Alpine Parrot Spreads its Wings with Backbone Media Partnership

May 25, 2021

DENVER, Colo. (May 25, 2021) – Alpine Parrot, maker of technical apparel for women sizes 14-24, has partnered with Backbone Media to help build brand awareness through public relations. Backbone will help Alpine Parrot promote its mission to create outdoor clothing that encourages and celebrates underrepresented people in the outdoors, namely people of size and people of color.

“Sixty-eight percent of American women wear a size 14 or up, with the average size being a 16 to 18. And yet, as of spring 2020, less than 10 percent of clothing sold in outdoor retail stores is available in these sizes,” said Alpine Parrot founder Raquel Vélez. “Our goal is to make the outdoors more accessible by offering outdoor clothing in sizes worn by more than two thirds of the global population of women.”

Founded in 2020, Alpine Parrot launched a crowdfunding campaign for its Ponderosa Pants on Kickstarter this month and has already surpassed its fundraising goal by 380% at the campaign’s halfway mark. After completion of the Kickstarter campaign on May 27, the Ponderosa Pants will be the first item available from Alpine Parrot starting this fall in sizes 14-24. Following the Ponderosa Pants, Vélez is planning to offer more lifestyle pants, technical shorts, technical flannel shirts and more.

Vélez founded Alpine Parrot after a life-changing ski trip when she struggled to find waterproof snow pants that fit her. As a plus size Latina, establishing a brand that recognizes the variety of sizes, backgrounds and colors of all people became her mission. Vélez subsequently quit her job in the tech industry, moved to Denver, sewed dozens of prototypes, found a Latina-owned manufacturing partner and launched her new company.

“More than ever, people are spending time outdoors,” said Ian Anderson, Vice President of Public Relations at Backbone Media, “Raquel strives to make the outdoors accessible to everyone and we’re looking forward to rolling up our sleeves to help amplify her voice in an increasingly important conversation across the outdoor industry.”

For more information regarding Alpine Parrot, please direct inquires to Mariel Fulton at mariel.fulton@backbone.media.

About Alpine Parrot

Founded in 2019, Alpine Parrot is a outdoor apparel company committed to creating clothing that encourages and celebrates underrepresented people in the outdoors, namely people of size and people of color. By doing this, the company hopes to give everyone access to the outdoors so they, too, can experience the joy of nature. Alpine Parrot’s first product, the Ponderosa Pants, are technical hiking pants designed specifically for women’s sizes 14-24.

About Backbone Media

Backbone Media is the country’s leading active lifestyle media agency. For 23 years, Backbone has partnered with brands big and small to develop and execute effective, integrated media strategies. With offices in Carbondale and Denver, Colo., Backbone has been consistently included on Outside Magazine’s “Best Places to Work” list.