Advertisement

Header Utility Menu

  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Events

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

  • Login

Virginia Business

Mobile Menu

  • Issues
  • Industries
    • Banking/Finances
    • Law
    • Real Estate
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Energy/Green
    • Federal Contracting
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Hotels/Tourism
    • Insurance
    • Ports/Trade
    • Small Business
    • Startups
    • Technology
    • Transportation
  • Regions
    • Central Virginia
    • Eastern Virginia
    • Northern Virginia
    • Roanoke/New River Valley
    • Shenandoah Valley
    • Southern Virginia
    • Southwest Virginia
  • Reports
    • Best Places to Work
    • Business Person of the Year
    • CEO Pay
    • COVID-19
    • Generous Virginians Project
    • Legal Elite
    • Most Influential Virginians
    • Maritime Guide
    • Site Locator
    • The Big Book
    • Virginia CFO Awards
  • Company News
    • For the Record
    • People
  • Opinion
  • Lists
  • Awards/Events
    • 2022 Virginia Business Political Roundtable
    • Women in Leadership
    • Diversity Leadership Series
    • Virginia 500
    • Legal Elite
    • CFO Awards
    • Big Book of Lists
    • 100 People To Meet
    • Best Places To Work
  • Virginia 500
    • Read The Issue
    • Power Up Virginia 500
    • Buy an award plaque
    • Suggest execs for 2023

Advertisement

Header Primary Menu

  • Issues
    • February 2023
    • January 2023
    • December 2022
    • November 2022
    • October 2022
    • Issues Archive
  • Industries
    • Banking/Finances
    • Law
    • Real Estate
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Energy/Green
    • Federal Contracting
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Hotels/Tourism
    • Insurance
    • Ports/Trade
    • Small Business
    • Startups
    • Technology
    • Transportation
  • Regions
    • Central Virginia
    • Eastern Virginia
    • Northern Virginia
    • Roanoke/New River Valley
    • Shenandoah Valley
    • Southern Virginia
    • Southwest Virginia
  • Reports
    • Best Places to Work
    • Business Person of the Year
    • CEO Pay
    • COVID-19
    • Generous Virginians Project
    • Legal Elite
    • Most Influential Virginians
    • Maritime Guide
    • Site Locator
    • The Big Book
    • Virginia CFO Awards
  • Company News
    • For the Record
    • People
  • Opinion
  • Lists
  • Awards/Events
    • 2022 Virginia Business Political Roundtable
    • Women in Leadership
    • Diversity Leadership Series
    • Virginia 500
    • Legal Elite
    • CFO Awards
    • Big Book of Lists
    • 100 People To Meet
    • Best Places To Work
  • Virginia 500
    • Read The Issue
    • Power Up Virginia 500
    • Buy an award plaque
    • Suggest execs for 2023

Home News Regions Southern Virginia Henry apparel company wins national competition

Henry apparel company wins national competition

Published January 28, 2016 by Veronica Garabelli

Most of the money that Leigh and James Cockram won in
the competition was used to legally protect their business.

Henry County-based RaesWear LLC still may be a startup, but it already has gotten a nod of approval from one of the nation’s top sports apparel companies.

RaesWear creates athletic wear with waistbands designed to store keys, phones and other personal items. The company won the $50,000 grand prize at the Future Show Innovation Challenge sponsored last fall by Baltimore-based Under Armour.  RaesWear technology also will be incorporated into future Under Armour products, says Laurin Wolf, a spokesperson for the company.

From 2,000 applicants, RaesWear was one of 10 companies picked to participate in the challenge at Under Armour’s headquarters.

“The prize money has been fantastic because our business is completely self-funded, so it’s nice to be able to reinvest that money,” says Leigh Cockram, who launched RaesWear in December 2014 with her husband, James.  In addition to running the company, she is director of research and business development at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville.

Most of the money from the competition, Leigh Cockram says, has been used to legally protect RaesWear’s business concept. It has been issued one utility patent and has three other patents pending, she says.

Cockram came up with the idea for RaesWear more than three years ago when she was head of the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance, an economic development group. While on a business trip, she wanted a place to store personal items while on a run but she didn’t want to carry a fanny pack or belt. That experience inspired her to design a waistband-pocket for workout pants that differed from  attire on the market.

“At first it was just for me,” Leigh says of the idea. “Then I started thinking, ‘If I need this, and it worked so well for me, other people are going to need it.’ ”

She made product prototypes and then hired a designer to make the pocket functional and aesthetically appealing.

Today, RaesWear sells shorts, capris, tights, pants as well as “skorts” and “skapris,” skirts with built-in shorts or capris. The products, which range from $35-$60, are sold on RaesWear.com. Eventually, RaesWear also plans to license its technology to other companies.

RaesWear’s merchandise is made in Martinsville at Mollies Originals, a sewing and embroidery firm. RaesWear sources fabrics through Solid Stone Fabrics in Martinsville and Kendor Textiles in Canada.

In addition to winning the Under Armour competition, RaesWear also received a $1,200 website development grant through Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corp.’s Small Business Division.

RaesWear redesigned its website in October, a move Cockram says has really paid off.
“We’ve been very pleased with sales volume, and it’s increased month over month,” she says.

Related Stories

Virginia Business logo

Virginia Uranium opens office in Chatham

Virginia Business logo

Applied Felts plans to expand in Henry County

Karen Jackson. Photo courtesy New College Institute

Unmanned Systems Association of Va. names board chair

Former state Secretary of Technology Karen Jackson will help promote unmanned systems industry

Trending

Norfolk’s MacArthur Center mall listed for sale

Making strides

It’s back!

After the crisis

Fort Monroe development moving forward

Sponsored Stories

What Logistics issues will have the biggest impact on you in 2023?

In the New Year, Aim for Better Cybersecurity

4 innovative ways to create capacity

WHERE IS THE SUPPLY CHAIN WHEN YOU NEED IT?

P.A.I.N.T. Your Financial Mountain

5 Benefits of Treasury Management Services from Atlantic Union Bank

Blazing trails in the digital landscape

Advertisement

Advertisement

Trending

Norfolk’s MacArthur Center mall listed for sale

Making strides

It’s back!

After the crisis

Fort Monroe development moving forward

Sponsored Stories

What Logistics issues will have the biggest impact on you in 2023?

In the New Year, Aim for Better Cybersecurity

4 innovative ways to create capacity

WHERE IS THE SUPPLY CHAIN WHEN YOU NEED IT?

P.A.I.N.T. Your Financial Mountain

5 Benefits of Treasury Management Services from Atlantic Union Bank

Blazing trails in the digital landscape

Get Virginia Business directly on your tablet or in your mailbox!

Subscribe to Virginia Business

Advertisement

Advertisement

Footer Primary Menu

  • virginiabusiness.com
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Footer Secondary Menu

  • Industries
  • Regions
  • Reports
  • Company News
  • Events

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Sign Up

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

Privacy Policy Cookie Policy

Footer Utility Menu

Copyright © 2023 Virginia Business. All rights reserved.

Site Maintained by TechArk