Ombraz Announces Milestone Retail Expansion and Key Hire for 2025

December 16, 2024

Armless sunglasses vanguard expands wholesale footprint and strengthens operations

Bellevue, WA – December 16, 2024 /OUTDOOR SPORTSWIRE/ – Ombraz, the award-winning vanguard behind armless sunglasses, has achieved a remarkable milestone in retail growth, expanding from just four retail partners in 2023 to an impressive 75 in 2024—an extraordinary growth rate of over 1,700%. This exponential growth underscores Ombraz’s commitment to delivering durable, sustainable eyewear to outdoor enthusiasts worldwide.

Since its inception in 2018 following a wildly successful IndieGoGo campaign, Ombraz has evolved from hand-sewing armless sunglasses in a barn to becoming a globally recognized brand celebrated for its innovation and sustainability. Today, Ombraz offers a curated collection of six styles. The brand’s growth has been driven by customer feedback, which has guided the development of new accessories and the expansion into independent specialty retailers, alongside its thriving direct-to-consumer model.

“Our focus this year has been on building relationships with independent specialty shops that align with our mission of sustainability and quality,” said Nikolai Paloni, co-founder at Ombraz. “These retail partners have been instrumental in connecting Ombraz with people who value gear that solves problems and is built to last. As we expand, we remain committed to staying true to our roots by prioritizing trendsetting specialty retailers”.

Ombraz’s retail network now spans independent surf and bike shops and iconic outdoor retailers. The brand’s geographic reach is heavily concentrated in the U.S., with most stores in the Rocky Mountain region and along the West Coast, areas synonymous with outdoor culture.

Ombraz has partnered with Jeff Weathersbee and Paul Jordan from The Summit Group to expand its retail footprint in the Southeast. Independent reps Joey Benaron and Eric Adams will spearhead retail expansion in the Southwest. Plans are also underway to expand representation in other US territories. Internationally, Ombraz aims to expand its thriving Japan business while exploring distribution opportunities in Canada.

Looking ahead to 2025, Ombraz is poised for even greater success with the addition of Samantha Putošová as Supply Chain & Operations Manager. Joining in October 2024, Putošová brings over seven years of experience in scaling operations at mission-driven startups, including farm-to-table spice company Curio Spice and her own plastic-free cosmetics business, Bee Balm Company. Her expertise spans wholesale account management, sustainability initiatives, and operational efficiency. In her new role at Ombraz, she will focus on optimizing supply chain processes, improving demand planning, and supporting strategic product development – all critical components for sustaining the brand’s rapid retail growth.

For more information about Ombraz and its products, visit ombraz.com. For sales inquiries, contact nikolai@ombraz.com; for media inquiries, contact stacy@darbycommunications.com.

###

About Ombraz Sunglasses

Ombraz is a revolutionary armless sunglasses brand making a fundamental shift to sunglass design. Since the introduction of the Ombraz Classic in 2018, Ombraz has been building carbon-negative, armless sunglasses that solve what frustrates people about sunglasses. Whether on the river, trail, slopes, climbing wall, or singletrack, Ombraz can be worn comfortably and securely all day. With no arms to break and a cord to keep them in place, (or slung around your neck), Ombraz won’t get lost, slip off your nose, or break in your bag or pocket. Additionally, Ombraz plants 20 mangrove trees for every pair of sunglasses sold. A member of 1% For the Planet and Carbon Neutral Certified, Ombraz sequesters 1713x more carbon than it takes to produce and deliver each pair. Learn more about the brand and the full collection of armless sunglasses on Ombraz.com, or follow @Ombraz on Instagram.

Contact

Stacy Kline
Darby Communications
stacy@darbycommunications.com
724-272-9956