What Sailrite does

Sailrite Enterprises Inc. is a privately held, family-owned e-commerce retailer and light manufacturer of heavy-duty portable and industrial sewing machines headquartered in Columbia City, Indiana. Founded in 1969 by Jim Grant as a supplier of sail and canvas sewing materials, the company sells the proprietary Ultrafeed (LS and LSZ), Fabricator, and Leatherwork sewing machine lines alongside an inventory of more than 16,000 stocked SKU across marine and outdoor fabrics, notions, hardware, tools, foam, leather, and DIY project kits under both proprietary (EverSoft, WorkerB) and third-party brands (Sunbrella, Sattler, Outdura, Cordura).

The technical foundation rests on patented walking foot sewing technology (Patent #6499415), the Posi-Pin Safety Shear (Patent #7438009), the EZ Set Stitch Length Plate, and the WorkerB Power Pack motor system delivering 2.5x the power of competing portable machines. Final assembly, hand-tuning, and testing of Leatherwork units occur at the Indiana facility, with mass production contracted to overseas manufacturers in China after a 2016 supply-chain relocation from Taiwan.

Sailrite monetizes exclusively through one-time hardware and consumable sales. Machines retail from $1,295 to $2,295; fabrics sell per yard from $11.95 onward. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via sailrite.com complemented by a separate business-qualified wholesale portal at justwholesale.com, with no subscription or recurring revenue component. The company reaches its installed base of 60,000+ Ultrafeed owners and adjacent hobbyist, marine, leathercraft, upholstery, canvaswork, and bag-making segments primarily through content-driven acquisition including two YouTube channels, an extensive DIY blog, Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, email, and selected trade shows.

Name

Sailrite

Legal name

Sailrite Enterprises Inc.

Website

https://sailrite.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Sailrite is a family-owned e-commerce retailer and light manufacturer selling proprietary portable and industrial walking-foot sewing machines (Ultrafeed, Fabricator, Leatherwork) plus 16,000+ SKUs of fabric, notions, and hardware to DIY marine, leather, upholstery, and canvas customers, primarily in North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sewing Machines and Sewing Supplies

NAICS

Sewing, Needlework, and Piece Goods Retailers (45913), Sewing, Needlework, and Piece Goods Retailers (459130), Textile Bag and Canvas Mills (314910)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)

akta.pro primary industry

Sewing Machine & Serger Retail (CRALADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fabric, Sewing & Needlecraft Retail (CRALAIAD), Sailing & Rigging Retail (Sailboats, Sails, Hardware) (CRAMAIAG), Notions & Sewing Accessories Retail (Thread, Needles, Zippers, Buttons) (CRALADAG)

Keywords

• Portable sewing machines
• Marine canvas supplies
• DIY upholstery equipment
• Leather sewing machines
• Heavy-duty fabric supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. E-commerce Product Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of proprietary sewing machines (Ultrafeed, Fabricator, Leatherwork lines), fabric supplies, notions, tools, hardware, and accessories through their e-commerce platform. Revenue generated through one-time product purchases with no recurring subscription component.
2. Fabric and Notions Supplies: Sale of over 16,000 stocked items including marine fabrics, indoor/outdoor fabrics, sewing notions, hardware, foam, leather, window materials, adhesives, tapes, and cordage. Revenue from individual unit sales at various price points.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sailrite designs, assembles, and sells proprietary portable and table-mounted heavy-duty sewing machines (Ultrafeed LS, Ultrafeed LSZ, Fabricator, Leatherwork) along with an extensive catalog of more than 16,000 stocked items covering marine and upholstery fabrics, sewing notions, hardware, foam, leather, window materials, tools, and DIY project kits. The company markets direct-to-consumer through sailrite.com and to trade customers via justwholesale.com, targeting boat owners, leatherworkers, upholsterers, canvasworkers, bag makers, and hobby sewists.

Product overview

Sailrite is a fabric and sewing supply company offering a portfolio of proprietary sewing machines and over 16,000 fabric/notions products. The core machine lineup consists of four distinct lines: the Ultrafeed LS (portable straight-stitch), Ultrafeed LSZ (portable straight-stitch + zigzag), Fabricator (table-mounted industrial straight-stitch), and Leatherwork (compact leather-specialized machine). These machines share walking foot technology, proprietary patented components (Posi-Pin Safety Shear, EZ Set Stitch Length Plate), and common accessory ecosystems. The company also sells branded fabrics (EverSoft marine vinyl), general sewing notions, hardware, tools, and DIY project kits. Recent innovations include the WorkerB Power Pack motor system (2021) and Ultrafeed Version 4 machines (2023).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ultrafeed: The flagship portable, heavy-duty sewing machine line featuring walking foot technology. Available in LS (straight stitch) and LSZ (straight and zigzag) models. Over 60,000 units sold worldwide.
• Fabricator
• Leatherwork
• EverSoft
• WorkerB

Products and services

• Sailrite Ultrafeed LS Walking Foot Sewing Machine Portable heavy-duty straight-stitch walking foot sewing machine with 3/8-inch foot lift and superior fabric feeding for canvas, upholstery, and marine applications; priced at $1,295 machine-only or $1,139.60-$1,315.60 in packages.
• Sailrite Ultrafeed LSZ Walking Foot Sewing Machine Portable straight-stitch and zigzag heavy-duty walking foot sewing machine for canvas, upholstery, and sailmaking applications; priced at $1,495 machine-only or $1,315.60 in packages.
• Sailrite Fabricator Sewing Machine Package Full-size table-mounted straight-stitch industrial sewing machine with exclusive Workhorse Servo Motor and compound walking foot for job shops and serious DIYers; available in Standard ($1,995) and Deluxe ($2,295) packages.
• Sailrite Leatherwork Sewing Machine Package Compact leather-specialty sewing machine for DIY leather workers handling up to 1/4 inch or 16 oz leather, with built-in speed reducer (44-412 stitches per minute), walking foot, and five-year limited warranty; priced at $1,495.
• EverSoft Marine Vinyl Fabric Premium marine vinyl upholstery fabric featuring Nanocide Silver Ion Antimicrobial Agent and Blockade UV/abrasion-resistant finish; available in Pebble and Smooth textures, 54-inch width, four-way stretch, waterproof and stain-resistant, with a three-year limited warranty.
• Sailrite Fabric Catalog Over 16,000 stocked fabric SKUs across Marine, Outdoor Living, Indoor, Auto & RV, and Hobby categories, with brands including Sattler, Sunbrella, Outdura, Cordura, and EverSoft.
• Sailrite Sewing Notions Sewing accessories catalog including webbing, zippers, thread, trim, hook & loop, seamstick/pins/clips, marking tools, hand-sewing supplies, template material, elastic, and other notions.
• Sailrite Hardware Products Hardware supplies including fasteners, grommets & eyelets, rings, track & hardware, tubing & hardware, window treatment hardware, sail hardware, rope & wire hardware, lifelines, vents, and leather/metal tags.
• Sailrite Tools Tool catalog including air tools, power tools, hand tools, manual cutting tools, manual bench tools, tool dies, measuring guides, maintenance tools, and work surfaces.
• Sailrite DIY Kits Project kits covering Bags & Totes, Bimini & Dodger, Marine Covers, Sail Covers, Sails, Window Treatments, Other Kits, and Patterns for DIY sewing projects.
• Super Lube Multiuse Synthetic Oil Sailrite-tested synthetic oil with Syncolon (PTFE) particles for sewing machine maintenance; NSF Registered H1, biodegradable, Kosher certified; available in 7ml ($13.10), 4 oz ($17.30), and 32 oz ($59.95) sizes.
• WorkerB Power Pack Motor System 1/4-horsepower portable-sewing motor system that delivers 2.5x the power of competing portable machines with enhanced starting torque, precision slow-speed control, and backward compatibility with all previous 110V Ultrafeed models.
• Sailrite Product Bundles Curated bundles for canvaswork, hobby & craft, leatherwork, sailmaking, and upholstery use cases.
• Sailrite Window Material Clear window materials in 12, 18, 20, 30, 40, and 60 gauge options, plus Monofilm and Mosquito Netting for marine and outdoor enclosures.
• Sailrite Leather Products Leather offerings including chrome-tanned, faux leather, and vegetable-tanned varieties for craft and upholstery use.
• Sailrite Foam & Pillows Foam and pillows for upholstery and cushioning applications, complementing Sailrite's marine and indoor fabric lines.
• Sailrite Wholesale Program (justwholesale.com) Separate wholesale portal at justwholesale.com offering business-qualified pricing on machines and supplies for upholsterers, marine canvas shops, and trade professionals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 60,000+ Ultrafeed machines sold worldwide
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• West Marine: West Marine is the largest US marine supplies retailer, carrying a broad assortment of marine hardware, fabric, and DIY maintenance products. It overlaps with Sailrite's marine segment as a broad incumbent but does not specialize in sewing machines or fabric/notions to the same depth.
• Consew: Consew is a long-established industrial sewing machine manufacturer offering straight-stitch and walking foot machines for upholstery, leather, and heavy materials. While Consew targets professional/industrial users rather than portable DIY, its product line overlaps Sailrite's Fabricator and Ultrafeed use cases at lower price points.
• Juki: Juki is a global industrial and home sewing machine manufacturer with a broad portfolio including walking foot and heavy-duty models for upholstery and leather. It is a broad incumbent with the scale and dealer network to enter or expand in portable heavy-duty segments overlapping Sailrite's niche.
• Janome: Janome is a leading home and semi-industrial sewing machine brand with broad hobbyist reach. While primarily focused on home sewing rather than marine/canvas, it competes for the general DIY sewing hobbyist customer that Sailrite also serves.
• Brother International: Brother offers a wide range of home and industrial sewing machines. Notably, Jim Grant originally modified a Brother TZB651 to create the Sailrite Sailmaker, and Brother remains a broad incumbent with brand recognition, dealer networks, and R&D depth that could enter Sailrite's portable heavy-duty category.

Direct peers

• Reliable Corporation: Reliable Corporation manufactures portable industrial sewing machines including walking foot and upholstery models targeted at DIY and small professional users. It is the closest direct competitor to Sailrite in portable heavy-duty walking foot sewing machines serving marine, upholstery, and leather applications.
• Sailmaker's Supply: Sailmaker's Supply is a long-standing direct-to-consumer retailer of sailmaking hardware, thread, fabric, needles, and sewing supplies for DIY and professional sailmakers. It overlaps directly with Sailrite's heritage sailmaking-supplies business and competes for the same DIY sail/canvas customers.

Others

• Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts: Jo-Ann is the largest US specialty fabric and craft retailer, competing with Sailrite for general hobbyist and quilting/sewing customers. It is not a direct competitor for marine/leather heavy-duty sewing but overlaps on fabric, notions, and DIY hobbyist segments.

Regional players

• Bainbridge International: Bainbridge International is a global sailcloth and sailmaking hardware supplier primarily serving sail lofts and professional sailmakers rather than the DIY market. It is comparable to Sailrite's heritage sailmaking-supply business but operates on the wholesale/professional side of the market rather than direct-to-consumer.

Emerging players

• Tacsew: Tacsew produces portable industrial walking foot sewing machines aimed at small shops and serious DIY users. It is a more niche/emerging player relative to Sailrite but competes directly in portable heavy-duty walking foot machines for upholstery, leather, and marine applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SailriteDIY
• Facebookfacebook.com/sailrite
• Instagraminstagram.com/sailrite
• Pinterestpinterest.com/sailrite
• Xx.com/sailrite
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sailrite

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

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 Sailrite