Solbari launches US wholesale business

Australian sun protection apparel brand Solbari, known for its UPF 50+ clothing, sun hats and accessories, has launched a wholesale business in the US and appointed Grayson Davis as head of sales in the region to lead its retail growth strategy.

In a statement, Melbourne-founded Solbari said the move marks an expansion beyond its direct-to-consumer model into speciality outdoor retail distribution in response to growing demand for certified daily sun-safe apparel across the US.

Solbari already has an established direct-to-consumer presence in the US, with the region accounting for more than 60 percent of its total revenue. The expansion into wholesale will enable the brand “to scale its reach, increase accessibility, and build awareness through physical retail”.

The Australian brand is currently onboarding regional representative agencies across key US territories and engaging outdoor speciality retailers ahead of its initial wholesale rollout beginning May 15. A distribution centre in Long Beach, California, will also support US fulfilment and logistics as the retail business expands.

Alongside the wholesale launch, Solbari has appointed Grayson Davis as US head of sales to lead the development and execution of the company’s wholesale strategy, including building a national network of independent sales representative agencies, securing key retail partnerships, and establishing the brand’s seasonal wholesale cadence.

Davis brings more than two decades of experience, joining Solbari from United Sports Brands and Seirus Innovations, where he led wholesale expansion across outdoor and performance categories and built national retail distribution networks.

Johanna Young, chief executive and founder of Solbari, said: “Wholesale is a major growth driver for Solbari in the US. We’ve built a strong direct-to-consumer business, and expanding into speciality retail allows us to reach more customers in a meaningful way. Grayson brings the experience, relationships and execution mindset we need to build this channel the right way.

“As demand grows for sun protection that fits into everyday wear, this next phase is about scaling access to reliable, high-performance products across the US market.”

Solbari offers technical sun-protective apparel that blocks at least 98 percent of UVA and UVB rays, combining certified UPF 50+ protection and compliance with Australian and US standards.