Background of Andy & Benno
Dock & Bay was formed by 2 fun loving guys with a passion for travel, who worked together for nearly 3 years in the UK banking industry. Andy & Benno, a Brit and an Aussie, always stood out at work as two people that liked doing things differently and never took themselves (or their jobs) too seriously. They both spent their days outside of work, travelling the world and choosing their next adventure. Their love of experiencing new things always played on their mind as they felt there was more to life and more to achieve than your standard 9-5 desk job.
THE STORY
Having started under 2 years ago (2015) and having sold over 100,000 units of their current product ranges across the world (their awesome & unique towels) in 9 different markets, the 2 young entrepreneurs are now out to build a global beach & lifestyle brand and Surf Expo will be their first trade show in the USA, having grown their business purely online so far.
Whilst working together for a UK bank, Andy (26) & Benno (32), a Brit and an Aussie, constantly bounced ideas back and forth as to how they could build their own business and break away from the corporate world. They would either be talking ideas or discussing where their next trip around the world would be.
This is when it hit them, the idea had been right in front of them all along. Whilst having a few drinks at Benno’s London house, they pulled down a curtain in his room and started to design their first towel. They wanted to brighten up the travel towel market, creating a high end yet affordable product for people to take with them on their adventures.
Benno and Andy have never enjoyed getting bogged down in too much detail so set out with giving Dock & Bay a simple ethos, which is why they came up with their bright and colourful cabana striped designs, which they believe is a timeless classic dedicated to their love of the beach.
The name has been a real hit since they launched with compliments flying in for the upmarket and smooth nature of their brand. Originally, they called themselves ‘Cabana’ to fit their initial design inspiration but after not being able to trademark this and after weeks of deliberation as to what they would change it to, the ship sailed in. Dock & Bay was inspired by those moments of perfect bliss you have in life where you sit far away from anywhere, in perfect tranquillity and just slowly take in all the amazingness that life has to offer.
THE PRODUCT – REINVENTING THE TOWEL
Dock & Bay separates itself apart from others by the unique microfiber material that they use for their towels as it is perfect for anyone travelling around, short on space. They have spent a lot of time creating the right mix of material to ensure it is soft to touch yet remains quick drying, lightweight and super absorbent. At 2 metres in length, they have the biggest towel out there yet they fold into a size not much bigger than your standard book.
Their towels come in a simple yet eye catching design with a stylish pouch, which they have worked hard on so that the product looks high end but is also very functional and affordable. The pouch is great as it doubles up as a bag to hold all your things when using the towel. Their customers have ranged from beach lovers to backpackers to swimmers to families to surfers to yoga lovers and everything in between. You name it, anyone who needs a towel has started to turn their attention to Dock & Bay.
THE NEW RANGES
Now, entering the next phase of their project, Dock & Bay are releasing their new ‘round towels’ to retailers in 2017, a fashion icon for the future. Although these have been available online for a short space of time, this will be the first USA show that non-online retailers have had access to this awesome new product and the first summer that they will be live!
Andy & Benno are keen to mix up the beaches, parks and festivals of the world for the better with their new unexpectedly shaped towel. And this won’t just be any round towel, it will be the largest out there at 75" in diameter yet it compacts down into a compact little carry bag to take with you at every opportunity.
In 2017, Dock & Bay are also set to release a new kid’s range, new men’s swimwear products and some fresh designs on their towels so get down to their stand to hear more!