Matuse Wetsuits CEO Talks Ichiban

FirstStoke.com sits down with Matuse President and CEO John V. Campbell, who talks about building environmentally friendly yet superior products, running a start-up surf company, and the meaning of Ichiban.

Where did the Matuse name come from and what does the brand stand for?

The Matuse brand name is meant to be all-encompassing and non-regional. We didn’t want a name that was too specific because I believe the best names are able to resonate across borders and languages. In this regard, we’ve visited with friends in Japan who thought Matuse was a Japanese word—perhaps because one of Japan’s most famous poets was named “Matuso Basho.” Other folks from Scandinavia have said it’s a word from that region of the world. We enjoy the fact that the word Matuse doesn’t paint itself into a corner.

However, the meaning and story behind our brand is very specific. Our logo is an ancient Taoist symbol that has three complete lines for heaven, three broken lines for earth and a circle representing the ongoing path, or “way,” to achieving perfection. Matuse is intended to be a synergy of contrasts: art + function, passion and method, heaven and earth, nature and industry.

What inspired you guys to launch Matuse?

I had graduated from Dartmouth in June of 2003. For a little over two years, I had worked for a San Diego-based startup company chaired by the ex-CEO of MasterCard. In the fall of 2005, I was planning my next move—thinking about business school or heading back East. One day I was reading online and I came across a special material used by Yamamoto Corporation in Osaka, Japan. I learned that they produced Geoprene, a limestone-based rubber that was not only functionally superior but more environmentally friendly and sustainable. At that time, this technology was under-marketed. The mainstream consumer didn’t even know that it existed. So, I inquired with the people at Yamamoto about scheduling a meeting with their CEO, Tommy Yamamoto. By the time that meeting was calendared, I’d gotten together with my business partner, Matt Larson—our Director of Product Innovation and Design. He had worked for several of the larger wetsuit labels but was ready to do something new. Together, we put together a presentation for Mr. Yamamoto. We said that we aimed to be his “ambassador of Ichiban.” Yamamoto-san was into the idea and he green-lighted our critical path. That being said, the ball was in our court to go from an initial concept in Fall of ‘05 to selling product by Summer of ’06. Matt and I started drinking a lot of coffee and got sales rolling by late August. Of course it didn’t hurt that my father, our Company’s Chairman (John B. Campbell), was there to support our startup costs.

What is it about Matuse that is different from the big wetsuit manufacturers?

For starters, we believe that it is our brand story. There is a special meaning behind everything we do: from the names of our products, to how our suits are designed to the copy we used to describe their amenities. In fact, one of the first exercises we did was a Harvard Business School activity called a “brand equity pyramid.” This approach really helped us determine the solution-specific products we wanted to design, the emotional rewards our added functionality provided and what the non-tangible qualities our Company would have—if it were an actual person. More than anything, we saw our brand’s personality as a reflection of ourselves: sincere, focused, fun and passionate about learning and being creative.

On top of our branding, we have exclusive rights to Geoprene limestone rubber. It is functionally superior and since it isn’t made from oil—Geoprene is kinder to Mother Nature.

I heard you guys got a ton of buzz at ASR in January. How has the product been received so far?

The response to our products has been overwhelmingly positive—so much so that we’ve always dealt with far more demand than we can possibly supply. This is obviously a good problem to have for a young Company. It has forced us to be more disciplined as to how many dealers we open. Being patient and adhering to a slow-growth model has really been good for us. In any case, we call our product line Premium (the ichiban) Game. On this note, what we’ve put forth thus far—in terms of product design and innovation—is just the tip of the iceberg.

What has been the key in gaining acceptance within the core rider community?

It’s our job to build the best. So providing core riders with a function-first, solution-specific design combined with the most technologically advanced materials available is job #1. I’m not a fan of clichés but the “proof needs to be in the pudding.” And if a product can’t sell on its own merits—and through its intended utility—then it won’t be very competitive. For us, the intended utility is being unapologetically ichiban. We offer the apex of warmth, flexibility, comfort and lightweight performance. In this regard, our Geoprene rubber is warmer (98% water impermeable compared to the standard 69%), lighter (because it doesn’t soak up water like a kitchen sponge) and more sustainable. Instead of being made from oil, Geoprene is made from limestone that’s 99.7% pure. Moreover, unlike the rapidly depleting oil reserves—and the heavy environmental costs associated with oil-extraction—there are several thousand years left of the limestone we use.

In any case, to answer your question, core riders who want ichiban or “the best” will consider buying a Matuse suit. They appreciate the attention to detail that’s associated with our products.

Tell us about some of your core riders that you are stoked on?

We love the entire Matuse Family. Our very first rider is Mikala Jones. He is the flagship and has been a tremendous ambassador. Since coming on board, Mikala’s recruited his brother Daniel, his best friend, Jamie Sterling and Flynn Novak—who lives at the Jones’ house at Rocky Point. Jason Frederico is another Hawaiian charger that we sponsor. In terms of our California-based Team, Derek Dunfee was the first person to sign with us. Derek charges enormous waves. But he is so bright and meticulous that he’s done wonders for our product development. And Zach Plopper, in addition to writing for a number of publications and battling on the QS, he’s gotten a Masters from UCLA since signing. Pat Millin just got his first cover and Chris Del Moro’s Sliding Liberia film won strong reviews at Sundance. Chris has also done an amazing job of involving himself on a creative level. The Matuse T-shirts he designed have sold exceptionally well. We are very fortunate to have a group of riders that have all lent their expertise and enthusiasm to the brand.

It’s cool to see you guys have a strong focus on the environment. What are some of the causes that you support and in what ways have you gotten involved?

Like a lot of Surf-centric companies, we have a strong relationship with the Surfrider Foundation. Jim Moriarty, their CEO, has worn Matuse since day one. And Jim has always had high remarks for our Company and our values. Additionally, last year, Jim hand-selected our suits to be in the VIP gift bags for Surfrider’s New York City Art Gala. That event was not only a lot of fun but was very effective in raising money. Plus, it was special to see our product at the same event with works from Damien Hirst and Raymond Pettibon. So we’ll continue to work with Jim and the Surfrider Foundation as our Company grows.

Where do you see the Matuse brand in 5 years?

In 5 years, we’ll be doing the same thing we’re doing right now: Having fun, working hard, staying creative and building premium, ichiban products.

For more information on Matuse, check out Matuse.com

*Photo by Todd Glaser