News / Black Friday
Bristol cycling apparel brand to boycott Black Friday
A Bristol-founded, made-to-order cycling apparel brand has taken a radical stance against Black Friday sales.
While the airwaves and billboards are filled with price-busting Black Friday bargains, Bristol-based cycling gear company Kostüme has decided to take a stand against what it calls a “false economy” driven by overproduction and landfill waste.
Founder Ed Bartlett stresses that this is not a stunt to generate attention but a statement about the environmental and economic perils of overproduction in the clothing industry.
He said: “Launching full-price on Black Friday isn’t a marketing stunt; it’s a statement about how broken the system is, and what the alternative looks like when a brand actually builds to real demand.”
On Black Friday, Kostüme is launching two brand-new collections at full price, including the most technically advanced (and most expensive) product the company has ever made – photo: Kostüme
On Black Friday, Kostüme is launching two brand-new collections at full price, including the most technically advanced (and most expensive) product the company has ever made: Italian-made Winter Bib Tights constructed from a recycled waterproof and windproof softshell typically used in mountaineering.
Bartlett, who previously founded innovative companies in computer gaming and contemporary art, launched Kostüme in 2020.
“The only reason Black Friday exists is overproduction,” he said. “Brands make too much, quality drops, warehouses fill, and discounting becomes the only escape route.
“We’ve built our business on the inverse: no overstock, no panic sales, no false economy — just small-batch production and genuinely high-spec, award-winning kit.”
In 2024, the brand enjoyed a purple patch, with sales rising 200 per cent and leading to a successful crowdfunding campaign.
Founder Ed Bartlett stresses that this is not a stunt to generate attention but a statement about the environmental and economic impact of overproduction in the clothing industry – photo: Kostüme
The new range, simply named #EDIT005 and #EDIT006, is limited to just 350 pieces per product.
“While most of the industry is already knee-deep in early discounts, we’re doing the opposite,” he added.
Main photo: Fergus Coyle
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