Vince Guo
Renewt Technical Apparel Specialist

We sat down with Vince Guo of Renewt to learn more about his business and what the future holds. After graduating SFU with a degree in Mechatronic Systems Engineering, Vince discovered his interest in Mustang Survival and how they built tactical gear products. This was the starting path that led Vince to creating his own business.

What prompted you to start your own business?

After years of working in production at both Mustang Survival and Arc’teryx, I saw a gap in the industry, specific to Gore-Tex recyclability, and decided that I needed to create a business that would give products a longer life and reduce waste. I wanted to create a meaningful business that would have a positive impact for both consumers and the environment. 

You started your businesses in Feb 2020, how did you pivot your business as the COVID-19 pandemic hit?

Initially Renewt was created to partner with other businesses to help with repair initiatives. As the pandemic hit and most factories shut down temporarily, we shifted our focus to a direct to consumer model. We quickly realized that consumers want to extend the life of their outdoor gear by repairing it.

Tell us about the services you provide.

We offer various types of repair and alteration services for outdoor apparel & gear. When working with technical products there is a lot that needs to be considered, including the type of fabric and how to ensure the technical integrity of the garment. We work closely with our customers to understand what needs to be done and have continued communications with them throughout the process. We also offer prototyping services for local Designers and Brands. This may mean production of marketing samples to use in campaigns or creating a sample line for trade shows. 

What sets you apart from your competitors?

There are limited resources in the lower mainland for repair of Gore-Tex products. Our setup is similar to that in a production facility. We have the same industrial machinery that is needed for proper repairs of technical products. Our team members each have 10+ years of experience in a hands-on production environment. 

What has been your proudest achievement to date?

Customer satisfaction and knowing that we are helping save outdoor apparel from a landfill.

What is next for Renewt?

We see an opportunity to support outdoor brands with their own repair initiatives. We envision this being outsourced to us to free up their own production operations. We also envision offering alteration services for brands that currently cannot offer this service. We have the proper machinery and experience to protect product integrity and functionality. 

Check out their blog to learn the meaning behind the company name, this was definitely a fascinating piece of information. We are looking forward to seeing more from Vince and the team at Renewt as they continue to reduce landfill waste one repair at a time.