“I’ve worn this for two years and traveling to 20 different countries, and I’ve never washed it.”
Ably founder Raj Shah is letting me smell his French terry hoodie.
It doesn’t smell like anything — remarkable, given its journey. (Also, I dig the hidden pocket that holds your phone.)
And that’s the mission behind Ably. Launching with the hoodie and some tees in a remarkably successful 2016 Kickstarter (raising $540K via 4,900 backers), Ably now offers a full wardrobe of quick-drying, water-wicking, breathable, stain- and odor-repellent everyday wares.
The difference here? Ably is all about natural fabrics. Via a technologoy called Filium, all of Ably’s materials — cotton, linen, wool, thermals, etc. — are free of nanoparticles and chemicals but still offer the benefits of synthetic clothing. An impromptu test we conducted in the InsideHook office showed no stains or dampness after pouring water and coffee over the fabrics.
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“I would say this is the most advanced natural fabric technology out there,” says Shah, a 40+ year veteran in the style industry. “Take our T-shirt — you can run/hike/bike in it, come back to office, then work out seven days in a row with it and it won’t have odor. And if it gets wet, it’ll dry in 10 minutes.”
Shah describes the actual style of Ably as “modern and evergreen, with nice details.” The flannels, shirts and chinos here won’t turn many eyes your way, but they’re good casual wares that seem ideal in Ably’s home city of Seattle.
The benefits here are numerous: If you dress in Ably clothing, you’ll pretty have a near laundry-less wardrobe, which saves you time, money and closet space, along with being eco-conscious. And it’s fantastic for travel or camping; you’ll pack fewer items, never have any post-plane trip stink and you’ll stay comfy (a lot of Ably’s pieces contain up to 3% spandex, giving you some stretch and wiggle room).
Although the company’s just started offering some cool-weather options — field jackets, quarter-zip sweaters, top coats, etc. — Shah swears by the shorts.
“See these?” he says, pulling a pair of twill shorts out of a bag. “I started wearing these last April. Two summers in a row, with all sorts of hot weather. Never had to launder it. Doesn’t smell.”
We’ll take his word for it.
All photos via Ably Apparel
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