New Company Claims It's Impossible For Most Men To Find Shirts That Fit
Courtesy StanttStantt co-founder Kirk Keel.A new menswear company is basing its business model on the premise that most men's shirts don't fit.
Stantt co-founder Kirk Keel told Business Insider that his research showed that small, medium, large, and extra-large size shirts only fit about 15% of men correctly.
The Hoboken, New Jersey-based company offers more than 50 shirt sizes for men's polos and button-ups based on waist, arm length, and chest measurements.
The company has raised about $36,000 of a $60,000 Kickstarter goal in recent weeks.
We talked to Keel about his vision for a new way to buy shirts.
BUSINESS INSIDER: What are some common problem guys run into when buying clothes?
Kirk Keel: The two biggest issues we've seen are the poor fit of standard sizes and inconsistency in sizing between brands. Each brand uses different sizing standards so a medium from brand A is different than a medium from brand B, making finding something that fits even more of a hassle.
Also, we often see that the standard sizes may fit in one place, but not the other. For example, a taller, skinnier guy may have to buy a large to get sleeves that are long enough, but then the shirt is really baggy around the waist. Or a shorter guy may buy a medium that fits his chest and waist really well, only to find that the sleeves are too long. I could go on and on...
StanttStantt co-founder Matt Hornbuckle.
BI: How did you get the idea for Stantt?
KK: We were frustrated by not finding clothes that fit. It's been an issue for as long as we can remember, and once we started to talk to other guys about it, we realized that this was a problem nearly every guy dealt with. The industry standard of small, medium and large just wasn't cutting it and almost all guys were forced to settle for something that doesn't fit exactly like they wanted. So, we decided to do something about it.
BI: Why did you focus on casual clothing?
KK: We were inspired by the feeling a man gets from putting on his favorite suit. It fits like a glove, making him feel confident and empowered. The problem is getting that same level of fit in casual clothes today is impossible unless you're willing to take on the time and expense of getting something tailored. At Stantt, we think feeling great in what you wear should extend beyond the custom suit or expensive tailored shirt and into the staple pieces a guy wears every day.
BI: What's your background?
KK: Myself and co-founder Matt Hornbuckle have a combined 18 years of experience in marketing, brand development, and supply chain with several fortune 500 companies. Most recently, we were at Johnson & Johnson managing big consumer brands.
BI: How accurate is your sizing system?
KK: We want to make it simple for all guys to get a great fit. Based on our testing to date, we expect that the shirts will give over 95% of guys a great fit. As with any new technology, we know that there will be a learning curve, but we are already focusing on refining and expanding the sizes to ensure that all guys can easily get shirts that they look and feel great in.
BI: How could this change the retail industry?
KK: With the technology that’s now available, new ways of doing things are possible – ways that can challenge the status quo and disrupt industries. While we’re still at the beginning of the journey, we think we can become the gold standard in men’s apparel and set a new standard and consumer expectation when it comes to fit.