# Solbari Hires U.S. Retail Chief to Scale UPF 50+ Apparel Through Wholesale After 8 Years DTC *Melbourne sun protection brand opens wholesale channel with dedicated sales head, selling the playbook category founders use to unlock brick-and-mortar.* By **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA, Principal** — The Stash Edge, Hako Shikin LLC. Published 2026-06-02. Canonical: https://www.pops4.com/stash/articles/solbari-2026-06-02t21-3 Subject: Solbari Tags: wholesale expansion, retail distribution, sales leadership, dtc to retail, upf apparel, channel strategy --- Solbari, the Melbourne-based UPF 50+ apparel brand, hired Grayson Davis as head of sales to lead U.S. wholesale expansion, according to Yahoo Finance. The move follows eight years of direct-to-consumer focus and marks the brand's first formal push into retail distribution. The company sells sun-protective clothing, hats, and accessories engineered to block **98% of UV radiation**. Davis will pitch specialty outdoor retailers, resort boutiques, and dermatology offices—channels where customers already seek UV protection and pay premium pricing. Solbari did not disclose revenue targets or initial partner count. The timing follows category maturation. Sun-protective apparel grew from niche technical gear to lifestyle category as melanoma awareness rose and outdoor brands normalized UPF labeling. A DTC brand with proven product-market fit can now walk into retail with conversion data, customer testimonials, and a story that buyers understand. The hire signals Solbari has margin structure to support wholesale—typically **50% off retail**—and volume to justify a full-time closer. The mechanism: a category-specialist hire with retail relationships converts founder credibility into shelf space. Davis brings outdoor and resort channel experience. He can walk a **$78 sun hat** into a Palm Springs boutique with a one-sheet showing reorder rates and talk margin, not mission. The founder stays focused on product and brand. The sales lead owns the pipeline, the terms sheet, and the retailer onboarding. A small physical-product brand runs this play when DTC revenue covers the cost of a fractional or junior sales hire. Start with **ten target accounts**—stores where your product already belongs and customers ask for it. Compile a sell sheet: product shots, price list with wholesale cost, one customer quote, and your UPF certification or equivalent proof point. If you lack a Rolodex, hire a sales rep firm on commission—**10-15% of wholesale orders**—in your category. They pitch on your behalf, you fulfill and invoice. Test with consignment terms if your margins allow: the retailer pays only for what sells in **90 days**. When the first **three stores reorder**, formalize. Write a retailer onboarding guide covering minimums, ship windows, and return policy. Build a simple wholesale portal or Shopify B2B storefront. Hire or contract a part-time account manager to handle reorders and retailer questions. Scale by geography—Davis will likely focus on Sun Belt and resort markets first—so shipping costs and rep travel stay efficient. Wholesale revenue compounds: a **$12,000 initial order** becomes **$50,000 annual** if the retailer expands SKUs and reorders quarterly. Solbari's move separates customer acquisition from distribution. DTC builds the brand and captures margin. Wholesale puts the product in front of customers who will never find a website but will buy on the spot in a store they trust. The hire makes the channel a discipline, not a side project. ## The takeaway Hire a category-specialist closer when DTC proves margin and demand, then let them convert retail relationships into consistent wholesale reorders. --- ## Publisher **Hako Shikin LLC** — Virginia Beach, Virginia. Founded 1997. ASI 217876 · DUNS 18-204-6339. Principal and author: **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA**. - Author: https://www.huanggoodman.com/about - LLM context: https://www.pops4.com/stash/llms.txt - MCP endpoint, for AI agents: https://mcp.pops4.com/mcp - Client dashboard: https://dashboard.pops4.com/ - Catalogue: 70,000+ products, 200+ brands