During his time at Craft, Schenker encountered the issue of trying to sell a winter brand in the spring and summer. “As outdoor brands, we need to be more relevant in all months,” he said. The exec knew that in his next venture, he wanted to buy a brand and run it as his own – and that brand needed to be meaningful. In finding Coolcore, “I just knew that an ingredient brand of cooling would provide immediate relevance and credibility to customers.”

After some time at the helm, Schenker shares some intel – and challenges of running an ingredient brand.

What have you been up to lately?

Schenker: “I’ve tried to meet with as many key accounts as possible to better understand their needs/strategies and how they are looking at a warming planet. At the same time, I’ve been engaging with a lot of folks from my past, specifically in the outdoor and sports world. As I’ve done that, I’m only more bullish on this opportunity based on the product, technology and fabrics we offer and the opportunity to work with a wide range of customers from workwear to sportswear to outdoor and medical – it’s super exciting. Everyone seems to be resonating with what we are talking about.”

What are customers asking for?

“I liken it to AI. Everybody is thinking about it, but nobody knows what to do. They say, ‘it’s getting hotter, we need sun protection, we have sustainability goals -  I’m just not exactly sure how to do it.’ There’s a little bit of misunderstanding in the market in the difference between cool-to-touch and cooling. Cool-to-touch is effective at point of sale, but that doesn’t really provide thermoregulation.”

How do you describe the technology?

“We’re performance fabrics for a warming world. The product here is like a thermostat. It helps you regulate your body temperature not only in warm conditions, but if you are layered and start to get warm, this product will move the moisture away from your body so you don’t get cold, even in cold conditions. There are no minerals, no chemicals and it doesn’t wash out. Once it starts cooling, it will keep cooling provided there is moisture or any type of movement. We’re combining t polyester yarns with natural fibers for a soft handfeel with a cooling effect.”

Tell me about your new products.

“We are introducing cooling denim and a number of fabric options with Seawool. Seawool is crushed oyster shells embedded in the yarn for a natural antimicrobial effect. One of our big customers – Disney – was asking for that development. The cooling denim is all weights, styles and washes with our patented cooling yarn. Our partners in Japan especially love it. With me coming from a Scandinavian brand, we’re also expanding our coverage in Europe. Also, we do a big cooling towel business. We have started mentioning this to more customers as a profitable accessory.”

Talk to me about your desire to take on a more consumer approach to selling.

“A brand refresh is happening right now. It’s about simplifying our message for business-to-business and retail partners who want to use Coolcore branding. I’d like our retail partners to promote the Coolcore brand more than they do, so I want to give them the tools. If we can build a stronger brand, more of our partners will want to use our name. Coming from the consumer side, it’s about driving sell-through. I’m applying that mindset to an ingredient brand. We want to know what social media help or hangtags we can give to partners so that they won’t want just one product, but will want to build a whole collection.”

What have been the challenges?

“One is that I may be going too fast for the team. I see so much opportunity. We are also introducing the fact that we can do much more than one fabric – we have such a wide range. If we don’t have it, maybe we can make it. What hasn’t been a challenge is convincing people the planet is getting hotter. People have been willing to meet, even if we haven’t worked together. I love to be with our customers, that’s where I add value. I don’t want to just know how many grams per square meter of polyester you want, I want to know what your product strategy is. I want to know what your challenges are as a brand and which categories in which you want to grow. I want to bring that consumer lens to the product strategy. I want to show how Coolcore can be a better partner, rather than just showing all our fabrics on a table.”  

What are your goals?

“I want to chart a path for Coolcore to be the most recognized and preferred brand for innovative and sustainable cooling fabrics globally. For us, where the partnership seems to ignite are with brands who are trying to be disruptive and have a strong core focus on sustainability. Brands that are prioritizing performance, durability and sustainability are important. When you have those things, that’s a customer I want to work with.”