Women-Led Brands: Celebrating the Female Entrepreneurs Shaping the Outdoor Industry

March is the perfect time to celebrate the incredible women who have not only made waves in the outdoor industry but have also shaped it into a more inclusive and diverse space. Women are redefining what it means to be a leader in the outdoor world. In this blog post, we’ll highlight some of the inspiring female entrepreneurs who are paving the way and making outdoor adventures accessible to all.

GNARA – Outdoor clothing with a patented “pee” zipper

While guiding on Alaskan glaciers, Georgia Grace Edwards quickly realized outdoor gear wasn’t designed with women’s bathroom needs in mind. Unlike her male colleagues, she had to trek across dangerous terrain just to find privacy, often risking dehydration to avoid the hassle.

Determined to change that, she teamed up with Bianca Gonzalez and Charlotte Massey to create a solution. In 2018, from their college dorm rooms, they launched Gnara (formerly SheFly), designing functional outdoor apparel for women. Their patented “pee zipper” technology allows for functional use of outdoor clothing when you really “gotta go”. Today, their all-female-led company is breaking barriers in the industry—one innovative piece of gear at a time.

Coalition Snow – Ski and Snowboard retailer

Coalition Snow started as an experiment—what if women stopped waiting for change and created it themselves?

Jen Gurecki, Sarah Shannon, Charlotte Harris, Andrea Slusarski, and Evin Harris weren’t ski and snowboard manufacturers; they were scientists, journalists, and artists who loved the mountains. But as they spent more time on the slopes, they saw how women’s experiences were misunderstood—not flawed. They decided to create their own ski and snowboard company, designed by women, for women. 

So, they built something better. Not just better gear, but a better industry—where women don’t have to prove they belong, because they always have.

Kula Cloth – A cloth for when nature calls

Sometimes, the best ideas come from unexpected moments. For Anastasia Allison, it happened in Washington’s Alpine Lakes Wilderness when a stunning sunset was ruined by a pile of toilet paper.

Frustrated, she researched Leave No Trace alternatives to toilet paper and discovered pee cloths. Skeptical at first, she tried a small blue microfiber cloth—and it transformed her outdoor experience. As a backpacking instructor, she recommended it to students, even turning it into an inside joke by photographing her cloth in dramatic landscapes.

But one day while taking a photo of her pee cloth, she thought: “I wish that looked cooler.” That simple idea led to Kula Cloth—a thoughtfully designed, high-performance pee cloth women could feel proud to carry. After three years of research and testing, Anastasia turned a backcountry necessity into an essential piece of gear.

Dovetail Workwear  – Workwear made exclusively for women, by women. 

Dovetail Workwear was born from frustration—the struggle to find durable, well-fitting workwear for women. As landscapers, Kate Day and Kyle Marie Summers needed gear that worked as hard as they did, while apparel developer Sara DeLuca dreamed of a workwear revolution. When they met, they knew they had something big.

What started as a collaboration became a mission: to create tough, stylish, and functional workwear for women in trades, farming, and DIY. In 2018, Dovetail Workwear launched—and changed the industry forever.

Today, co-founders Kate Day and Sara DeLuca continue their mission: making the best workwear, period. Because when women have the right tools—including gear that truly fits—they gain more than comfort. They gain confidence, pride, and power. Dovetail isn’t just about clothing—it’s about creating space for women to thrive.

No So Patches – Sustainable solutions for repairing your gear

In 2015, Kelli Jones tore her brand-new Patagonia down parka on a barbed-wire fence during a hunting trip. Unhappy with a duct tape fix, she got creative, designing stylish patches. Now her patches are a fashionable fix to a common back country problem. When skiers in Jackson Hole took notice, NoSo Patches was born. Launched in 2016, it’s now sold in 500+ stores across 10 countries, proving a simple idea can spark a global movement in sustainable gear.

Consider Supporting Women owned Businesses this Month 

Purchasing from women owned brands and businesses is a great way to support a more diverse outdoor industry. Women have historically made up a minority of the movers and shakers in the outdoor spaces, and getting their products and creations into your hands allows us all to experience a greater and more interesting outdoors. 

This March, bring these women owned products home with you, and enjoy the outdoors alongside these upcoming titans. 

---