Melanin+

What Melanin+ does

Melanin+ (legal name: Melanin Plus) is a privately held, direct-to-consumer activewear and wellness brand founded in 2020 and headquartered in Pasadena, California, with 41 employees. The company sells through a Shopify-hosted e-commerce storefront on a presale basis with a 45-day shipping window and ships worldwide. Its core product is the I AM H.E.R. (Healed, Empowered, Restored) apparel line — sports bras priced at $44, leggings at $64, bodysuits at $78, and set bundles at $99 — constructed from an 80% nylon / 20% spandex moisture-wicking fabric with seamless, high-waisted designs. The catalog spans 16 active SKUs and extends into wellness with a $49.99 one-day I AM H.E.R. Reset juice cleanse, positioned as a recurring monthly ritual on the 8th of each month and bundled with a digital wellness kit of guided playlists, journal prompts, and affirmations.

The business model is a single-channel DTC retailer with three revenue streams: one-time apparel sales (with a 20% bulk discount on four or more sportswear items and free shipping over $100), wellness product sales, and ticketed community events. Customer acquisition is driven primarily by organic social media (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook) and curated community events, with no paid advertising or third-party retail distribution. The target customer is women of color and active women seeking empowerment-focused, inclusive wellness experiences — a persona that operates as both the primary demographic and the horizontal segmentation strategy. The company has no mobile app, no API, no disclosed funding rounds, no executive team public profiles, and no parent company, indicating a founder-led, bootstrapped operation. Partnerships listed on the site include NIKE, Lululemon, GUESS, GRL PWR, kinrgy, Walk Good LA, LOVE TENNIS, BWI, HIB, MOSS, and PENDRY HOTEL, though the operational depth of these relationships is not disclosed. Revenue is not publicly reported, and customer engagement signals are thin (only 3 verified product reviews), suggesting a small-scale operation despite the breadth of its stated 360-degree wellness ambitions.

Name

Melanin+

Legal name

Melanin Plus

Website

https://mymelaninplus.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Melanin+ is a privately held DTC activewear and wellness brand serving women of color through a Shopify storefront, selling the I AM H.E.R. apparel line (sports bras, leggings, bodysuits), a monthly juice cleanse, and ticketed community events worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women's Activewear and Wellness Apparel

NAICS

Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (45811), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (4581)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Retail-Women's Clothing Stores (5621)

akta.pro primary industry

Outdoor & Active Lifestyle Apparel Retail (CRAAABAL)

Keywords

• Women's activewear apparel
• Inclusive wellness clothing
• Juice cleanse program
• Direct-to-consumer fashion
• Empowerment community events

Headquarters

HQ city

Pasadena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Activewear Apparel Sales: One-time purchase of sports bras, leggings, bodysuits, and set bundles through the e-commerce storefront. Products are sold at various price points with promotional discounts for bulk purchases.
2. Wellness Products - Juice Cleanse: The I AM H.E.R. Reset one-day juice cleanse is sold at $49.99 as a recurring monthly offering, with community events organized around the 8th of each month.
3. Community Events: Curated wellness events and community experiences generating revenue through ticket sales and participation fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Melanin+ designs and sells inclusive activewear—including sports bras, leggings, bodysuits, tennis skirts, and set bundles—directly to consumers through a Shopify-hosted e-commerce storefront with worldwide shipping. The brand complements its apparel line with the I AM H.E.R. Reset one-day juice cleanse and hosts community wellness events targeted at women of color. Orders are processed on a presale basis with a 45-day shipping window.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• I AM H.E.R. Activewear apparel line featuring sports bras, leggings, bodysuits, and tennis skirts with affirmations promoting healing, empowerment, and restoration.

Products and services

• I AM H.E.R. Sports Bras
• I AM H.E.R. Leggings
• I AM H.E.R. Bodysuits
• I AM H.E.R. Set Bundles
• I AM H.E.R. Reset One-Day Juice Cleanse

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NIKEcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor athletic brand partnership. NIKE logo appears on Melanin+ partnerships page indicating collaborative brand relationship for marketing and brand initiatives.
• LululemoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium athletic apparel brand partnership. Lululemon logo displayed on partnerships page suggesting co-marketing or collaborative brand activities.
• GUESSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFashion brand partnership. GUESS logo appears among partner logos on partnerships page.
• GRL PWRcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen empowerment organization or brand partnership. GRL PWR logo prominently displayed first among partners, suggesting a strategic alliance focused on empowerment initiatives.
• kinrgyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWellness or fitness brand partnership. kinrgy logo displayed among partnership logos.
• Walk Good LAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal community or lifestyle brand partnership based in Los Angeles. Partnership logo displayed on partnerships page.
• F&FminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership. F&F logo displayed among partner logos.
• LOVE TENNISminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTennis-focused brand partnership. LOVE TENNIS logo displayed among partners, aligns with Melanin+ tennis skirt product line.
• BWIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrand or organization partnership. BWI logo appears on partnerships page.
• HIBminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership. HIB logo displayed among partner logos.
• MOSSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrand partnership. MOSS logo displayed among partner logos.
• PENDRY HOTELminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLuxury hotel partnership. PENDRY HOTEL logo displayed among partners, suggesting potential hospitality or event space collaborations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Alo Yoga: Large premium women's activewear and wellness lifestyle brand sold DTC and through its own retail stores. Comparable on women's premium activewear and DTC-first go-to-market, but at vastly greater scale and assortment breadth.
• Lululemon: Global leader in women's premium activewear sold DTC, retail, and wholesale. Listed as a Melanin+ partner and competes in the same women's premium activewear category with far greater scale, capital, and product breadth.
• Gymshark: Global DTC fitness apparel brand with strong women's activewear assortment. Comparable on DTC-first distribution and community-led marketing, but with far larger scale, capital, and product breadth.
• Athleta: Gap Inc.-owned women's activewear brand sold DTC and through retail stores. Comparable women's premium activewear positioning with strong community and empowerment messaging, but at substantially greater scale.
• Nike: Largest global athletic apparel brand with a women's activewear line. Listed as a Melanin+ partner and competes broadly in the same women's performance activewear category, with vastly larger marketing and distribution budgets.

Direct peers

• Outdoor Voices: DTC women's activewear brand built around community, wellness, and lifestyle positioning. Closely comparable business model — direct-to-consumer Shopify storefront, community-led marketing, and a focus on women seeking empowerment-oriented activewear.
• Year of Ours: Independent DTC women's activewear label selling leggings, sports bras, and bodysuits through its own e-commerce site. Directly comparable on product mix, price points, and target customer (style-conscious women seeking functional activewear).
• Carbon38: DTC and curated marketplace for women's activewear and wellness apparel. Comparable on the women's activewear customer, premium DTC positioning, and wellness-lifestyle merchandising.
• P.E Nation: Premium women's activewear and athleisure label sold through its own DTC channel and select retailers. Comparable on premium DTC positioning, women's activewear focus, and lifestyle-driven branding.
• Tove: Independent women's activewear and ready-to-wear brand focused on inclusive, design-forward pieces sold DTC. Comparable on independent DTC model, women's customer, and emphasis on inclusive, empowerment-led positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Instagraminstagram.com/mymelaninplus
• TikToktiktok.com/@mymelaninplus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/melaninplus

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Melanin+