# Solbari Hires Head of Sales, Opens Wholesale Channel After Years DTC-Only

*Australian UPF 50+ brand's U.S. retail push shows when certified product-market fit justifies distribution expansion.*

By **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA, Principal** — The Stash Edge, Hako Shikin LLC.
Published 2026-06-27.

Canonical: https://www.pops4.com/stash/articles/solbari-2026-06-27t15-2
Subject: Solbari
Tags: wholesale expansion, distribution strategy, dtc to retail, sun protection, specialty retail

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Solbari, a Melbourne-founded sun-protection apparel brand, appointed Grayson Davis as head of sales to lead U.S. wholesale expansion into specialty retail, according to Morningstar. The brand spent years selling UPF 50+ certified clothing direct-to-consumer before opening the wholesale channel now.

The move turns a DTC-validated product into a retail distribution play. Solbari built customer proof and repeat purchase data in a narrow category — daily sun-safe apparel with third-party UPF certification — then hired a channel expert to scale into physical doors. The appointment signals the brand believes it has enough margin and velocity to support wholesale splits while maintaining inventory discipline.

Wholesale works when the product solves a clear problem the retailer's customer already asks for. UPF 50+ certification is a knowable, communicable spec. A buyer at a specialty outdoor or wellness store can explain the rating to a shopper in one sentence. The product does not require brand storytelling to earn shelf space; it earns placement because the spec answers a question the store hears. Solbari likely showed retail partners existing DTC conversion data and repeat rates to prove the category moves without heavy floor education.

The timing matters. The brand enters wholesale after establishing DTC infrastructure, not before. They carry fulfillment, inventory forecasting, and customer acquisition costs on their own balance sheet first. That history gives the head of sales clean data to negotiate terms: velocity per door, reorder windows, margin requirements. A wholesale rookie guesses. A brand with years of DTC sales brings a P&L the buyer can model.

For a small physical-product brand weighing wholesale, the steal is straightforward. Run DTC until you can answer three questions with numbers: what does a customer pay per order, how often do they reorder, and what margin remains after you fulfill and ship. If those numbers support a **40-50% wholesale discount** and you still break even or better per unit, you have a candidate for retail. Write a one-page sell sheet with the product spec, the certification, and a six-month DTC sales summary. Reach out to **10 independent specialty stores** in adjacent categories — outdoor, wellness, dermatology-focused boutiques — and offer a **90-day consignment trial** with a reorder minimum if the product turns twice. Track sales per door. If three stores reorder inside 120 days, you have signal to hire or contract a part-time sales lead to scale the model.

The wholesale appointment is the outcome, not the starting move. Solbari validated the category, built margin, and accumulated customer data before hiring someone to open doors. The lesson for smaller brands is to treat wholesale as a second act, not a launch strategy, and to enter only when the DTC numbers prove the category has pull independent of your own marketing spend.

## The takeaway

Wholesale works when DTC data proves the category moves without heavy storytelling and margin supports a 40-50% retail split.

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## 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
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