While in the military, Andrew Sternke said he learned to move fast. And it’s something he applies to his lifestyle and business as well.
In May, he started EcoCleanFit, a line of cleaning and disinfectant products. And as self-quarantine and social distancing measures continued, he found himself, like many others, exercising outside as a way to safely pass the time.
Some of the products Sternke used at EcoCleanFit contain microfibers to help clean surfaces. While sweating, running through the Texas summer heat, Sternke thought why not use the material to help combat his perspiration and SweatSwat was born.
“What actually happened was because of COVID and everything, I was like, ‘Man, I need to get back into shape to be at my peak health and performance,” Sternke told NTX Inno. “I went back to the basics and I was running a lot. And living here in Texas, it gets hot… One thing I have always had to deal with is I sweat like crazy. It’s something I always had to deal with but sucked it up. One day, it kind of just dawned on me.”
Sternke founded the company, which sells a line of workout wear that incorporates microfibers and anti-odor technology, in July. By August, he had filed for a patent. And by September SweatSwat had opened its online store to customers.
“I’m a big believer in hitting the ground running,” Sternke said.
SweatSwat started with what Sternke calls a fistband – a pad that can be strapped to a runners hand, allowing them to wipe sweat without having to carry around a towel. He said when he first came up with the product, he was stapling things together to try to find the right design. Since then, with the help of some local partners, SweatSwat has expanded its line of products to include shirts, headbands, blanket and, of course, face masks, among other workout-related gear.
When SweatSwat hosted its grand opening at a brewery in Keller in October, Sternke invited a number of other local lifestyle and wellness businesses to set up booths at the event. It was something indicative of how the company would begin to grow. While some of the materials SweatSwat uses in its products come from overseas, manufacturing is done in the company’s hometown of Keller, and much of its marketing and design work is done in DFW. And besides online sales, SweatSwat can also be found at local independent athletic retailer Bear Creek Running Company.
“With COVID, I saw a lot of local businesses struggling and the businesses that were not struggling were the larger companies,” Sternke said. “I’ve always dedicated my life in general… to try to help others as much as possible. So when I came up with SweatSwat, I thought what better way to give back to the community than by involving local businesses?”
The company donates five percent of its profits to the nonprofit Disabled American Veterans, which Sternke sees as a way of also contributing to the larger community that has helped him get started.
Getting into more retailers in the region, as well as future plans for other cities like Austin and Houston, is part of SweatSwat’s plans for growth. Sternke said though the pandemic has given the company’s initial sales a boost, as many look for safe, socially distant activities, being in physical stores helps attract more customers, since they are able to try out the new product before purchasing.
New SweatSwat products like a spray version of its anti-odor formula and a pair of sweat fighting socks are also in the works for the company. As it continues to grow, Sternke said he hopes to have expanded his team – largely with veterans like himself and much of SweatSwat’s five-person team – to 20 in order to hit a target of at least 30,000 unit sales per month by next year.
“My whole goal too is to provide employment opportunities for other people as well, rather than standing by and not doing anything I want to be as proactive as possible,” Sternke said. “If it deals with sweat management were looking at those products down the road.
