Pretty Rugged
Meet Tracy Slocum, founder, and CEO of Pretty Rugged, who created the world’s archetypal broad with luxe faux fur connected 1 broadside and waterproof, windproof, washable RuggedTex® cloth connected the other.
Slocum drew inspiration from her great-great-grandfather, Captain Joshua Slocum, who wrapped himself successful fur to withstand inclement upwind erstwhile helium was the archetypal idiosyncratic to sail astir the satellite unsocial successful the precocious 1800s.
The Pretty Rugged Blanket, created successful 2017, is the explanation of liveable luxury. It’s modern with easy-care materials that are designed to supply years of luxury, performance, and style. With its galore uses, including taking the chill retired of sitting connected metallic bleachers portion watching shot games, it's large for picnics, tailgating, après-ski, curling up connected the sofa and truthful overmuch more.
It was my pleasance to cheque successful with Tracy, founder, and CEO of Pretty Rugged, to chat astir her inspiration down the marque and however she continues to propulsion the boundaries of innovation.
What is the meaning down Pretty Rugged’s name?
Tracy Slocum (TS): I wasn’t acceptable retired looking to commencement a brand, I was genuinely looking for a merchandise that fixed a occupation my household had. When we would spell retired connected vessel rides and the aerial was chilly, we’d get acold and sometimes wet. We needed a broad that would support america comfortable, support america dry, and was beautiful. It didn’t exist. So, I made one.
I would bring it to my son’s shot games, concerts, nights connected the dock, and vessel rides - soon my friends and household were asking for their own. I tin retrieve the nighttime this thought became a institution erstwhile I was talking with my friends astir what I’d adjacent telephone the company. I said: “The blankets are pretty, but they’re besides rugged capable for life.” I paused for a infinitesimal and thought: “That’s it, that’s the sanction - Pretty Rugged.” And the sanction was calved retired of precisely what the merchandise is. We’re “pretty” but we’re “rugged”.
Your great-great gramps was the archetypal idiosyncratic to sail astir the satellite successful the precocious 1800;s - however does helium proceed to animate you and the brand?
TS: His entrepreneurial tone has lived successful maine from a young age. I’ve ever been 1 to forge my way and his “go-for-it” cognition is successful my DNA. I was 43 erstwhile I started Pretty Rugged, with 2 sons, and Joshua Slocum started his travel astir the satellite unsocial (and helium couldn’t swim!!!) erstwhile helium was 51. His communicative is an inspiration to millions, adjacent to this day, due to the fact that it shows that property is conscionable a number. You tin bash immoderate you privation erstwhile you want. I besides consciousness that arsenic a woman, it shows that you tin person a household and travel your dreams. I genuinely consciousness I’m surviving the American Dream.
Pretty Rugged
What makes Pretty Rugged’s broad exertion unique?
TS: Pretty Rugged is the lone institution that marries faux fur with a windproof, waterproof backing to support you from the elements. We’ve expanded from our RuggedTex™ nylon backing and introduced our indoor broad with waterproof SatinTex™ (proprietary to Pretty Rugged) backing. So, you tin beryllium connected the sofa and not interest astir life’s small mishaps. Our faux fur is besides dissimilar thing you’ve ever felt. It is the softest, astir high-density faux fur. We’re often told it’s the highest prime faux fur ever felt. I telephone this redesigned luxury. We’ve made a product, a faux fur blanket, and we’ve elevated it truthful that it fits successful with your life.
Can you speech astir the Pretty Rugged Americana Ribbon Embellishment featured connected each broad and what it stands for?
TS: Pretty Rugged is the embodiment of the American Dream. I knew I had to incorporated red, achromatic and blue. Every clip I spot our red, achromatic and bluish ribbon I beam with pridefulness - it’s a awesome of my occurrence and a tribute to each beauteous rugged idiosyncratic retired determination surviving their mentation of the American Dream.
Pretty Rugged
What are Pretty Rugged’s values arsenic a company?
TS: Innovation, Courage and Passion.
What further products does Pretty Rugged connection and what makes them special?
TS: We’ve expanded beyond our Original Blanket. We present person it successful 2 sizes and person introduced our Satin-backed indoor blankets successful 2 sizes. Customers kept asking america for “wearable blankets”, truthful we expanded into women’s outerwear and prime accessories.
We’re precise discerning erstwhile creating a caller product. Can we marque it beautifully? Is it windproof, waterproof and washable? Does it person much than 1 use, is it reversible? Is it thing maine and my squad would wear? We trial and deterioration everything earlier we bring it out. It takes america a mates years to present caller products, we privation it to beryllium cleanable for our customers.
Can you picture Pretty Rugged’s people customer?
TS: Our people customers span generations. We genuinely person thing for everyone. If you’re looking for comfortableness wherever beingness takes you, we person thing for you.
Can we expect immoderate caller merchandise launches?
TS: You tin ever expect caller products from us! We’re successful changeless merchandise improvement mode to bring our customers the champion products. This twelvemonth we focused connected caller colors of our champion sellers, arsenic requested by customers. Stayed tuned for 2024!
To store Pretty Rugged, delight visit: PrettyRuggedShop.com