InsideOutdoor | WINTER 2023-24 22 By Brady Hicks Dr. Vinja & Jyoti Gupta of JYOTI Natural Foods Nivis Gear started out as a Virginia high school student’s dream. Today, founder Carter Ramos and his team extend winter sport performance with Nivis’ lineup of high-performance ski jackets. “Nivis has been my baby since 2015,” said Ramos. “It started as a sophomore year project in Latin class. That’s where I got the Nivis name, which means snow. It was cool-sounding, so I tucked it away in the notes of my phone and within a year I was experimenting with logos and trademarking the name. The long-term goal was to make great products.” A teenager with limited access to financing and industry experience, Ramos sought partners to help elevate the brand. Now, Nivis’ team has reached that next level and is ready to break out. Over the last four years, Nivis has been in a diligent product-development process. It didn’t want to bring-to-market a subpar product. Thus, it forfeited selling seasons to make sure that everything was right, and 2022/2023 became its first selling season of its generation 1 jacket. “After searching for an American manufacturer, we finally found one in a small N.J.-based business with over 50 years of experience,” said Ramos, who noted that becoming ‘Made in the U.S.A.’ was always the goal. “People kept telling us it’s basically impossible to make our jackets in the U.S. Not even worth trying. We first worked with Chinese manufacturers, which was very inefficient. The language barrier prevented us from really perfecting the products. Being a small company also meant that it was difficult to bulk-order jacket quantities and costly for shipping overseas. We thought that if we could work with an American manufacturer, most of these problems would disappear and lead to a better quality product. That is what happened.” Due to strict Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines Nivis can’t claim that its jackets are 100 percent MADE IN THE USA. “We’re actually ‘Made in the U.S.’ … of imported materials. All of our products are assembled in the U.S.,” said Ramos. It has been difficult for the Nivis team to source American materials for its products because of the lack of affordable, accessible, high-performance materials needed for technical outerwear. Another aspect separating Nivis from its high-profile competitors is its specialized vision for a portfolio of products designed from a perfectionist perspective. Nivis’ goal is to offer 10 to 15 products when it reaches its full size, establishing a reputation as a niche brand with the highest standards unlike many brands that have hundreds or thousands of product stock keeping units (SKUs). Think quality over quantity. The company also offers custom patches on its insulated jackets, with plans to add to its shell designs over time to let customers express their individuality. “Custom patches are on the left shoulder. We see them as ‘Lift Conversation Starters,’” said Ramos. “You can show off state flags or something like a glass of whiskey on the patch. Our thought is that people will be interested and a conversation may start. We’re also working on licensing for sports teams and bands down the road, so people can make their jackets feel more personalized.” As an industry outsider, Nivis focuses on investing in these and other innovations to stand out. Over time, future developments may lead to other product releases as well. “See our jackets and you’ll know,” said Ramos. “The tailored fit. The dedicated revisions of the hood. It doesn’t fit like any other jacket. We really think that our shell products are among the bestfeeling in four-way stretch, waterproof shells on the market. No crispy, stiff feel like other brands do. When you’re out on the mountain and it’s snowing, you want to have a jacket that doesn’t restrict your movement, especially if you’re an aggressive skier or snowboarder.” m For more information on Nivis Gear, visit www.nivisgear.com. U.S.-assembled Nivis Gear Shreds its Niche in Outerwear Jacket Segment Nivis Gear Founder Carter Ramos
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