Highlights
- Howie Busch introduces Dude Robe, a towel-lined, sweatshirt-style bathrobe designed specifically for men, alongside complementary towel-lined shorts, hoodies, and sweatpants.
- The product launched with successful Kickstarter and IndieGoGo campaigns, raising a total of $144,858.
- Howie Busch seeks $150,000 for 18% equity to establish a supply chain and create a dedicated website.
Overview
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Dude Robe |
| Founder | Howie Busch |
| Industry | Apparel |
| Product | Towel-lined bathrobes, shorts, hoodies, and sweatpants for men |
| Funding | Kickstarter: $67,498; IndieGoGo: $77,360 |
| Investment Ask | $150,000 |
| Equity Offered | 18% |
| Valuation | $833,333 |
Howie Busch hopes the Sharks like Dude Robe, his “re-designed and re-engineered bathrobe for today’s man,” in Shark Tank episode 908. He created the product because, in his words, regular bathrobes for men suck. He wanted to create a robe for guys that would be absorbent and “cool to wear.”
The resulting product is the Dude Robe. It’s a towel-lined robe with a sweatshirt material exterior, complete with hood. He says you can use it for the shower, the beach, or just lying around. He also sells towel-lined shorts, hoodies and sweat pants to complement the look.
Busch got the first round of products sold with a Kickstarter campaign in September 2017 that raised $67,498. He followed that up with an IndieGoGo campaign in November, 2017 that raised $77,360. In fact, the company doesn’t even have a website – Dude Robe dot com redirects to the IndieGoGo campaign page as of one week before the show’s air date.
According to the IndieGoGo page, a robe will retail for $95. The shorts cost $65, hoodies are $85 and pants are $75. He’s discounting individual products 24% on the IndieGoGo campaign and 31% if you buy all four. Busch likely wants a Shark’s help setting up a supply chain and a real website.
Will a Shark want to hang with this dude?
Dude Robe Company Information
Video
Posts About Dude Robe on Shark Tank Blog
Dude Robe Shark Tank Recap
Howie enters the Shark Tank seeking $150,000 for 18% of his business. He gives his pitch and hands out samples. He only has 4 samples because he ran into manufacturing issues after the Kickstarter. Kevin thinks he’s in a competitive space. The presentation starts to spiral out of control and Howie brings them back in when he mentions the Kickstarter. The Sharks don’t like the $219 price tag for the hoodie/robe/shorts set.
Mark is the first Shark out followed by Kevin. Lori doesn’t think guys would wear a robe like this; she’s out. Robert doesn’t get it; he’s out. Daymond is the last Shark out, saying it’s too “in the middle.”
Dude Robe Shark Tank Update
The Shark Tank Blog constantly provides updates and follow-ups about entrepreneurs who have appeared on the Shark Tank TV show. Howie saw the typical influx of sales after his appearance. The products are available on his website and Amazon store. In 2021, the company did a limited edition licensing deal with the NBA for 7 of the most popular teams in the league. The collection promptly sold out. As of August, 2024, the company is in business and has annual revenue of $2 million.
