# Solbari moves from direct-to-consumer to U.S. wholesale with dedicated sales lead, signals retail appetite for certified sun-protection apparel

*The Melbourne brand's channel expansion reflects proven demand for medical-grade sun apparel outside dermatalogy offices.*

By **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA, Principal** — The Stash Edge, Hako Shikin LLC.
Published 2026-07-01.

Canonical: https://www.pops4.com/stash/articles/solbari-2026-07-01t00-3
Subject: Solbari
Tags: wholesale, distribution, sun protection, specialty retail, channel expansion, certification

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Solbari, the Melbourne-founded UPF 50+ sun-protection apparel brand, appointed Grayson Davis as Head of Sales to lead a U.S. wholesale expansion, according to Business Wire. The move takes a brand previously focused on direct-to-consumer sales into specialty retail, banking on rising demand for certified daily sun-safe clothing across American brick-and-mortar stores.

The company manufactures apparel tested to block **98 percent** of UV radiation under the UPF 50+ standard, positioning products as medical-grade protection rather than seasonal beachwear. The wholesale push follows years of direct sales to consumers and partnerships with dermatology clinics, where Solbari built proof of concept before approaching retail buyers.

The mechanism behind the play: Solbari established clinical credibility first, then used that validation to enter retail channels where buyers demand third-party certification. Sun-protection apparel remains a small but growing category in U.S. specialty retail, driven by increased skin-cancer awareness and aging demographics seeking daily-wear solutions. Retailers prefer brands with documented protection standards because the certification reduces product liability and supports shelf education. A wholesale appointment signals the brand believes it can train retail staff and justify premium pricing at point of sale, two barriers that keep most direct-to-consumer apparel brands out of physical stores.

Davis arrives with retail sales infrastructure experience, suggesting Solbari plans to scale distribution methodically rather than flood the market. The wholesale model requires different economics than direct sales: lower per-unit margins, inventory risk, slower cash conversion, but access to customers who will not buy online and repeat foot traffic the brand does not pay to generate.

For a small physical-product brand, the steal is straightforward. Build clinical or third-party proof before approaching retail. If your product solves a health, safety, or compliance problem, document the standard it meets and get it certified by a recognized body. Dermatology clinics, physical therapists, pediatricians, and safety officers all operate as low-cost validation channels where you can sell direct, gather testimonials, and prove the product works in a professional setting. Once you have **12 to 24 months** of clinical or professional sales data, approach specialty retailers in adjacent categories. Do not pitch big-box buyers first. Start with independent stores that serve the same customer your clinical channel proved. Offer them the same case studies, provide counter education materials, and price wholesale to leave them **40 to 50 percent** gross margin so they can afford to explain the product to customers. Hire or contract a part-time sales lead only after you have signed your first **three to five** retail accounts and understand the pitch cycle and reorder pattern.

Solbari's expansion tells a broader story: direct-to-consumer brands that solve a legible problem and earn third-party certification can enter wholesale when they stop treating retail as a distribution afterthought and start treating it as a separate business with different economics and a sales function that earns its cost.

## The takeaway

Clinical or third-party proof first, then wholesale with a sales lead who knows retail economics and margin structure.

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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**.

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