Local textiles startup Nufabrx has landed at No. 50 on Inc. 5000's list of the Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America.
Listed on the ranking as Textiles Based Delivery, this marks Nufabrx's first time on the list. The company also ranks first on the list in the Charlotte region. Founder Jordan Schindler said earning that spot was a culmination of several things.
"We’ve rolled out nationwide to Walmart, and with that success we’ve been able to parlay with a number of other retailers and experience rapid expansion," he said. "Fortunately, we've also been able to help a number of folks on the PPE face-mask side. It speaks to our team’s ability to pivot rapidly and drive growth."
Conover-based Nufabrx was founded in 2011 by Schinder after he learned from his dermatologist that pillowcases were a leading cause of acne. The company's first product was a pillowcase infused with tea tree oil and lavender. The company was founded on the mission of simplifying health and wellness. Its core technology enables the delivery of vitamins and medicine through clothing, he said.
Nufabrx currently sells a line of pain relief-infused ankle, knee and hand or wrist sleeves at Walmart. At the start of the pandemic, the company pivoted production to create a reusable, washable medical mask infused with anti-microbial copper.
To be considered for the list, companies must be based in the United States, privately held, for-profit, independently operated and founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2017. The minimum revenue required for 2017 is $100,000; the minimum for 2020 is $2 million. Companies were ranked according to percentage of revenue growth from 2017 to 2020, according to Inc.
Between 2017 and 2020, Nufabrx saw nearly 6,700% growth.
"That (number) speaks to where we were and where we’re headed," Schindler said. "It’ll be interesting to see next year and the following year, and I think it’s a list we can stay fairly high up on."
While the honorees don't receive a monetary prize, Schindler said the number of peers, mentors and potential investors they'll meet because of the Inc. 5000 will be invaluable.
"We're looking forward to whatever new partnerships that can add value in the market," he said. "There’s a really cool network of events that come from this and a lot of other opportunities with Inc. ... to build the network and engage with folks doing really cool things."
Next up for Nufabrx is a line of shea butter-infused maternity wear, products like belly bands, compression socks and shapewear.
"Everything we do is based on customer needs, and it was one of the top things people said they wanted through our customer survey," he said. "We also have active conversations with all of our retail partners, and that also caused us to target this group of people."
Forty-eight other Charlotte-area companies made the list including health-tech startup Carewell, print on-demand company and recent unicorn Printful, baby accessory company and B Corp Certified Bella Tunno, software company Passport, real estate startup Rent Ready and software startup Ekos.
