Soöruz

What Soöruz does

Soöruz is a French surfwear manufacturer founded in 1999 in La Rochelle, France, by co-founders Yann and Matthieu (legal entity GEMM). The company designs and produces neoprene wetsuits, protective gear (watervests, helmets, life vests), neoprene accessories, and a complementary lifestyle textile/apparel line for water sports including surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, wing foiling, and wakeboarding. Its core technology is the proprietary Organic Oysterprene family of neoprene foams — built from FSC-certified natural rubber and oyster shell powder — which spans multiple formulations (Ø8 flagship, Y8, Original, Bioprene, Blue Line) certified by USDA for bio-based content.

The business operates a tiered product architecture: entry-level FLY (€83–109), mid-range bestseller FIGHTER (€141–250), women's DIVINE (€119–299), and premium GURU/GURU+ / GURU PRO (€324–395), supported by Blue Line (recycled polyester/limestone neoprene for schools) and Green Line (full bio-sourced). Distribution combines direct-to-consumer e-commerce in five languages, five owned Pro Shops in France (La Rochelle, Brest, Bordeaux, Nantes, Lacanau), and an authorized retailer network across Europe. Soöruz monetizes wetsuit and apparel unit sales, athlete sponsorships for brand visibility, and post-sale revenue via its Second Life recycling program (yoga mats, Neoliège, aggregates) and Ocean Protect label — supported by two EUROSIMA Innovation awards and partnerships with Defi Wind de Gruissan (15+ years) and Lacanau Pro (10 years).

The company is privately held, founder-controlled, with no disclosed venture or private-equity backing, operating with 11–50 employees and an undisclosed annual revenue. Its competitive positioning rests on biosourced materials innovation, event-driven community engagement, and a vertically integrated brand narrative around environmental responsibility (Second Life, Ocean Protect), with regional backing from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine government.

Name

Soöruz

Legal name

GEMM

Website

https://surfwear.sooruz.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Soöruz is a French surfwear manufacturer founded in 1999 that designs and sells proprietary Organic Oysterprene wetsuits, protective gear, and apparel through DTC e-commerce, five owned Pro Shops, and authorized European retailers, serving competitive and recreational water-sports athletes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performance Wetsuits and Water Sports Apparel

NAICS

Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Athletic / Performance & Activewear Brands (CRAAAAAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

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

Keywords

• Neoprene wetsuit manufacturing
• Biosourced surfwear
• Water sports apparel
• Performance wetsuits
• Eco-designed wetsuits

Headquarters

HQ city

La Garde

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Wetsuit Sales: Primary revenue from designing, manufacturing, and selling performance wetsuits and water sports equipment through direct e-commerce and retail channels. Products include full wetsuits, springsuits, and accessories for surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, wing foiling, and wakeboarding.
2. Water Sports Apparel: Secondary revenue from technical clothing line including boardshorts, t-shirts, sweatshirts, shirts, and accessories. Also includes protective gear such as watervests, helmets, and life vests.
3. Team Sponsorships: Revenue generation through athlete sponsorships creates brand visibility and professional endorsement of products during competitions worldwide.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Soöruz designs, manufactures and sells performance neoprene wetsuits and water sports apparel using its proprietary Örganic Oysterprene foam technology (natural rubber + oyster shell powder). The portfolio spans GURU PRO/GURU+/GURU WIND premium ranges, FIGHTER/FIGHTER PRO best-sellers, FLY/FLY+ entry tier, and the DIVINE women's line, plus watervests, helmets, neoprene waterwear accessories, boardshorts and a lifestyle textile collection. The company operates the Second Life program recycling end-of-life wetsuits into new products.

Product overview

Soöruz is a French surfwear company founded in 1999, created by riders for riders, offering a comprehensive portfolio of performance wetsuits and water sports equipment. The product architecture spans multiple performance tiers: GURU PRO/GURU+/GURU WIND (high-performance expert level), FIGHTER PRO/FIGHTER (best-seller mid-range), FLY+/FLY (entry-level), and DIVINE (women's specific). Core technology revolves around Örganic Oysterprent foam made from natural rubber and recycled oyster shell powder, with lines ranging from Örganic Oysterprent Ö8 (flagship) to limestone-based alternatives. Beyond wetsuits, the portfolio includes protective watervests (STRATO, WING, REAC, GROUND, OPEN, CHARRAUD), certified helmets (SPEED, LOOK), neoprene waterwear accessories, and lifestyle textile collection. The company maintains a strong environmental commitment through its BLUE LINE (recycled materials for schools), GREENLINE (bio-sourced), and Second Life recycling program that transforms end-of-life wetsuits into new products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GURU: Gamme de combinaisons haute performance intégrant l'Oysterprene
• FIGHTER
• DIVINE
• FLY
• FLY+
• Blue Line
• Green Line
• Second Life

Products and services

• GURU PRO Wetsuits High-performance full wetsuits using Örganic Oysterprene ø8 foam (natural rubber + oyster shell powder), USDA and FSC certified, for expert surfers and water sports riders seeking maximum flexibility, warmth and comfort in cold conditions.
• GURU+ Wetsuits Premium wetsuit line building on GURU technology with enhanced performance features for experienced riders.
• GURU WIND Wetsuits Specialized GURU variant optimized for wind sports (windsurf, wing foil), combining high-performance neoprene with wind sport-specific design features.
• FIGHTER Wetsuits Best-selling multi-sport wetsuit line using Örganic Oysterprene foam, available in various thicknesses for different seasons and activities (€141-€250 across configurations).
• FIGHTER PRO Wetsuits Multi-sport flexible wetsuit using Örganic Oysterprene foam, designed for versatile water sports use with an enhanced performance-to-value ratio within the FIGHTER family.
• FLY+ Wetsuits Accessible-price wetsuit offering Soöruz expertise and Örganic Oysterprene foam technology at an entry-mid price point.
• FLY Wetsuits Entry-level wetsuit providing Soöruz quality and performance at the lowest price tier, suitable for warm water and summer conditions (springsuits €83-€109).
• DIVINE Wetsuits Women's-specific high-performance wetsuit using Örganic Oysterprene foam with USDA bio-based content certification (63% bio-sourced content in the line), designed for female riders across thicknesses and styles (€119-€299).
• Springsuits Shorty-style wetsuits with short sleeves/legs for warm water conditions, available across FIGHTER, FLY and DIVINE lines with various neoprene thicknesses.
• Hooded Full Suits (Intégrales Cagoule) Full-length wetsuits with long sleeves, long legs and an integrated hood for maximum warmth in very cold water conditions.
• BLUE Line Wetsuits Eco-designed school and club wetsuit line using recycled polyester and limestone neoprene, providing quality balance between price and environmental responsibility for educational institutions and water sports clubs.
• GREENLINE Wetsuits First bio-sourced wetsuit using oyster shell powder, sugarcane, natural rubber and non-food vegetable oil with zero production waste, sold under the GREENLINE range.
• Full Suits (Intégrales) Full-length wetsuits with long sleeves and long legs for maximum warmth in cold conditions, available across multiple performance tiers (GURU, FIGHTER, FLY, DIVINE).
• Watervests (Protective Vests) Flotation and impact vests for water sports including wing, wakeboard, kitesurf and windsurf. Multiple lines include STRATO (long-distance adventure), WING (wing-specific), REAC (wakeboard), GROUND (pro model), OPEN (kitesurf/windsurf) and CHARRAUD (pro model). Watervests are CE approved under EU regulation 2016/425 (€99.95 and up).
• Lifevest Gilet FIFTY 50N 50 Newton certified flotation vest combining safety and mobility, designed for wing integration with harness compatibility (€159.95-€169.95).
• Casque SPEED Helmet Premium OFF SHORE helmet for water sports offering maximum safety and comfort with ultra-lightweight fully adjustable design and innovative protection technologies (€119.95).
• Casque LOOK Helmet CE EN1385 approved water sports helmet with tinted shell, adjustable straps and removable ear protection system (€69.95).
• Waterwear (Neoprene Accessories) Technical neoprene accessories including jackets, tops, hoods, gloves, boots and ponchos for additional warmth and protection in various water conditions.
• Textile/Apparel Collection Lifestyle clothing line including T-shirts (€32.95), sweatshirts, shirts (€79.95), hoodies (€99.95), shorts and swimwear. Products use organic cotton, recycled polyester and linen materials with eco-responsible manufacturing, many designed and manufactured in France.
• Boardshorts Collection Boardshorts made from recycled polyester with coconut carbon, featuring lightweight, breathable, quick-dry construction (€69-€79). Includes hybrid lifestyle options with elastic waistband and secure fit systems.
• Second Life Wetsuit Recycling Program Large-scale wetsuit recycling program collecting used wetsuits (any brand) for processing into new products including yoga mats, Neoliège, aggregate and tiles, with the stated goal of recycling as many wetsuits as the company produces.

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wakeboard World Association (WWA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010European official partner starting 2010, providing visibility at wakeboard events and competitions across Europe
• Defi Wind de GruissancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner15+ year official partnership making Soöruz the official sponsor of one of the world's largest windsurf and kitesurf events
• Soöruz Lacanau ProcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner10-year primary sponsorship (2005-2015) of the prestigious WQS professional surfing event, covering 11 editions
• Nouvelle-Aquitaine RegionminorOthersRegional government support for economic development and environmental initiatives, particularly circular economy projects
• La Torche Windsurf - PWA World CupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial partner of the professional windsurfing competition held in France

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• O'Neill: Original wetsuit pioneer and global surf/watersports apparel incumbent; directly comparable on wetsuits, springsuits, and waterwear, but at vastly larger scale and with broader category footprint.
• Billabong: Global surf apparel incumbent with wetsuit ranges; competes with Soöruz's FIGHTER and FLY mid/entry-tier products in European and US surf retail.
• Quiksilver: One of the largest global surf brands with multi-discipline water sports coverage (surf, wetsuit, wakeboard) comparable to Soöruz's multi-sport product architecture.
• Patagonia: Premium outdoor brand with a strong wetsuit line (R1, Yulex-based natural rubber) and a sustainability positioning that closely parallels Soöruz's Organic Oysterprene eco-innovation thesis.
• Rip Curl: Australian-founded surf brand with major wetsuit division (FlashBomb, Heatseekers) and global distribution; competes head-to-head with Soöruz in performance wetsuits and surf apparel across Europe.

Others

• Skins (waterwear): Sportswear brand with thermal/waterwear products including rashguards and neoprene accessories; adjacent product overlap in waterwear accessories for European consumer markets.

Direct peers

• Vissla: Independent surf brand with sustainability positioning and creative athlete-driven marketing, mirroring Soöruz's 'Rider's Vision' philosophy and eco-innovation stance.
• Xcel Wetsuits: Specialist wetsuit manufacturer focused on performance surf and water sports; the closest specialist competitor to Soöruz in terms of product focus on premium neoprene wetsuits.
• Picture Organic Clothing: French-based sustainable surf/outdoor apparel brand producing wetsuits and technical clothing with an environmental positioning and price-point overlap with Soöruz.
• Roxy: Women's-focused surf apparel and wetsuit brand; competes most directly with Soöruz's DIVINE women's line on performance and styling.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCKubVL9ac3iVa5bhs1PFxcA
• Facebookfacebook.com/sooruz
• LinkedInfr.linkedin.com/company/so%C3%B6ruz
• Instagraminstagram.com/sooruzofficial
• Xx.com/sooruzofficial

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Soöruz