Stantt (www.stantt.com)

HQ: New York, NY

The team: Kirk Keel and Matt Hornbuckle (Co-Founders)

The problem: Based on their own experiences shopping for the perfect work shirt, the founders of Stantt saw an opportunity in the market based on the actual needs of consumers. What’s presented as standard industry sizes (e.g., small, medium, large) always result in inconsistent fits across different brands. And while custom options exist, they’re almost always more expensive than shirts purchased in-store. With no apparel experience (but plenty of business acumen), Keel and Hornbuckle set out on a mission to make dress shirts with a custom fit at accessible prices.

Meet Stantt: Stantt’s proprietary DataFit™ technology includes an algorithm (based on ~200k measurements and data from millions of 3D body scans) to help find a customer’s perfect fit. It just takes three simple measurements to match customers with one of 99 sizes, with options to customize fabrics, collar styles, cuff, etc.  From design to your doorstep, it’s just 7 days. Stantt is available through the Stantt website and 200+ select specialty men’s retailers. Plus, they have Nordstrom locations where customers can actually try on shirts and experience finding the “perfect fit.”

Why we’re betting on it:  Working in corporate settings, we’ve personally felt exhausted by the options of men’s dress shirts — while still not finding anything we love. Stantt’s new e-commerce website has amazing replenishment options, so once a customer knows the specific size, they can reorder directly and build a higher lifetime value with the company. There’s opportunity and largely untapped potential in this direct-to-consumer channel. Being made-to-order minimizes inventory: and really allows them to focus more on what matters most – their customers. There’s substantial brand opportunities, as well as the option to expand into other categories.

Our take: There’s a lot of disruption in the women’s clothing space, but we think it’s easier than ever to live in a world where his entire closet can be custom too. Stantt has carved out a niche and appeals to the 85% of men who settle for standard sized shirts that don’t have a stellar fit. And they can get these custom shirts with a better experience — no awkward fitting or paying up for custom prices. Plus, as New Yorkers ourselves, we love the neighborhood feel — each of 99 sizes is named after a street in the Big Apple.