Mobile phone, tablet, charger, sunglasses and reading glasses, keys, wallet, passport and more. When you’re on the go —whether just across town or to the other side of the globe— where do you stash all of these essentials? The answer is no longer limited to ‘my bag,’ ‘my briefcase’ or ‘my purse’ thanks to SCOTTeVEST’s innovative garments engineered for the everyday adventurer.
RewardExpert spoke with Scott Jordan, the company’s co-founder, to learn more about the inspiration behind his line of tech-enabled vests, jackets, hoodies and more as well as his plans for SCOTTeVEST’s future.
Frustration Leads to Invention
“18 years ago, I was frustrated with traveling as a gadget guy,” Jordan recalled. “As a lawyer, I had been regularly commuting from Chicago to Princeton, New Jersey, and juggling all of my gadgets and devices. Business casual clothing was just not designed to accommodate even a few items, much less any of their wiring systems. I thought there had to be a better way.”
Jordan developed a prototype tech-enabled vest as proof of concept and applied for a patent. Though he initially intended to license the patent to existing clothing companies rather than manufacture the gear himself, the demand for his prototypes led to a pivot and SCOTTeVEST was born.
The company survived on word of mouth and media coverage for an impressive 16 years before launching a television advertising campaign in 2016. Since then, topline sales have doubled year-over-year and Jordan expects the trend to continue.
Garments for Consumers on the Move
Jordan said the typical SCOTTeVEST customer is a traveler, outdoor adventurer, businessman or businesswoman. “They’re on the go in one capacity or another, whether that be travel for business or pleasure,” he added. Though their customer base has traditionally skewed towards affluent seniors, the company’s products also appeal to Gen X, Millennials and younger generations who love their gadgets and want an easy way to travel with them.
The company’s first products were vests, and Jordan said those remain the most popular styles today. “But it’s kind of unfortunate,” he said, “because we’re so much more than just that.”
Jordan noted that SCOTTeVEST’s hoodies (for both men and women) are growing in popularity, as is the demand for the men’s Revolution jacket and women’s Tech Coat. “Everything we offer is a wardrobe staple,” he continued, “and we’re looking to add more products including more styles in our shirting and pant programs. People need multiples of those and once they realize they can have the benefit of added pockets without losing a good-looking garment, they’re going to come back for more.”
Whether a vest, jacket, pant or shirt, every SCOTTeVEST product is constructed of carefully selected materials and engineered with strategically sized and placed pockets as well as the company’s PAN (or Personal Area Network) system that provides hidden conduits for wires connected to your electronic devices. SCOTTeVEST’s WMS (or Weight Management System) ensures maximum comfort and carrying capacity. Some products, like the RFID Travel Vest, even contain RFID-blocking technology to thwart digital pickpockets.
“Everything goes through an extensive engineering and design process,” Jordan said. “We’re always trying to improve our pocket configuration around the size of people’s current preferred devices. Like when iPhones became bigger, we had to redesign our products accordingly.”
The Perfect Gift for the Person Who Has Everything
Consumers can purchase SCOTTeVEST products directly from the company’s website, through Amazon, or from select travel and luggage stores. The company also offers a personal shopper program online to help you choose the perfect product for yourself or your loved one.
“Our personal shoppers will walk you through the 70 items in our portfolio and help you decide what you might want to buy,” Jordan added. “They all make perfect gifts for the person who has everything but no pockets to put it in.”