80. Inclusive and Mindful Product Design with Charlotte Young Bowens

In episode 80 of the Outdoor Minimalist podcast, we are returning to the topic of product design. For this episode specifically, I had the pleasure of interviewing a product developer and entrepreneur in the outdoor industry that found she felt underrepresented when it came to gear, so she did something to change that.

Charlotte Young Bowens, the founder of Conscious Gear, is passionate about celebrating body diversity in the outdoors. So much so she has made it her mission to use a design aesthetic centered on taller, curvier, and bigger bodies to create outerwear and outdoor gear with input from the consumers, she hopes to serve.

A long-time outdoor enthusiast from Ann Arbor, Michigan, she currently resides in Tempe, Arizona, where she works at Arizona State University as the Administrative Director of an engineering research center. She loves music, art, writing, needlework, gear design, and being creative.

Growing her startup has taken up much of her time and has generated over $50,000 in non-dilutive capital through pitching events and participation in outdoor accelerators. The company will go to market with the world’s first ultralight hydration vest called VestaPak, designed by and for bigger bodies in the Summer of 2023. It’s true that she’s totally committed to the company, but she hopes to get back into doing her real love of ultramarathons, triathlons, and other CrossFit events in the not-so-distant future.

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Conscious Gear

Website: https://conscious-gear.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/conscious.gear/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consciousgear1/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/consciousgear/

YouTube: @consciousgear