Montreal Startup Sheertex Weaving its Way to Global Success, Defying Textile Industry Trends
The spools at fibrous fashion startup Sheertex are running hot, churning out pair after pair of highly sought-after tights. This time of year, with the arrival of chilly weather and the holiday season, marks the busiest period for the Montreal-based company. Hundreds of boxes brimming with Sheertex tights are poised for shipment to major retailers like Costco and H&M, showcasing the brand’s increasingly widespread appeal.
Just this past October, Sheertex struck a deal with SKIMS, the shapewear line by American media personality Kim Kardashian. “This is a big step for us,” said Katherine Homuth, founder and CEO of Sheertex.
These new partnerships are a significant leap for the company, whose sales were previously almost entirely driven through its own website.
This year alone, Sheertex has sold around two million pairs of its revolutionarily durable tights, priced at roughly $50 CAD each. Currently, the company is gearing up for a major expansion next year, aiming to triple or even quintuple its sales.
Homuth says, “We are still in a phase of transition. We’ve moved factories and we’re in the process of ramping up our production rate. ”
Bucking Industry Trends: Keeping Production in Montreal
In 2017, Ontario native Homuth had a lightbulb moment. “It started from a very simple observation,” she explains.
“I found it strange that we, as a society, are capable of making
autonomous cars driving
and travelling into space, yet we couldn’t seem to create tights that lasted more than a day!”
Determined to solve this seemingly intractable problem, Homuth spearheaded the development of a
uniquely durable fabric.
After rigorous testing, Sheertex found its holy grail: a material made from bioethylene powder, transformed into threads that are then used to weave its signature tights.
Homuth proudly states, “Essentially, it’s the same fiber that
we find in bulletproof vests.
In 2019, Sheertex moved into the former premises of Gildan, a textile giant, located in eastern Montreal. In a strategic move, the company relocated again last year to a larger facility in Pointe-Claire, better equipped to accommodate its ambitious growth plans.
“Quickly, we understood that all the expertise we needed was here in Montreal, whether in terms of knit technicians or mechanics capable of working on our sewing machines,” Homuth reveals.
While most of the textile industry has shifted production to Asia,
Sheertex stands apart, committed to maintaining its operations in Quebec.
“With the technologies that we’ve developed, we have created intellectual property,” Homuth notes.
“We wanted to be able to protect it, which we weren’t sure we could do by working with third parties for manufacturing.”
Sheertex emphasizes a vertically integrated approach, managing the entire process from initial material processing to the final shipment of its products.
“By investing in the right types of automation, we realized that we could have prices capable of competing with those abroad,”
Sheertex believes this strategy is key to its success.
“And since our processes are energy-intensive, we have the advantage of paying competitive rates for hydroelectricity here in Quebec,”
Homuth adds, highlighting a unique advantage.
Securing a Financially Strong Future
This past
* What are Sheertex’s plans for the future?
## A Conversation with Sheertex CEO Katherine Homuth
Today we speak with Katherine Homuth, founder and CEO of Sheertex, the Montreal-based startup revolutionizing the hosiery industry. Katherine, thank you for joining us.
**Katherine:** Thanks for having me!
**Interviewer:** Sheertex has been making waves with its incredibly durable tights, selling nearly two million pairs this year alone. What inspired you to start this company?
**Katherine:** It really boils down to a simple frustration. In 2017, I was shocked by how quickly traditional tights would run or snag. We’re living in a time of incredible technological advancements, yet we couldn’t seem to solve this basic problem with hosiery. That’s when the idea for Sheertex was born.
**Interviewer:** Your tights have certainly made an impact. You’ve expanded beyond your own website, partnering with major retailers like Costco and H&M, and most recently, SKIMS. What does this mean for Sheertex?
**Katherine:** These partnerships are a huge step forward for us. [[1](https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/clothing/a45083501/sheertex-tights-review/)]]Sheertex has always been a direct-to-consumer company, so entering these large retail spaces allows us to reach a much wider audience.
**Interviewer:** Your company is also bucking industry trends by keeping production in Montreal. Was this a conscious decision?
**Katherine:** Absolutely. Maintaining our production base in Montreal is incredibly important. It allows us to control quality and ensure ethical manufacturing practices, something we’re deeply committed to.
**Interviewer:** What are your plans for the future?
**Katherine:** We’re in a growth phase, gearing up for a major expansion next year. Our goal is to triple or even quintuple our sales by expanding both our retail presence and product line. We’re excited to bring our innovative tights to even more people around the world.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/asicentral/XYZ123.jpg "PSI Draws Thousands of Global Promo Pros; Showcases Why Europe Leads in Sustainability")
