On Shark Tank’s season 9 episode 16, Howie Busch presented an innovative design and engineer of a bathrobe for all men. He created the bathrobe brand because he thinks conventional men’s bathrobes are terrible. Thus, he wanted to make all men wear a robe that is absorbent and stylish.
As a result, he made the DudeRobe brand. The product has an inside towel-like cloth that lines the robe, which has an outside sweatshirt-like fabric. In addition, this type of product is ideal for showering in the pool or bathroom, sunbathing on the beach, and relaxing in a 5-star hotel or bungalow. The outfit is completed with towel-lined shorts, sweaters, and sweat trousers.
Company Overview in Shark Tank
| Company Name | DudeRobe |
| Website | https://duderobe.com/ |
| Episode | Season 9 Episode 16 |
| Product Offering | Luxury Bathrobe For Men |
| Founded | August, 2017 |
| Founder | Howie Busch |
| Required Investment | $150,000 For 18% Stake |
| Closing Deal | No Deal Accepted |
| Offered Sharks | No Sharks Accepted |
| Current Business Status | In Business |
What is DudeRobe?
DudeRobe offers a line of men’s clothing designed to make the leisurely guy as comfortable as possible. The bathrobe-like material that lines this outfit of loungewear is used throughout the whole inside. In addition, According to the business’s creator, the apparel has a fashionable and hip appearance on the outside. The style is reminiscent of casualwear. However, the clothes are soft, cuddly, and warmer inside.
Besides, DudeRobe’s goal is to make the bathrobe more male-friendly. Upon reflection, the founder found that the cozy alternatives provided for women appeared to be more relaxing than for males. Despites, he also believed that a towel could make an excellent piece of apparel if it is provided with a pleasing appearance. Therefore, he combined the two notions to come up with a solution.
For every item, it is individually tailored and lined with a towel. Furthermore, every man might buy the DudeRobe products, which manufactures and distributes them separately and in sets worldwide. They are all available on the business website, and other retailers online stores.
How Does DudeRobe Work?
Comfy is a top priority for DudeRobe that allows users to feel relaxed and calm indoors. On top of optimum indoor relaxation, the users can put on the outfit when hanging out for outdoor activities, including dog walks or grabbing some coffee. In addition, fabric material is used to construct the bathrobe, similar to the hoodie. Also, you can pair it with the DudeRobe shorts to make a better outlook. Therefore, you can enjoy a morning coffee with great looks.
Since the product is built for convenience, gentlemen of various shapes and sizes will take pleasure in lounging in luxury. Furthermore, because the company wants to make sure every guy can fit, they are even making extra-large sizes like double XL and triple XL. Not only that, the DudeRobe products are ideal for wearing in fitness changing rooms and other public places where people are allowed to be undressed. Also, it will save you from humiliating yourself with an unintended undressing.
Who Founded DudeRobe? Founder Backgrounds
Howie Busche, the founder of DudeRobe, believes the bathrobe design has been the same for over 200 years. The modification should be shifted at some point, he added. In addition, he created a new line of apparel with a focus on trendy style and elegance. The initial idea of DudeRobe was to combine a hoodie and sweatpants to make a better style of the bathrobe instead of copying it.
Howie Busche made the decision to act on his own initiative. The first step that made him successful was to launch Kickstarter campaigns, where he could get a series of the investment. After that, he formed a relationship with a local tailor and began working on prototypes of his design. So, the businessman opted to go through with his concept.
It was just a matter of time until the buzz about the invention made headlines. He had some accomplishments, but after that, he saw his business being highlighted on several radio shows and on the prominent website. Following that, many large corporations showed an interest in his style of loungewear. The DudeRobe’s versatility is one of its most appealing aspects. Meanwhile, some folks wear their sweatpants and hoodies everywhere they go.
DudeRobe Business Before Shark Tank
DudeRobe offers a wide range of loungewear for men, including pants, shorts, and robes. They are all featured in a towel lining that is trendy and fashionable, yet ultra-comfortable. The product is constructed with high-quality hoodie fabric on the surface, making it dry so easily.
Howie Busch raised funds for his DudeRobe innovation using the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter campaign back in 2017. The business’s product costs between 65$ to 129$ per item; however, it only costs customers $189 to buy a set of those products.
The idea behind the creation of the DubeRobe product was to construct the loungewear using the hoodie and towel concept. Because the towel is stylish and not for outdoor use, Howie believed there should be an apparel that has a similar characteristic to it; therefore, it will provide comfy and absorbency for outdoor activities.
On Kickstarter, the company obtained a fundraising of $25K within 2 days, which surprised Howie the most. With the positive vibe, he went on to begin the Indiegogo campaign in Q3 2017, where the business could receive as much as $50K from roughly 400 backers.
Later on, this clothing business made a successful venture, marking its first ever $100K investment. It is not long after this creative and trendy bathrobe obtains worldwide recognition. Then, a Shark Tank producer made a call on Twitter to the DudeRobe’s founder to come on stage.
It was this call that made Howie believe he gained an opportunity to reinforce his family and community. Therefore, DudeRobe was featured on Shark Tank Season 9 Episode 16 on January, 2018. Without further delay, we can take a look back at how DudeRobe was a Shark Tank pitch.
DudeRobe During Shark Tank Pitch
During the show, Howie Busch approached the Sharks and asked for a $150,000 financing with a return of 18 percent stake for his company. Moreover, he made an argument that is well-supported by the distribution of samples he has on hand.
Providing four cases due to challenges in manufacturing after his successful Kickstarter campaign, Kevin, one of the sharks, believed that the clothing industry is very competitive. Following that, the presentation starts to get attention, but Howie pulls everyone back in by bringing up his Kickstarter success.
Although they have virtually no problems, all sharks kept raising the price tag challenge. Having the clothing products costing $219, Kevin believed the issue was a disadvantage and left the company out. Then, two other sharks, Mark and Lori, existed by mentioning the robe is not suitable for men. After that, the two remaining sharks, Robert and Daymond also left without any comments.
DudeRobe Closing Deal in Shark Tank
DudeRobe deak on the shark tank show was not an achieving business as all sharks turned down the deal under the price tag issue of the product and the unpopular and unsuitable bathrobe uses. Although the business was successful on a few occasions before entering the shark tank, all sharks were not interested in those achievements at all.
DudeRobe After Shark Tank
After a disappointing effort and rejection, the founder of DudeRobe, Howie Busche, remained positive and committed to continue operating this hard-earned business. In 2018, he encountered new styles of designs to bring them to the market. There was also a production of DudeRobe for Her. Although the founder failed to secure a contract deal on the show, the firm’s reputation has skyrocketed in the months after.
After years of hard work and commitment, DudeRube saw its first increase in sales drastically on Amazon and its website. In all a sudden, the company could achieve annual sales of $2 million in January 2022. The revenue mainly came from the product sales on the website and Amazon.
According to a conversation with Howie Busche, bathrobe sales skyrocketed to the extent that particular goods were out of stock. Furthermore, all products have gotten countless positive feedback from clients. At some point, the customers came back and ordered the same product with different colors and styles.
The product of DudeRobe for Her met the demands of women interested in wearing the company’s brand. Since then, thousands of followers have been on all social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Because they keep releasing new products, the fans are likely to keep growing.
Howie Busche never lost hopes and commitment to operating his bathrobe business. Besides the unsuccessful negotiation attempt on Shark Tank show, the company keeps progressing even better.
Current Update: Is DudeRobe Still In Business?
The DudeRobe company is not acquired by any investors yet. The founder, Howie Busche, is still operating the business, generating $2 million in revenue in 2021. Howie was the man of success in his first Kickstarter campaign, raising funds to develop the company. Due to an increase in styles and qualities, the demands for products keep growing. Not only that, the business produced new products for women to increase more sales.
