What Rohan Designs does

Rohan Designs Ltd is a UK-domiciled, privately held specialist retailer of outdoor and travel clothing, founded in 1972 by Paul and Sarah Howcroft in Skipton, Yorkshire. The company designs, sources and sells technical apparel — waterproof jackets (Barricade™), fleeces, technical trousers, travel/commuting garments and accessories — through a hybrid distribution model comprising over 50 UK retail stores, a direct e-commerce site (rohan.co.uk), and a UK-based phone customer service operation. Its product proposition is anchored on five founding principles (protective, lightweight, packable, easy care, versatile) and a portfolio of proprietary fabric technologies including the Barricade™ waterproof membrane, Dynamic Moisture Control wicking, Insuloft synthetic insulation, FreshWay antimicrobial silver treatment, UPF 40+ sun protection, Insect Shield® permethrin treatment and RFID-blocking pockets.

The business operates across three revenue streams: one-time retail product sales (the dominant stream), physical and electronic gift cards (£10–£200 denominations), and paid aftermarket services delivered through an in-house Service Centre offering garment repairs (£10–£25) and specialist washing/reproofing (£20–£35). Customers are UK individual consumers segmented across outdoor enthusiasts (hiking, trekking, hill walking), travel and urban consumers, and ethically-minded material seekers; the company supports the Responsible Down Standard and works with a long-term network of 25 global supplier partners. Beyond core commerce, Rohan runs Gift Your Gear, a donation initiative active since 2012 that has placed over 195,000 pre-loved garments with 650+ community projects, reinforcing a sustainability and community narrative. The company is headquartered operationally in Milton Keynes (Brunleys, Kiln Farm) with a Companies House registered office in Newbury, and is restricted by its own terms to UK residents — there is no international retail or wholesale footprint disclosed in the source data.

Name

Rohan Designs

Legal name

Rohan Designs Ltd

Website

https://rohan.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rohan Designs is a UK-based, privately held specialist retailer of outdoor and travel clothing, founded in 1972. It sells proprietary technical apparel — waterproof jackets, fleeces and travel trousers — via over 50 UK stores and a direct e-commerce site to UK consumers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor and Travel Clothing

NAICS

Apparel Manufacturing (315), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599), Textile Bag and Canvas Mills (31491)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Women's, Misses', And Juniors Outerwear (2330), Footwear, (No Rubber) (3140)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor Clothing & Footwear Retail (Camping/Hiking/Climbing) (CRAMAMAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Backpacks & Travel Bags (CRAAAJAB), Outdoor Navigation, Safety & Survival Gear Retail (CRAMAAAE)

Keywords

• Outdoor clothing
• Travel apparel
• Waterproof jackets
• Hiking trousers
• Technical fleece

Headquarters

HQ city

Milton Keynes

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: One-time retail sales of outdoor and travel clothing through physical stores and e-commerce website. Products include waterproofs, jackets, trousers, fleeces, shirts, footwear and accessories.
2. Gift Cards: Sale of physical and electronic gift cards in denominations from £10 to £200, providing flexible gifting options for customers.
3. Repair and Washing Services: Service centre offering garment repairs (zip replacements, patch repairs, stitching) and specialist washing services (down wash, synthetic insulation wash, waterproof reproofing) for a fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Rohan Designs designs, manufactures (through long-term supplier partners) and retails performance outdoor and travel clothing directly to UK consumers through more than 50 own-brand retail stores and an own e-commerce website. The product portfolio spans waterproof jackets, fleeces, technical trousers, footwear, and accessories, supported by proprietary fabric technologies such as Barricade™ waterproof membrane and Dynamic Moisture Control wicking. The company also operates a Service Centre offering fee-based garment repairs and specialist washing alongside the Gift Your Gear clothing donation initiative.

Product overview

Rohan Designs is a UK-based outdoor and travel clothing retailer founded in 1972, offering a comprehensive portfolio of performance clothing and gear. The product line includes waterproof jackets (Coniston Barricade™ and Lomond Barricade™), fleece layers (Microgrid Fleece Jacket and Zip Neck), technical trousers (Stretch Bags, Range Jeans, District Chinos), and accessories. The portfolio is organized around five founding principles: protective, lightweight, packable, easy care, and versatile. Beyond clothing, Rohan offers complementary services including a Garment Repair Service for extending product life and a Washing Service for down and waterproof care. The brand also runs Gift Your Gear, a community initiative for donating pre-loved outdoor clothing. Technology sub-brands include Barricade™ waterproof fabric, Insect Shield® for insect protection, and UPF 40+ sun protection.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Coniston Barricade™ Waterproof Jacket Classic outdoor waterproof jacket offering protection with Barricade™ fabric technology, available in men's and women's versions for outdoor enthusiasts.
• Lomond Barricade™ Waterproof Jacket Women's waterproof coat with adjustable features for enhanced weather protection, using Barricade™ fabric technology.
• Stretch Bags Trousers Classic Bags styling in a technical stretch fabric with multi-pocketed design for hiking and trekking.
• Microgrid Fleece Jacket Breathable, naturally wicking, and lightweight fleece jacket designed for outdoor activities.
• Microgrid Fleece Zip Neck Multi-purpose fleece top with supreme comfort and moisture-wicking properties for outdoor and travel use.
• Range Jeans Durable, comfortable denim with multi-pocketed design for outdoor and travel use.
• District Chinos Smart, comfortable everyday trousers suitable for travel and casual wear.
• Gift Cards Gift cards available in electronic and physical formats for purchasing outdoor and travel clothing, in denominations from £10 to £200.
• Garment Repair Service Professional repair service for Rohan garments including zip replacements (£10–£25), patch repairs (minimum £15), and stitching repairs (minimum £10). Repair service is not offered for waterproof items.
• Washing and Reproofing Service Specialist washing service including Down Wash and Dry (£35), Synthetic Insulation Wash (£30), Waterproof Jacket Techwash and Reproof (£25), and Waterproof Trousers Techwash and Reproof (£20).

Quantifiable outcome

• Extending garment life by 9 months can lower environmental impact by 20-30%
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Responsible Down Standard (RDS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRohan supports the Responsible Down Standard which upholds the welfare of geese and ducks, recognising best practices in animal health. The RDS follows the chain of custody from farm to down processing plants to product manufacturer, ensuring down is sourced from farms that recognise the five freedoms of animal welfare and excludes animals subject to live-plucking or used for foie gras production.
• Gift Your Gear Beneficiary OrganisationscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable partnerships with organisations including Crisis (homelessness support), Age UK (older people), Barnardo's, Essex Boys and Girls Clubs, Venture Scotland, Make (Good) Trouble, Kit Squad, Outdoors 4 All Together, and many others. These organisations receive donated outdoor clothing to facilitate outdoor activities for disadvantaged individuals and communities.
• Ethical Trade Supplier PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRohan works with 25 trusted, long-term supplier partners based around the globe. Suppliers are chosen for quality of production, technical ability and future potential. The company prefers to develop long-term relationships based on mutual trust and close working relationships to produce garments meeting Rohan's ethical standards.
• Under One SkyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharity working to support homeless and vulnerable people. Receives donated outdoor clothing through Rohan's Gift Your Gear initiative.
• People's KitchenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharity supporting homeless and vulnerable people through food and companionship. Beneficiary of Rohan's Gift Your Gear clothing donations.
• CrisisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational charity for homeless people. Receives donated outdoor clothing through Rohan's Gift Your Gear initiative to distribute to members in need.
• Age UKminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharity providing support, companionship, and advice to help older people love later life. Beneficiary of Rohan's Gift Your Gear clothing donations.
• Barnardo'sminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharity protecting, supporting and nurturing children and young people. Receives donated outdoor clothing through Rohan's Gift Your Gear initiative.
• Venture ScotlandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCharity using outdoor activities and adventures to help young people realise their potential. Beneficiary of Rohan's Gift Your Gear clothing donations.
• Essex Boys and Girls ClubsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYouth charity providing support to children and young people through a mix of outdoor activities and adventures. Beneficiary of Rohan's Gift Your Gear clothing donations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Arc'teryx: Premium technical outdoor brand owned by Amer Sports — competes in the high-end waterproof, insulation and outdoor apparel categories with substantially greater R&D and brand-marketing investment.
• Patagonia: Premium global outdoor clothing brand with strong sustainability credentials and a much larger international footprint — competes for the same technical-outdoor customer wallet but at a higher price point and broader global scale.
• The North Face: Mass-market outdoor apparel and equipment brand owned by VF Corporation — competes across all of Rohan's categories at much larger scale and brand-marketing spend.

Direct peers

• Jack Wolfskin: European outdoor and travel clothing brand with a comparable mid-market technical positioning, multi-country retail footprint and similar travel-outdoor product mix — a direct competitor in the broader regional outdoor market.
• Mountain Equipment: UK technical outdoor brand focused on mountaineering and hiking clothing with proprietary fabric technologies — directly comparable as a UK-based specialist competing on technical performance in waterproof and insulated categories.
• Rab: UK technical outdoor clothing and equipment brand (part of Equip Outdoor Technologies) with strong positions in waterproofs and insulation, selling through UK retail and DTC — comparable heritage-plus-technology positioning.
• Craghoppers: UK-based outdoor and travel clothing specialist with a comparable product mix (waterproofs, trousers, travel kit) and a strong UK retail and DTC channel footprint — the closest peer in the travel-outdoor crossover niche.
• Karrimor: UK outdoor heritage brand offering backpacks, footwear and outdoor apparel — directly comparable as a long-established UK specialist with overlapping outdoor-and-travel positioning.
• Berghaus: UK heritage outdoor clothing brand selling technical jackets, fleeces and trousers for hiking and travel — direct head-to-head competitor with overlapping UK retail and e-commerce distribution and a similar mid-market technical positioning.

Emerging players

• Fjällräven: Scandinavian outdoor and travel apparel brand with a heritage-plus-sustainability narrative similar to Rohan's, though primarily distributed through separate geographies — relevant as a category-mate competing for the same European outdoor consumer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Rohanclothing
• Instagraminstagram.com/rohanclothing
• Xx.com/rohantime

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors2 records

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 Rohan Designs