The Phluid Project
The Phluid Project is a queer-owned, direct-to-consumer apparel retailer founded in 2018 that designs and sells gender-neutral t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, hats, and accessories through its e-commerce site and SoHo, Manhattan flagship, serving LGBTQ+ and gender-nonconforming consumers with activism-driven statement apparel.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What The Phluid Project does
The Phluid Project is a privately held, queer-owned apparel retailer founded in 2018 by Rob Smith and headquartered in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood. The company operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform at thephluidproject.com and a physical retail store in Lower Manhattan that also functions as a community gathering space with a coffee shop and panel programming. Its core product line is gender-neutral apparel and accessories — including t-shirts ($25), hoodies ($49), crewnecks ($45), hats and beanies ($25–$30), and gift cards — offered in inclusive size ranges from XS to 5XL and featuring activism-driven designs such as Marsha P. Johnson tributes, Pride messaging, and immigration support statements. The catalog currently comprises 77 items, with the company expanding its product range with multiple new SKU launches in 2024 and 2025.
The business operates a one-time transaction revenue model with no subscription component for retail customers, supplemented by a separate corporate education line through GET Phluid and a fragrance distribution partnership with Scentbird. Two affiliated entities extend the brand's reach: The Phluid Phoundation, a nonprofit that has raised over $1 million for grassroots LGBTQ+ organizations, and GET Phluid, an educational arm offering corporate LGBTQ+ market and talent advisory services. The company is NGLCC certified as an LGBT Business Enterprise, has received press coverage in The New York Times, Teen Vogue, and them., and distributes internationally through its Shopify-based storefront. No proprietary technology stack, AI/ML capabilities, or institutional funding have been disclosed; the company raised approximately $113,535 in a 2019 funding round and operates with 1–10 employees.
The go-to-market approach is primarily organic social media driven (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook), earned PR, and community-driven ambassador programs. Distribution is exclusively direct, with no wholesale or third-party retailer relationships beyond the minor Scentbird marketplace channel. Customer concentration is broadly diffuse across individual LGBTQ+ and gender-nonconforming consumers, with a secondary B2B segment served through GET Phluid, though no enterprise customer logos are disclosed.
The Phluid Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Phluid Project
- Legal name
- The Phluid Project
- Website
- https://thephluidproject.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Phluid Project is a queer-owned, direct-to-consumer apparel retailer founded in 2018 that designs and sells gender-neutral t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, hats, and accessories through its e-commerce site and SoHo, Manhattan flagship, serving LGBTQ+ and gender-nonconforming consumers with activism-driven statement apparel.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Phluid Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Gender-Neutral Apparel
- NAICS
- Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (458110)
- SIC
- Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Modest & Religious Apparel Retail (CRAAABAK)
Keywords
Where The Phluid Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Phluid Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- E-commerce Apparel Sales: Direct-to-consumer sales of gender-neutral apparel and accessories through their owned e-commerce platform. Products include t-shirts ($25), hoodies ($49), crewnecks ($45), hats and beanies ($25-$30), and gift cards. Revenue is generated through one-time product transactions with no recurring subscription component for retail customers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard apparel pricing by product category |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Phluid Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Phluid Project operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform (thephluidproject.com) selling gender-neutral apparel and accessories including t-shirts, hoodies, crewnecks, hats, beanies, and gift cards. The brand is complemented by a physical retail store in SoHo, Manhattan, and an educational arm (GET Phluid) that provides corporate LGBTQ+ inclusion training and consulting.
Product overview
The Phluid Project is a Queer-owned gender-neutral fashion brand founded in 2018 by Rob Smith in Lower Manhattan. The company operates as a single unified e-commerce platform offering gender-free clothing and accessories, with products spanning t-shirts, hoodies & sweatshirts, and hats & beanies across 77+ items. The product portfolio includes statement pieces featuring LGBTQ+ advocacy messages, civil rights themes, and inclusive messaging. The company has raised over $1,000,000 through The Phluid Phoundation to support at-risk LGBTQ+ community members. The business also operates GET Phluid, an educational arm providing corporate education and strategic advising on LGBTQ+ inclusion. The company is NGLCC (National LGBT Chamber of Commerce) certified and LGBTBE Certified.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Gender-Neutral T-Shirts
- Gender-Neutral Hoodies & Sweatshirts
- Hats & Beanies
- Gift Cards
- GET Phluid
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $1 million raised for LGBTQ+ community support
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Phluid Project
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Phluid Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Phluid Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- ScentbirdminorScentbird serves as a marketplace channel for The Phluid Project's fragrance/scent products. This is a product distribution partnership rather than a deep strategic alliance, allowing the brand to offer a broader product range without maintaining its own fragrance inventory.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Phluid Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wildfang: Portland-based gender-free apparel brand directly competing with Phluid in the queer-owned, gender-neutral apparel niche with overlapping product categories and similar community-driven positioning.
- TomboyX: Gender-inclusive apparel and underwear brand serving LGBTQ+ and gender-nonconforming consumers with a similar mission-driven, queer-owned retail model.
- Kirrin Finch: Androgynous menswear-inspired apparel brand for women and nonbinary customers, competing in the same gender-neutral specialty apparel category with comparable size inclusivity messaging.
Emerging players
- Modibodi: Gender-inclusive apparel and leak-proof underwear brand with overlapping LGBTQ+ customer base, though more focused on period/leak-proof garments than statement apparel.
- Play Out: Queer-owned gender-neutral underwear and apparel brand with similar activist positioning and smaller scale, competing for the same community-driven consumer segment.
- Boody: Sustainable bamboo basics apparel brand with comparable gender-neutral basics offering (tees, hoodies, undergarments) and similar DTC-first retail approach.
Broad incumbents
- ASOS: Large global online fashion retailer that has launched gender-neutral collections, competing broadly in the apparel space and threatening niche players through scale and assortment.
- Everlane: Direct-to-consumer basics apparel brand with overlapping product categories (tees, hoodies, sweatshirts) and similar DTC distribution model, though without the queer-owned positioning.
- Bonobos: Established menswear apparel brand that has expanded into more inclusive sizing and fits, competing for adjacent basics and casual apparel share through a multi-channel retail model.
- American Apparel: Iconic basics apparel brand with overlapping unisex basics product offering, currently retailing online and providing competitive alternatives in the casual apparel segment Phluid serves.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Phluid Project social profiles
Digital presenceThe Phluid Project compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
The Phluid Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Phluid Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Phluid Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Phluid Project 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 The Phluid Project
What does The Phluid Project do?
The Phluid Project operates a direct-to-consumer e-commerce platform (thephluidproject.com) selling gender-neutral apparel and accessories including t-shirts, hoodies, crewnecks, hats, beanies, and gift cards. The brand is complemented by a physical retail store in SoHo, Manhattan, and an educational arm (GET Phluid) that provides corporate LGBTQ+ inclusion training and consulting.
Is The Phluid Project a public or private company?
The Phluid Project is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Phluid Project founded?
The Phluid Project was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Phluid Project based?
The Phluid Project is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Phluid Project make money?
One revenue line is on record: E-commerce Apparel Sales.
Who are The Phluid Project's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wildfang, TomboyX and Kirrin Finch. Emerging players are Modibodi, Play Out and Boody. Broad incumbents are ASOS, Everlane, Bonobos and American Apparel.
Does The Phluid Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Phluid Project.
What industry is The Phluid Project in?
The Phluid Project's product category is Gender-Neutral Apparel. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAABAK, Modest & Religious Apparel Retail. Its NAICS code is 458110 and its SIC code is 5600.