Hello Buncombe County!
This week’s Tuesday Small Business Highlight shines a light on Dani & Amanda and their brand that blends adventure with everyday style. Meet Trek Apparel Co, a locally rooted clothing company inspired by the mountains, trails, and outdoor spirit that make Western North Carolina such a special place to live.
Built around a love for exploration and simple, comfortable gear, Trek Apparel Co is creating pieces that feel right at home whether you’re heading out on a hike or just enjoying a laid-back day around town.
Tell us the story behind your business. What inspired you to start it, and how did it all begin?
Our world is a beautiful place, filled with amazing people, and remarkable nature. It is a wonder that deserves to be featured and protected, along with the various cultures people embrace all around the globe. We hold a strong belief that if everyone had the ability to travel and see this beauty, we would be an even better world. We wanted to bring that beauty to people. After layoffs and corporate frustration, we decided to take a leap of faith and start our own business.
Our love for exploration, along with a joy for photography and creation we’ve held since youth, led us to Trek Apparel. We combined our photography with graphic design and put our designs onto apparel, kitchenware, décor, and so much more. We’ve had fun exploring different projects, expanding our offerings and methods of creation as we go.
Why Buncombe County? What made you choose this area to plant roots?
We grew up in the Midwest, and we both knew we wanted to see more of the world. We spent time in the Pacific Northwest before moving to Indiana to take care of family. Once we were ready to find our forever home, we found Asheville.
We loved the beauty, the vibe, and the people. When we first visited the area, we instantly felt a deep connection and a belonging. We worked for years to make our dream happen, and when we found our house in Fletcher, we knew it was home. There’s a very special culture here we have fallen in love with, and we couldn’t be more appreciative of this welcoming community.
What’s something about your business that most people don’t know?
We have a line of “WNC Strong” products that are very near and dear to us. We were in awe of how this community immediately came together after Hurricane Helen, and we wanted to find a way we could give back as a business. For each “WNC Strong” item sold, we donate a portion to area organizations and charities that helped rebuild after the storm.
What’s been your biggest challenge as a small business owner here?
One of our biggest challenges is finding the markets and events right for us. The area has so many great activities going on all the time that it’s hard not to want to be involved in all of them. Shuffling through events to decide which we can participate in, and which are best-suited for what we are creating is an adventure of its own. We are hoping to one day have a better method for vendors to find markets locally and sign up for them.
What’s been your most rewarding moment so far?
The most rewarding part so far has definitely been learning the stories behind each custom item we have made. We have been able to make shirts for a beautiful family that were adopting, a puzzle of a special mother and daughter vacation, shirts for a group of people who have been friends for over 50 years and still go on annual trips together, anniversaries, birthdays, and so many more.
We appreciate each of our customers and love hearing about their treks in life. Everyone has a story, and we are honored to play a small part in sharing those tales.
What’s next for you? Anything exciting coming up that readers should know about?
We are excited for this coming market season! We will be out at the Asheville City Market every Saturday, the Leicester Farmers Market every Wednesday, Downtown After 5, and many other events. We’ve met so many amazing people, both attendees and fellow vendors at these markets and look forward to meeting more. This is going to be a very busy and fun season!
Our ultimate goal is to open a brick-and-mortar store where we can sell our products and collaborate with other creators. It’s a lot of grinding, but it’s worth it when you love what you do.
Also, later this month (on March 28), we’ll be celebrating the 1-year anniversary of Trek Apparel! We’re so thankful for those who have supported us along the way and are excited for many more years of trekking.
Website : www.trekapparelco.com/
Instagram : @trekapparelco
It was great connecting with the team behind Trek Apparel Co and hearing how their love for the outdoors shapes everything they create. If you’re looking for mountain-inspired gear from a local brand, check them out at their upcoming events!
Please send over any feedback as we always read every reply and truly appreciate hearing from you. Thanks for being part of the Buncombe County Digest community.
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Have an event you want to feature or want to advertise your business to our readers in Buncombe County? Drop us a line here → [email protected]
