SRTX

🎥 Behind the scenes at SRTX HQ – where we’re creating outdoor performance fabrics that are durable, breathable, and waterproof. No forever chemicals. No coatings. No gimmicks. Just ultra high molecular weight polyethylene membranes, extruded in-house in Montreal and rigorously tested for peak performance. Investing in defensible infastructure is how we rebuild Western manufacturing. The platform we built to redefine the tights market? It’s about to disrupt outdoor apparel, too.

This holiday season, we wrapped up 8 days of mindful gifting through 4 incredible giveaways. Our goal? To celebrate purposeful gifting with brands that share our core values of sustainability, inclusivity, and empowerment. Partnering with inspiring brands like Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics INC, SmartSweets, Mala the Brand, and DIVA, we shared prizes that go beyond the surface—fostering meaningful connections and positive impact. A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who participated, engaged, and amplified this initiative. You proved the power of bold brands and passionate communities coming together to make a difference. This season reminded us all: gifting isn’t just about what’s inside the box—it’s about the lasting impact it creates. Let’s carry that mindset forward into the new year.

Three weeks ago, I grabbed coffee with Stephanie Lipp at Soho House in Toronto. By the time I left Toronto that day, we had booked her flights to Montreal, committed to $100k in pre-paid purchase orders, offered her space in our facility, and I had told my team to take on launching her product—right in the middle of our busiest season. Let me back up. Stephanie reached out after hearing me speak at MaRS Women in Cleantech. Her pitch? Myco Futures—a startup creating sustainable leather from mycelium, the root system of fungi. Her website didn’t wow me, and startups scaling mycelium leather had mostly failed before. But she timed her coffee ask perfectly for a day I was in town, so I said yes. When we met, she pulled out a bag stitched with samples of her mycelium leather. It looked, felt, and smelled like leather. It had potential—but more importantly so did she. I asked my usual questions: What stage are you at now? What’s holding you back? What’s your plan? She explained their pivot from retailing mushrooms to mushroom leather, how she and her co-founder Leo moved back with her parents to save money, and how they needed $50k–$100k to scale. With six letters of intent from brands, they were planning to relocate to Montreal but lacked a clear path forward. Here’s the part of the story where most founders get encouragement, maybe some vague advice, and a “keep in touch” email. But I’ve been that founder. I know what it feels like to need help and get nothing but polite “nos” or endless hoops to jump through. So instead, I decided to help. Not someday. Not after a committee meeting. Right there. I offered $100k in pre-paid purchase orders, told her to charge us more per meter than she’d quoted (because it always costs more than you think), and committed to rebranding and launching their first product: a travel pouch made from mycelium leather. We booked flights for her and Leo to Montreal to start the next day. Three weeks later, their equipment is on its way to our Montreal facility. The Myco Travel Pouch by SRTX is live for pre-order, complete with professional photos, branding, and marketing. Myco has become the first startup in SRTX Origins—a platform to help founders get the support I wish I’d had. Here’s the catch: Stephanie grabbed the lifeline I threw. Too often, I see founders hesitate or miss the opportunity to move fast. She didn’t. And because of that, Myco is already moving forward, faster than anyone thought possible. This doesn’t have to be a one-off. This is what happens when we stop making founders jump through endless hoops and start showing up with real support. Oh, and you should absolutely grab one of the only 3,000 Myco Travel Pouches by SRTX—because who doesn’t want to say, “Oh this? It’s mushroom leather.” https://lnkd.in/eZpZrpuU

Introducing: SRTX Origins. At SRTX, we’re not just tinkering at the edges of the apparel industry - we’re rebuilding it. And now, we’re taking things to the next level with SRTX Origins, our new incubator initiative empowering material startups with the resources to succeed (the kind of tools we wish we had access to in our early days!). As a cutting-edge material science incubator, we support startups in turning groundbreaking ideas into world-changing realities. Through pre-paid purchase orders, manufacturing support, and a collaborative network of experts, SRTX Origins accelerates the development of innovative materials with the potential to transform industries. This isn’t just about new materials or trends—it’s about creating and supporting infrastructure for a truly sustainable future. Stay tuned for more on the first material startup in our SRTX Origins program.

What does a trillion-dollar moonshot look like when it lands? Let me paint you a picture. At SRTX, we’re not just tinkering at the edges of the apparel industry. We’re rebuilding it. Fast fashion is cheap because it’s broken—slow supply chains, non-recyclable fabrics, and an environmental cost that no one likes to talk about. But imagine a world where tights, jackets, and everything in between are made in vertically integrated, circular, automated factories—right here in the West. Where products are cheaper, faster, and cleaner than anything made in the low-cost labor markets of today. That’s not just the vision. That’s the destination. That's where SRTX is headed. Curious what SRTX looks like as a trillion-dollar company? In this post I paint that picture. Give it a read, and let me know what you think. https://lnkd.in/eKbKRYJp

Last week, some of our team members had the incredible honor of joining our Founder & CEO, Katherine Homuth, at the iconic New York Stock Exchange Christmas Tree Lighting.🎄✨ A huge thank you to the NYSE team, the SRTX team, and everyone who visited our spin-the-wheel booth—we loved connecting with you! It was an unforgettable evening filled with holiday cheer, and we had an absolute blast! ✨

I’ve been holding back online for years. Why? Honestly, I was afraid. Afraid of being called out, taken down, or judged by strangers on the internet. (Who isn’t?) But here’s the thing—when you’re fighting for something that truly matters, fear has no place. So today, I’m ripping off the Band-Aid and telling you the real story of Sheertex. Here’s the truth: Sheertex isn’t profitable. Not even close. We lose millions every year. I’ve cried more tears over this company than I’d care to admit. But we’ve also raised $250M, built one of the most advanced textile factories in North America, and proven there’s demand for a game-changing product. Our tights once cost over $100 each to make. Today, they cost $13. By next year, they’ll cost $5. But we’re still fighting tooth and nail to survive. This year, we sold nearly 2M pairs of tights. Next year, B2B partners want nearly 10M units—if we can scale fast enough to meet demand, and do it at the right price. No easy task. We’re just quarters away from profitability, but the stakes have never been higher. Every fundraise is hand-to-mouth. Every sleepless night is spent wondering if the next leap forward will be our last. It’s exhausting, terrifying, and somehow still the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever done. Here’s why it matters: We’re not just selling tights. We’re building the infrastructure for a more sustainable future. Circular recycling systems, recyclable spandex, automation—things that could transform an industry. But it all takes time, and time is the one thing we don’t have unless you care. This isn’t a pity party—it’s a call to action. If you’ve ever believed in the underdog, in fighting for change when the odds are stacked against you, then please read the full story. I poured my heart into it. https://lnkd.in/eJxgNNgC

Okay world, we have some things to say. This week, two articles stopped us in our tracks. First, the New York Times suggested that regular nylon tights—zero innovation, just a new label—are somehow equal to the ones we’ve spent years, blood, sweat, tears (literally!), and $150M reinventing. Then, Vogue Business celebrated a tights brand that doesn’t own a factory, doesn’t make any materials, and outsources everything. We couldn’t stay quiet, because this isn’t just about tights. It’s about something much bigger: Western society has stopped making things. At Sheertex, we’ve chosen a different path. We’ve built our own factories right here in Montreal—where we don’t just make our products, we even make our own yarn. Why? Because laying the groundwork matters. It allows us to create better products, bring costs down, and pave the way for true circularity. This isn’t easy work, but it’s the kind of work that moves industries forward. And yet, instead of celebrating companies that take this road, we’ve built an economy that glorifies middlemen and marketers. We’ve traded innovation, jobs, and manufacturing for shortcuts and outsourced solutions. It’s not just bad for business—it’s bad for our future. But here’s the thing: we can fix it. Investing in factories, automation, and manufacturing isn’t just possible—it’s essential. When we build locally, we create stronger products, better jobs, and a future where we control our own industries. It’s hard, but it’s worth it. So here’s our call to action: Celebrate companies that make things. Question the ones that don’t. Support businesses that invest in real innovation. Our founder, Katherine Homuth, laid it all out in her post this week. Read it, share it, and let’s start making noise. Because flimsy tights—and flimsy systems—aren’t the future. But together, we can build something better.

“The investment from IQ will allow SRTX to scale and boost production capacity while investing in vertical manufacturing in the province—meaning that SRTX will own and operate all levels of its supply chain.” Excited to share this feature on SRTX by Madison McLauchlan at BetaKit! 🌟 With a recent $35 million investment from Investissement Québec, we’re scaling our revolutionary manufacturing operations right here in Quebec and transforming the textile industry as we know it. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e3z5KgN9

🚀 Big news for SRTX! We're thrilled to announce a US$25M investment from Investissement Québec, part of a larger US$50M financing to revolutionize textile innovation and revitalize Montreal's historic garment industry. From bulletproof-strength tights to eco-conscious waterproof materials, we're shaping the future of textiles in Québec and beyond. A huge thank you to our team, partners, and supporters who made this milestone possible. A special shoutout to Bicha Ngo, President and CEO of Investissement Québec, and the Investissement Québec team for visiting our Montreal facility, and to Sean Silcoff for bringing our story to life with such impact in The Globe and Mail. This is more than just an investment—it's a step toward a stronger, more sustainable industry. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/eXCH9q-Q