Summersalt knows how make a big splash. Summersalt, a bathing suit manufacturer, has been gaining popularity with its sustainable swimwear. But, when it teamed up to Rifle Paper Co., the demand for its latest products increased.The Saint Louis-based company, Rifle Paper Co., launched a limited-edition capsule collection of swimsuits on June 10. The swimsuits with Rifle's floral prints, which were the most expensive at $125, generated $1 million in revenue within six hours. It was sold out five days later, earning $1.65million. According to Summersalt, the collaboration helped to increase its annual revenue by more than 100 percent in 2021. The campaign provided a valuable lesson for mission-driven businesses looking to improve their marketing. More shoppers will be drawn to brands that align with their values in an evolving consumer zeitgeist.Reshma Chamberlin and Lori Coulter, co-founders of Summersalt, attribute the partnership's success to creative marketing and shared values. Rifle and Summersalt are both female-led. Rifle's feminine style, which began with Anna Bond's handpainted floral illustrations, aligns with Summersalt’s brand of women’s swimwear. According to Coulter, the strong demand was also due to the strategic timing of the collection.Coulter says, "Our consumer would also be coming from Covid in June, thinking about new adventures this summer."Summersalt was founded in 2017 and makes sustainable-sourced bathing suits. They are available direct-to-consumer and don't have a designer price tag. Summersalt swimsuits are made from fabrics made from post-consumer materials, nylon waste, and their prints are bold and colorful. These suits are designed to reflect Summersalt's values and joy. Summersalt is a brand that offers designer-quality products to women. This challenge comes against an industry that has been dominated by oversexualized and outdated legacy brands. Rifle Paper Co. was founded as a stationery company in 2009. It now describes itself as a lifestyle brand whose mission it is to design high-quality, well-designed products that bring beauty to everyday life.Summersalt posted a few swimsuits in Instagram stories to their 281,000 followers before the official release. Rifle shared an Instagram Live video with the founders of Rifle and the other companies, ensuring that the public could meet the people behind the collaboration. If customers wanted to be notified by text when the line went on sale, they could sign up via text.Chamberlin and Coulter first approached Rifle over three years ago in order to discuss a possible future collaboration. They created a capsule collection that features Summersalt's classic styles using three Rifle Paper Co. flagship prints. It combines the most well-known products from both brands.Coulter stated, "We wanted people to feel joy and excitement." Rifle is the best brand to express summer, spring and joy from a print perspective.Rifle's Bond said that Summersalt's knowledge of the swimwear industry made them a desirable company to work for. Bond stated that Summersalt is known for producing high-quality, beautiful products and said they are looking for partners who understand the brand vision.Chamberlin and Coulter said that one of the greatest challenges in bringing this collaboration to life was estimating the demand based upon previous capsules and adjusting for the time of year. Summersalt and Rifle were surprised at how quickly the collection sold out. Chamberlin stated that many of the customers were disappointed by not being able to get anything from the collaboration.
