WHATS COMES NEXT . . .
Many of you will know that a short while back, my brother and I launched this brand together.
It started as an experiment. A space to test ideas. A place where failure was allowed, and where we could build the products we genuinely felt were abs(e)nt from the market. We didn’t start with a “collection”, we didn’t start with hype, we started with a single concept and a belief that we could create something better. And somehow, that first product went on to win the Polartec Apex People’s Choice Award. Not bad for a brand that didn’t even have product ready to sell. Especially when you consider we were up against names like Nike, Moncler, And Wander (to name a few).
It was a huge moment, proof we were onto something. But honestly? The win couldn’t have come at a worse time.
We’d worked relentlessly to get to that point, pouring everything into a product we were proud of, only for things to unravel immediately after. Our UK factory, Cookson and Clegg, the one set to manufacture our first production run, cancelled on us at the eleventh hour. Covid had hit hard. Staff shortages wiped them out. A large percentage of workers had moved back to their homelands, and suddenly the plan was gone. So we hit reset.
We stayed stubborn about one thing, we still wanted to manufacture in the UK.
That wasn’t easy, but eventually we secured a production slot with the renowned Manchester-based Cooper & Stollbrand Factory (the team behind Private White V.C).
And they came through for us. Properly. They engineered the product beautifully. But that delay meant the momentum of the award faded. We missed the window to capitalise on it when it mattered most. That’s business I guess. You live. You learn. You keep moving.
Next, we put a hoodie and jogger into production, using the same incredible Polartec Power Air Mono fabric we’d used in the award-winning robe. This time we worked with De Ronde, a newly established factory based in Derby, again, the calibre was unreal.
We’d designed and developed our signature one-piece back panel hoodie, removing the rear armhole seam to unlock a full range of movement, and they executed it impeccably. For a moment, it felt like we’d found our saving grace. We’d even agreed we could run small limited batches, the kind of flexibility that lets a brand like ours grow properly, without overstretching.
Then… shit hit the fan. After only a short time trading, they closed their doors, and once again, we were back to square one.
Since then, ABSNT has been in a bit of a standstill. We never pushed marketing, no PR, no big launch. Everything was word of mouth. Slow growth. The plan was always to launch “properly” once we had a more cohesive collection ready… but being self-funded, built around full-time jobs, meant progress wasn’t happening at the pace we wanted.
Fast forward to now. I’m building ABSNT as a solo venture. My brother and I went back and forth on direction. Life happened. Timing happened. It wasn’t a negative decision, just reality. He’s still there. Still a sounding board, still my brother, but from here on, I’m carrying the brand forward.
From day one, I wanted ABSNT to be built with community in mind. To create product with focus and clarity, but also purpose and functionality. ABSNT was never meant to be “just clothing”. It was built as an incubator, a brand designed to solve problems, to create what’s missing.
ABSNT has always had the vision to be built around two pillars:
RCVRY - Recovery-stage product. The pieces you pull on before or after training. Day-to-day staples but with performance built in. These are our foundations, the core offerings.
ACTV - Performance product. Built to elevate the experience, to enhance the user experience.
And rather than pigeon-hole ourselves into one lane, the goal is simple: One category at a time. One collection at a time. Build the best product possible.
But the category has to mean something. It has to be something I’m genuinely obsessed with. Something I’d spend more time doing if life allowed it, and right now that thing is Padel, and I’m not alone here.
Padel is exploding globally, recognised as the world’s fastest-growing sport, with over 25 million players across 110 countries. In the UK alone, participation has surged by 2,567% between 2019 and 2025, reaching around 400,000 players. It’s accessible. It’s social. It’s addictive, and the stats prove it, with a 92% return rate, once people start playing, they don’t stop.
Now, you could wear regular gym kit on court, and you wouldn’t be wrong, but like every sport, it’s the details that separate good product from great product. The right fit. The right movement. The right fabric choices. The right functionality, the stuff that improves performance, comfort, and confidence when it matters.
I’ve designed product that’s been tried, tested, and proven for global brands, from outdoor technical to sport-specific ranges, for Brands like Thrudark, Musto, Jack Wolfskin, CHPT3, to name a few.
Now it’s time to take everything I’ve built for others and put it into ABSNT.
One drop at a time. Building a brand with intention, with purpose, and with a community behind it.
The next phase is already in design. I’ll be sharing the updates, the development stages, and the full journey as it happens. I’d genuinely appreciate feedback, and if you like what we’re building I’d love you as a customer, not just to buy, but to help us tell the story and grow the community around it.
And if you’re on Instagram, please give us a follow too (https://www.instagram.com/absnt.uk) It all means more than you could imagine.