Enterprise: AmpleFolk
Why they stand out online: Last year, AmpleFolk sold out two pre-sales of their towels in 24 hours.
Holly Richards launched her enterprise AmpleFolk out of necessity. “I’ve been plus-size my entire adult life and during COVID lockdowns really got into exercising, but couldn’t find a sports bra in my size,” Holly explains. “From there, I investigated to see if anyone else had the same experience.”
Holly’s research, using Australian Bureau of Statistics data, revealed that 67 per cent of Australian women are considered plus-size (wearing a size 16 or above) but just six per cent of Aussie retailers offer plus sizes.
Setting out to change this, Holly has been working on a patent-pending, radically adjustable sports bra designed for plus-size women since 2021, which she hopes to bring to market in 2024. The bra is being designed to be adjustable at the shoulders and band to create the best fit for customers. “Bodies are so different, especially in plus sizes, so one size-24 person could have big boobs and a smaller waist and another size-24 person could be the opposite,” Holly says. “Our design means that the bra is adjustable to offer the required support and fit for both of these women, with the same AmpleFolk size. It’s comfortable, breathable, made from recycled materials and can also be used as swimwear.”
“Direct-to-consumer is better for our bottom line while also allowing us to be really hands-on.”
In the meantime, Ample Folk has been selling towels to cater to the needs of plus-size women, helping fund the research and development process for the sports bra. “Last year, we sold out two pre-sales on our towels in 24 hours,” Holly enthuses. “We’ve just launched three new colours and have robes and more set to be released soon.”
Holly launched Ample Folk as an eCommerce venture because plus-size people were the earliest adopters of simple online shopping. “Ask any plus-size person how often they’ve been told that a plus-size range is only available online,” Holly explains. “Aside from that, meeting the needs of my customers is the core of my business, and it didn’t make any sense for me to add barriers between our customers [and the business] with wholesalers or bricks-and-mortar stores. Direct-to-consumer is better for our bottom line while also allowing us to be really hands-on.”
Education and mentorship have played a big role in Holly’s entrepreneurial journey, and she is adamant that AmpleFolk wouldn’t exist without The Australian Graduate School of Management and UNSW Founders. “I was halfway through an Executive MBA at the AGSM when I decided to pursue my sports bra idea,” she explains. “I used the rest of my degree to build and test the business model. Through an AGSM newsletter, I came across the New Wave program run by UNSW Founders, calling for students, staff or alumni with female-focused or founded entrepreneurial ideas. I completed the incubator, taking out first place in the showcase.”
From there, Holly completed all of the UNSW Founders programs, including the 10x Accelerator, with mentors on that program encouraging her to enter the market with plus-size towels, testing her customers’ needs. “Without that push, AmpleFolk wouldn’t have more than 35+ products in development,” Holly avers.
An environmentally-conscious founder, Holly uses recyclable materials in her packaging and recycled paper for her thank-you cards. Her products are also made from organic and sustainably sourced materials.
Already shipping to the US, UK, Canada, select European countries and New Zealand, Holly plans to have ‘boots on the ground’ in the US in the next few years. “I’m also thinking about other ways we can offer community and safety to our customers, beyond designing products,” Holly concludes.
This article first appeared in issue 42 of the Inside Small Business quarterly magazine
