tricot Swim, Lux Compression, FlyWeight, Stellar Knit, and Insulated Swim, with UPF 50+ sun protection built into most swim fabrics.
Product overview
Carve Designs is a Northern California women's surf and activewear brand offering a unified product portfolio centered on sustainable swimwear and apparel. The core offering consists of swimwear (bikini tops/bottoms, one-pieces, tankinis, rashguards, boardshorts, cover-ups) and apparel (tops, bottoms, dresses, denim, accessories), unified by proprietary fabric technologies including Signature Tricot Swim (UPF 50+), Lux Compression, FlyWeight, Stellar Knit, and Insulated Swim. The brand organizes products into collections including Surf-to-Sweat (multi-activity), Black Basics (recycled materials), Solids (mix-and-match), and Reversible (two-for-one styling). Notable products include the Carson Jean (#1 pant), Audrey Wide Leg, Jules Poplin Dress, and Jordy Dress. The company was acquired by Charles Komar & Sons in December 2025 while maintaining its brand identity and sustainability commitments.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Bikini Tops Women's bikini tops available in multiple styles including Triangle, Plunge, Bralette, Scoop Neck, Underwire, High Neck, Halter, Tank, One Shoulder, Racerback, and adjustable strap options, including D/DD cup sizing. Pricing ranges from $62-$82.
- Bikini Bottoms Women's bikini bottoms in various rises (Low, Mid, High) and coverage levels (Skimpy, Less, Medium, Full). Pricing ranges from $58-$68.
- One Piece Swimsuits One-piece swimsuits including compression styles, high-neck designs, and versatile options for various water activities. Pricing ranges from $98-$128.
- Tankinis Tankini swimwear tops that provide more coverage than bikinis while maintaining the mix-and-match flexibility of two-piece swimwear.
- Rashguards & Sunshirts UV-protective rashguards and sun shirts designed for sun protection during extended water activities.
- Boardshorts Swim boardshorts for surf and water sports, providing coverage and protection.
- Cover Ups Beach and pool cover-up garments for transitioning from water to land activities.
- Swim Shorts & Skirts Swim-specific shorts and skirts for water activities, often with built-in briefs and quick-dry properties.
- D/DD Cup Swim Extended size swimwear with D and DD cup support, available in multiple styles and fabrics.
- Long-Torso One Pieces One-piece swimsuits designed for longer torso lengths with specialized fit options.
- Tops Women's tops including tanks, short-sleeve, long-sleeve, sweaters, fleece, and jackets in various fabrics including Ribbed Knit, Woven Tops, Dylan Gauze, and Linen.
- Bottoms Women's bottoms including shorts, skirts, jeans, pants, jumpsuits, overalls, dresses, and leggings in fabrics including Denim, Corduroy, Butter Cord, and Balsa Breeze.
- Denim Women's jeans including the Carson Jean (noted as the #1 pant) and Audrey Wide Leg style, priced at $114-$124.
- Dresses Women's dresses including the Jules Poplin Dress and Jordy Dress (featured as the 'Beach-to-Everything Dress'). Pricing ranges from $78-$122.
- Accessories Accessories including the Soleil Hat and other beach lifestyle items.
- Surf-to-Sweat Collection Multi-activity swimwear and activewear collection designed for surfing, running, yoga, and other fitness activities, with pieces that transition from water to land. Built on Lux Compression and Signature Tricot fabrics.
- Black Basics Collection Timeless black swimwear collection made from recycled bottles with UPF 50+ protection.
- Solids Collection Solid color swimwear designed for easy mix-and-match styling.
- Reversible Swim Collection Two-for-one reversible swim separates that offer multiple styling options in a single piece.
Companies that use Carve Designs
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Carve Designs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature4 records
Carve Designs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Carve Designs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Vuori: Premium women's and men's activewear brand with growing surf and beach crossover. Competes with Carve's beach-to-everything positioning and DTC-driven premium model.
- Billabong Women's: Billabong's women's surf and activewear division spanning swimwear, apparel, and accessories. Comparable product categories and target customer to Carve's surf-active crossover.
- Athleta: Gap Inc.'s women's activewear brand offering swimwear, athletic apparel, and lifestyle wear at premium-mid price points. Competes with Carve's beach-to-everything and active crossover lines but at much greater scale and capital intensity.
- Patagonia: Iconic sustainable outdoor brand with women's swimwear, surf, and activewear lines. Comparable to Carve on sustainability credentials and surf heritage, but vastly larger scale and broader product portfolio.
- prAna: Columbia Sportswear-owned sustainable apparel brand with women's activewear and swim. Comparable to Carve on sustainability positioning and activewear-but with broader outdoor coverage.
- Roxy: Quiksilver-owned women's surf and activewear brand with deep wholesale presence and broad swim collection. Competes with Carve in women's surf swimwear at both premium and accessible price points.
Direct peers
- L Space: Women's swimwear and beachwear brand with similar surf-lifestyle aesthetic, premium positioning, and mix of DTC plus boutique wholesale. Strong product overlap with Carve's core swim categories.
- Summersalt: DTC women's swimwear and apparel brand emphasizing fit, sustainability, and accessible premium pricing. Comparable to Carve on direct-to-consumer model, swim focus, and inclusive sizing approach.
- Seea: Surf-inspired women's sustainable swimwear brand with a focus on performance and ethical manufacturing. Directly comparable to Carve Designs on surf-lifestyle positioning and activewear crossover.
- Vitamin A: California-based premium sustainable women's swimwear brand using recycled and eco-friendly fabrics. Closely comparable to Carve Designs on positioning, price point, and DTC-led distribution.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Carve Designs social profiles
Digital presenceCarve Designs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Carve Designs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Carve Designs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Carve Designs 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 Carve Designs
What does Carve Designs do?
Carve Designs designs, manufactures, and sells women's sustainable swimwear and apparel, including bikini tops and bottoms, one-piece swimsuits, tankinis, rashguards, boardshorts, cover-ups, tops, bottoms, denim, and dresses. The brand produces garments using organic cotton, recycled polyester, and proprietary fabric technologies such as Signature Tricot Swim, Lux Compression, FlyWeight, Stellar Knit, and Insulated Swim, with UPF 50+ sun protection built into most swim fabrics.
Is Carve Designs a public or private company?
Carve Designs is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Carve Designs founded?
Carve Designs was founded in 2003. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Carve Designs based?
Carve Designs is headquartered in Mill Valley, United States, in the North America region.
How does Carve Designs make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Direct E-commerce Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale Distribution.
Who are Carve Designs's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Vuori, Billabong Women's, Athleta, Patagonia, prAna and Roxy. Direct peers are L Space, Summersalt, Seea and Vitamin A.
Does Carve Designs have an API?
No public API is recorded for Carve Designs.
What industry is Carve Designs in?
Carve Designs's product category is Women's Sustainable Swimwear and Apparel. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAAEAG, Swim & Surf Performance Wear, with a secondary code of CRAAAAAF, Intimates, Lingerie, Swimwear & Sleepwear Brands. Its NAICS code is 315 and its SIC code is 2300.