Watery

What Watery does

Watery is a Danish direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer of swimwear and water-sports equipment, founded in 2016 by Daniel Johannesen in Horsens, Denmark and operating as Watery ApS. The company sells exclusively through its own website (getwatery.com) with worldwide shipping and one physical store, targeting water-sports enthusiasts across five use-case segments: pool swimmers, open-water swimmers, beach lovers, kids and families, and paddleboarders. Its product range spans women's, men's, and kids swimwear, swimming goggles, training aids (fins, pull buoys, paddles, snorkels, kickboards), accessories (caps, towels, ponchos, swim care), open-water equipment (wetsuits, paddleboards, life jackets, dry robes), and full-face snorkel masks.

The company's technical and material differentiation is rooted in sustainability: the majority of swimwear is constructed from 88% regenerated polyester sourced from ocean plastic, fishing nets, and recycled bottles, with OEKO-TEX certified fabrics and Azo-free dyeing. Goggles feature a plant-cellulose-based anti-fog formula. Wetsuits are offered in 3mm and 5mm neoprene with silicone construction for flexibility. Manufacturing is distributed across 34 handpicked factories, primarily a family-owned factory in Ukraine for swimwear and Asian factories for equipment, with no disclosed in-house production. The ReSea Project partnership provides verifiable ocean-plastic collection tied to every product sold via QR-coded traceability.

Watery's commercial model is purely transactional DTC: one-time product purchases with unit pricing, free shipping above $79, bulk discounts for orders of 20+ identical items, and The Water Club loyalty program offering points and referral rewards ($15 off for referred friends). Marketing runs across social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok), a content blog (Making Waves), email newsletter, SEO, and a #TeamWatery ambassador community. The company is privately held and bootstrapped, founded with $5,000 of the founder's confirmation savings and supplemented by five individual angel investors (Filip, Jens, Morten, Emil, Jonas) brought on in 2018 after declining a Dragons Den deal on unfavorable terms; no VC, PE, or institutional funding is disclosed. Headcount stands at 35 across full-time, part-time, and student workers, operating from a 2,400m² combined office and warehouse in Horsens, with 110,000+ customers served globally as of the most recent reporting period.

Name

Watery

Legal name

Watery ApS

Website

https://getwatery.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Watery is a Danish direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer of swimwear and water-sports equipment — including goggles, wetsuits, training aids, and paddleboards — serving 110,000+ water-sports enthusiasts globally through its own website, with products made from recycled and ocean-recovered materials.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Swimwear & Water Sports Equipment Retail

akta.pro primary industry

Water Sports & Marine Recreation Retail (Paddle/Surf/Dive/Boat Accessories) (CRAMABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Apparel & Footwear Retail (Wetsuits, Rash Guards, Deck Shoes) (CRAMAIAJ), Swim & Surf Performance Wear (CRAAAEAG), Swimwear (Children) (CRAAAHAG)

Keywords

• Swimwear retail
• Water sports equipment
• Swimming accessories
• Sustainable swimwear
• E-commerce swimwear

Headquarters

HQ city

Horsens

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Watery sells swimwear and water sports equipment directly to consumers through their e-commerce website. Products include swimwear for women, men, kids, and babies, as well as equipment like goggles, training aids, wetsuits, and accessories. They also sell paddleboards, life jackets, and beach gear.
2. Product Sales - Equipment: Training equipment including fins, pull buoys, swim paddles, snorkels, kickboards, and bags sold as one-time purchases.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Watery is a direct-to-consumer e-commerce retailer that designs, sources, and sells its own branded swimwear and water sports equipment to water-lovers worldwide. The product range includes women's, men's, and kids swimwear, swimming goggles, training aids (fins, pull buoys, kickboards, paddles, snorkels), open water gear (wetsuits, paddleboards, life jackets, dry robes), and accessories (swim caps, towels, anti-fog products). Products are made primarily from sustainable materials including 88% regenerated polyester from ocean plastic and recycled bottles, with OEKO-TEX certified and Azo-free dyeing processes.

Product overview

Watery is an e-commerce retailer of swimwear and water sports equipment targeting water-lovers at all skill levels. The product portfolio consists of women's, men's, and kids swimwear (including sustainable eco-friendly lines), swimming goggles, training aids (fins, kickboards, pull buoys, paddles, snorkels), swimming accessories (caps, towels, ponchos, aqua shoes, waterproof MP3 players), open water equipment (wetsuits, paddleboards, life jackets, swim buoys), and a loyalty program called The Water Club. Products are manufactured using recycled materials including regenerated polyester from ocean plastic and fishing nets, with swimwear production in Ukraine and some equipment from Asian factories. The company sells directly through its own website, eliminating middlemen to offer premium gear at accessible prices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Women's Swimwear Women's swimwear collection including swimming costumes, beach costumes, wetsuits, and mermaid tails designed for training, competition, and leisure swimming. Made from sustainable materials including regenerated polyester.
• Men's Swimwear Men's swimwear including swim briefs, aquashorts, jammers, swim shorts, neoprene jammers, and wetsuits for competitive and leisure water sports.
• Kids Swimwear Kids swimwear including girls and boys swimwear, baby swimwear, mermaid tails, and kids wetsuits made from chlorine-resistant blended cotton and polyester.
• Swimming Goggles Swim goggles with anti-fog technology, UV protection, adjustable fit, and non-slip coverage for all face shapes. Categories include training, leisure, racing, open water, women's specific, prescription, and kids goggles.
• Training Aids Swimming training equipment including swim bags, fins, pull buoys, swim paddles, snorkels, and kickboards designed to improve swimming performance and technique.
• Wetsuits Neoprene wetsuits available in 3mm and 5mm thickness for swimming, triathlon, surfing, and diving. Designed to improve body position, reduce drag, and conserve energy with silicone construction for flexibility and comfort.
• Open Water Equipment Open water swimming gear including neoprene accessories (gloves, shoes, hats), swim buoys, inflatable paddleboards, life jackets, and dry robes.
• Swimming Accessories Swimming accessories including swim caps (silicone, long hair, sustainable, competition), swim care products (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, recovery cream), towels, poncho hoodies, aqua shoes, tracksuit, waterproof MP3 players, and ear plug/nose clips.
• Full Face Snorkel Masks Full face snorkel masks made from soft silicone with polycarbonate lenses, available in kids and adult sizes for snorkeling experiences.
• Kids Swimming Gear Kids-specific swimming accessories including kids goggles, swim vests, swim nappies (neoprene), and mermaid tails.

Quantifiable outcome

• Collects 1 plastic bottle for every product sold through ReSea Project partnership
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ReSea ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Danish organization ReSea Project to fulfill commitment against plastic pollution. For every product sold, ReSea Project and their local community in Indonesia collect plastic waste from oceans and rivers. Customers receive QR codes with coordinates showing where and who collected their plastic waste, providing transparent and trackable documentation of environmental impact.
• Ukrainian FactoriescoreOthersFamily-owned factory in Ukraine that has been producing Watery's swimwear since 2019. This partnership was crucial for developing the Eco Budgie Briefs and continues to manufacture swimwear to this date. Combined with Asian factories, Watery works with 34 handpicked factories total.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Speedo: Global swimwear and equipment brand with deep roots in competitive swimming and federation sponsorships. Directly comparable to Watery as a swimwear, goggles, wetsuit, and training-equipment retailer for pool and open water swimmers.
• Arena: Major swimwear and water sports brand competing in competitive swimwear, training equipment, and beachwear. Highly comparable to Watery across swimwear, goggles, and training aids for swimmers and water-lovers.
• TYR Sport: US-based swimwear and equipment brand with strong presence in competitive swimming, training aids, and triathlon. Comparable to Watery's product range across swimwear, goggles, wetsuits, and open-water gear.
• Blueseventy: Specialist open-water and triathlon wetsuit and swim gear brand. Comparable to Watery's open-water segment (wetsuits, swim buoys, neoprene accessories) targeting triathletes and open-water swimmers.

Broad incumbents

• Patagonia: Sustainability-led outdoor apparel brand with recycled-material swimwear and wetsuits. Comparable to Watery's recycled-polyester, ocean-plastic sourcing and environmental positioning, though with much broader apparel scope.
• O'Neill: Heritage wetsuit and water sports apparel brand with deep roots in surfing and open water. Comparable to Watery's wetsuit, neoprene accessories, and open-water product lines.
• Roxy: Women's surf and swimwear brand with wetsuits, boardshorts, and beach lifestyle apparel. Comparable to Watery's women's swimwear, beachwear, and wetsuit categories, though with a wholesale distribution model.
• Rip Curl: Established surf brand with broad wetsuit, swimwear, and beachwear portfolio. Comparable to Watery in wetsuits, beachwear, and surf-adjacent water sports gear, though with a wholesale-led distribution model.
• Nike Swim: Nike's swimwear and water sports line, leveraging the broader Nike brand for performance and athletic positioning. Comparable to Watery's performance swimwear and equipment for competitive and fitness swimmers.

Emerging players

• Summersalt: DTC women's swimwear brand focused on sustainable, well-fitted swimwear sold directly to consumers. Comparable to Watery's sustainable swimwear line and DTC-first model, though narrower in category focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCUBLBXXtI9Qamsio6q01RIQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/getwatery
• LinkedInlinkedin.cn/company/watery
• Instagraminstagram.com/watery
• TikToktiktok.com/@watery
• Xx.com/getwatery

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

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 Watery