Scottevest Explained

Scottevest, Inc.
Type:Private
Founder:Scott Jordan
Location City:Ketchum, Idaho
Location Country:U.S.
Area Served:Worldwide
Industry:Apparel, Licensing
Products:Apparel
Homepage:Scottevest.com

SCOTTeVEST is a clothing company that specializes in clothing with multiple pockets and compartments for electronic devices and other personal items. The company was founded in 2000 by Scott Jordan to address the lack of functional clothing options for people who needed to regularly carry multiple electronic devices. Known for its innovative designs, Scottevest has been featured in various media outlets, including The New York Times and Forbes magazine. [1] While their clothing is usually marketed towards travellers, the company also caters to users in the military and law-enforcement who are required to carry multiple devices.[2]

Origins

As 'Scott eVest' the company was founded by Scott Jordan in 2000 in Chicago, Illinois. 'eVest' references the company's first product, described as "a techie version of the classic fisherman's vest".[3]

In 2002 the brand name was modified to reduce its similarity to IBM's lower-case 'e' following a lawsuit threat.[4] In 2003, the company moved headquarters from Chicago to Ketchum, Idaho.[5] In 2004, after another Idaho company, Scott USA sued the company for violating their company trademark by using the word "Scott," the case was settled by concatenation of Scott eVest into a single word.[6] The company has been known as Scottevest since, recording a steady annual revenue growth from 20 to 40 percent.[7] In December 2013 the company estimated the year's sales at 10 million dollars, 85% of this coming through the website.[7]

Merchandise

Described by Jordan as travel clothing "that doesn't look like travel clothing,"[1] Scottevest coats and jackets are deliberately designed to circumnavigate baggage allowance weight and space restrictions by enabling wearers to stash the usual contents of their carry-on bag in up to 42 specially designed pockets.[8] [9] The designs are engineered to distribute the weight of the loaded pockets evenly across the garment, maintaining a slim, non-bulky silhouette.[9] In addition to the jackets and outerwear, more unusual products include boxer shorts with a pocket for a smartphone.[1]

One signature design feature is incorporated channels for threading wires and flexes, inspired by an accident Jordan had after snagging the cable of his headphones on a door-handle while running through an airport.[1] Other designs incorporate flexible, detachable solar panels (made using CIGS on a stainless steel substrate), intended to be used to charge gadgets.[10] [11] Scottevest were the first to offer a wearable battery for recharging Google Glass, incorporated into a shirt.[1] [12]

Media

On March 2, 2012, Jordan represented Scottevest on Episode 30 of the ABC Show, Shark Tank, where he chose not to accept investment offers of up to $1 million.[13]

Jordan's autobiography, Pocket Man: The Unauthorized Autobiography of a Passionate, Personal Promoter was published on 30 October 2014.[14]

In late January 2018 Jordan posted comments on social media that stated that the company advertised on Fox News because viewers were "gullible" and "idiots." Following negative coverage in the media, the comments and the social media accounts were deleted and an apology issued. The company swiftly distanced itself from their former CEO (who had stepped down in 2017), describing his comments as "impulsive and inappropriate."[15] [16] However, in March 2019, Jordan resumed his role as CEO of SCOTTeVEST.

Notes and References

  1. News: Conner. Cheryl. How Wearable Tech's SCOTTEVEST Is Setting The Bar For PR. 28 November 2014. Forbes.com. 7 January 2014.
  2. News: Wichner. David. Locals give jacket its zap. https://web.archive.org/web/20160325141754/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-27001398.html. dead. 25 March 2016. 28 November 2014. Arizona Daily Star . 9 September 2004.
  3. News: Hanson. Dan. eIndustry: Our entreprenerd tries out the latest gadgets and rates the new mayor.. 28 November 2014 . Inside Business Magazine. Great Lakes Publishing . February 2002.
  4. News: Swanson . Sandra . David v. Goliath . 28 November 2014 . Chicago Business . 8 August 2005.
  5. News: Foley . Gregory . A war of the 'Scotts' looms: Scott USA sues ScotteVest for trademark violations . 22 May 2014 . Idaho Mountain Express . 23 June 2004.
  6. News: Foley . Gregory . Scott USA settles trademark suit . 22 May 2014 . Idaho Mountain Express . 2004.
  7. News: Pullen. John Patrick. A Tech-Driven Apparel Company Pockets Big Sales. 28 November 2014. The Entrepreneur. January 2014. Entrepreneur Media, Inc. 29 December 2013.
  8. News: Upe. Robert. How to beat carry-on baggage restrictions: meet the Scottevest coat. 22 May 2014 . The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 April 2014.
  9. News: Kim . Soo . The trench coat that beats baggage charges . 22 May 2014. The Daily Telegraph. 2 May 2014.
  10. Book: Cho, Gilsoo. Smart clothing : technology and applications . limited. 2010 . CRC Press. Boca Raton, FL. 9781420088533. 11. [Online-Ausg.]. . Seungsin Lee . Jayoung Cho. . Gilsoo Cho. Review and Reappraisal of Smart Clothing.
  11. Book: Hurford, R. D.. Smart clothes and wearable technology . 2009 . Woodhead Publishing Ltd . Cambridge . 9781845695668 . 25–44 . https://books.google.com/books?id=HsikAgAAQBAJ&q=%22Scottevest%22&pg=PA68 . J. McCann . D. Bryson . Types of smart clothes and wearable technology.
  12. Web site: Lanier . Xavier . The Shirt that Powers Google Glass . GottaBeMobile.com . 22 May 2014.
  13. Web site: Shark Tank: Episode 307 . ABC . ABC Television Network. 28 November 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141128113453/http://abc.go.com/shows/shark-tank/episode-guide/season-03/307-episode-307 . 28 November 2014 . 1 March 2012.
  14. Book: Jordan. Scott. Pocket Man: The Unauthorized Autobiography of a Passionate, Personal Promoter. 30 October 2014. Poodle Press. 978-0692315590.
  15. Web site: SCOTTeVEST founder calls Fox News viewers gullible idiots. Now company faces boycott . kgw . KGW-TV . 28 January 2018.
  16. News: Chasmar. Jessica. Scott Jordan, SCOTTeVEST founder, says company markets to Fox viewers because they're 'f-ing idiots'. 4 February 2018. The Washington Times. 22 January 2018.