Built from love.
Born from defiance.
The outdoor industry wasn't built for us.
So we built our own.
Trailwear, community, and sisterhood — built by women of color, for every woman who belongs outside.
Loess is a natural sediment that quietly builds some of the most fertile soil on earth. Unassuming. Overlooked. Absolutely essential.
Women have always been the backbone of their communities — carrying, building, sustaining — while the world designed around them as if they weren't there.
We named this brand after the kind of work that holds everything together and never gets enough credit. Sound familiar?
One question.
We met in business school — three women of color with vastly different backgrounds, different relationships with the outdoors, and different levels of experience on the trail. Harini had sustainability in her bones. Cafui grew up on open land and never stopped moving. Jaya brought the eye for design and style that the industry had always ignored.
But we all kept running into the same wall — gear that didn't fit, didn't reflect us, and wasn't made with us in mind.
The more we talked, the more we realized this wasn't just our problem. We heard it from our friends, our classmates, women we met at events — the same frustration, over and over. The gear doesn't fit. The culture doesn't welcome. The spaces don't feel like ours.
So instead of waiting for the industry to catch up, we decided to build the brand we'd always wanted.
We're not just designing better trailwear. We're creating a platform for women to feel confident, capable, and seen — through apparel, community-driven events, and a movement of sisterhood on the trail.
The women behind it
As founders with roots across West Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean, our heritage isn't a backstory — it's a design brief. We've spent time traveling, learning from artisans, and studying traditional textile craft from around the world. That work lives in everything we make.
To me, the outdoors has always felt like home. Growing up on open land taught me that nature isn't about performance — it's about presence. Whether I'm running a ridge or on a paddleboard, I move with what feels natural. That same grounded instinct shapes Loess: built for real movement, not just what looks good on paper.
I've always loved fashion but hated the guilt that came with it. Seeing tags filled with materials destined to outlive me sparked something I couldn't ignore. Loess is my answer to that: gear that reflects our values and our style, built to last and built responsibly. When I'm not working, you'll find me mid-run, deep in a novel, or lost in a great film.
I believe clothes should speak the truth about who we are. I love putting together looks that feel bold, playful, and expressive. But when I stepped into the outdoor world, the gear didn't reflect me. Loess was born from that gap, to make room for those of us who want to show up fully, whether skiing greens or hiking in the Bay.
She is not defined by altitude or experience. She might be training for her first overnight hike or planning her next expedition. She moves between city and summit with the same energy: curious, capable, and completely herself.
What she won't do is compromise on feeling seen in what she wears.
Loess was built for her — wherever she is in her journey. And she doesn't have to figure it out alone. Our community of ambassadors, guides, and outdoor experts show up as a gateway — to share knowledge, build confidence, and make the trail feel like it was always yours.
Our promises.
Hold us to them.
Our sustainability commitments aren't aspirational — they're the result of over a year of research. Before we made a single sample, we consulted with textile scientists, sustainability academics, and manufacturers doing the most groundbreaking material work in the industry. We traveled to Taiwan, India, and Japan to learn from the people closest to the craft.
We publish the fiber mix, source, and finish for every style — and explain the tradeoffs in plain language, not greenwashing.
Patterns, seams, and finishes are tested for abrasion, stretch recovery, and at least 50 wash cycles. We make things you don't need to replace next season.
Recycled, bio-based, or certified natural fibers first — always. Virgin synthetics only when there is no better option that meets performance requirements.