Hastko raises three million euros with its seamless sportswear and dreams of America

With a funding round that closed at three million euros and 50% growth over the last fiscal year, Hastko is reveling in this momentum. Founded in 2017 by Joséphine Bigo and Aurélie Moinier, the seamless sportswear brand is now on an upward trajectory. Seven years after making its first sales, it is now setting its sights on the US market, with pop-ups and retail corners in premium department stores.

This momentum could be explained simply as a response to… very high demand. The Hastko adventure (literally “equestrian centre” in Swedish, the place where the two founders first met) began with an observation: for women- whether amateur or professional athletes- the selection of “core wear” (a cross between underwear and sportswear) is inadequate. This is a criticism the two founders level at established brands- and a gap they’re now filling with Hastko, which they hope to set apart from Alo Yoga or Lululemon with a “badass” vibe. “I’d really like us to stir things up and show that, ultimately, we’re here and we matter,” says Aurélie Moinier.

“Seamless” apparel: a health trend overlooked by men

Coming from a background in graphic design and art direction in advertising, Moinier points out that products existed before Hastko, but “nothing that sparked the imagination, nothing that was truly distinctive.” After unsuccessfully scouring the stores in Chamonix and then Annecy- and especially after hearing the confident opinions of the men in their circle on the subject of women’s well-being in sports- Joséphine Bigo and Aurélie Moinier decided to launch Hastko, a company specialising in inclusive- and, above all, seamless- sports shorts, sports bras, and underwear.

“Several times, we found ourselves in situations where we had to turn back because [one of us] was really injured. So, it’s a big issue,” explains Aurélie Moinier. The presence of seams on these garments- which come into direct contact with female athletes’ intimate areas- has consequences for women’s physical health; some women still send photos of their injuries, sometimes even bleeding, to the brand’s two founders.

Innovation and competition…

It must be said that the challenge of creating technical and complex products like seamless sports bras is particularly difficult. Nevertheless, the motivation to find a solution for female athletes prevailed. After two and a half years of research, Joséphine Bigo- a former marketing director for a ski brand who had previously worked in media specialising in the sport- succeeded in developing a satisfying product line, whose innovative items are manufactured in one of the few factories in the world with the necessary expertise. 

These garments are produced using digital controls, stencils, and techniques that involve laminating materials with silicone or tape, or through ultrasonic welding, which melts the plastic to join the pieces together. This technology is attracting interest from the athletic apparel market, which is accustomed to seamless knitted products- a solution that Aurélie Moinier and Joséphine Bigo consider not very “functional.”

Challenging preconceived notions, even among women

A few years later, “Hastko mania” seems to be taking retail stores by storm, following three years of the brand’s B2B operations. The two women are well aware of the challenge posed by selling technical women’s products in retail stores. This “apprehension” needs to be “deconstructed,” particularly among male salespeople. “They’re convinced that women won’t necessarily open up, but they will! If they find someone who listens and an expert in front of them, they’ll open up. There’s a whole society that needs to evolve,” says Aurélie Moinier.

“I think this is really shifting the status quo; we’re trying to break a taboo around this. I’m even thinking of prejudices- sometimes held by women themselves,” she continues. In fact, Hastko’s lingerie line- which is still sometimes mocked by certain women- is particularly popular with customers, according to the brand, whose thong is its flagship product. This support from women- and especially from athletes- has been essential to the brand’s recognition and to building a comprehensive product line. The products also appeal to transgender women and women with breast cancer.

A fundraiser to cross the Atlantic

“We’re here to support women who want to challenge themselves and to be the go-to women’s brand when you’re looking for serious training gear- whether it’s to achieve a personal best in a race or just to push yourself every day because you love sports,” they add. “Hastko now has a majority presence at marathon-style events,” says Aurélie Moinier, citing the Paris Marathon, the UTMB, and the Asics SaintéLyon, in addition to several equestrian events such as the Longines Paris Eiffel Jumping.

For now, the brand is available in France, Benelux, and Germany, and in six months, it will enter the Nordic, Italian, and Spanish markets. The brand’s e-commerce site, however, knows no borders and is experiencing rapid growth, with sales doubling every month over the past three months. This trend is expected to continue until online sales surpass those of physical stores and account for 60% of Hastko’s total sales. With Chris Booth (formerly of DB) serving as chief operating officer, the brand is also staying focused on its goals to diversify its product offerings and plans to launch, within the next six months, a technical, seamless collection dedicated to running.