Hastko’s technical ‘corewear’ targets outdoor women athletes
Hastko, a technical brassiere brand for women, is opening a new chapter. It has been steadily growing since its launch in Chamonix in 2019, following strong growth in women’s participation in endurance sports. Its data found that between 2015 and 2025, the proportion of women participating in running competitions rose from 20 to 35%. In the next decade, it is expected that women will make up 48% of all competitors. Hastko noted that the Paris Olympics set a new standard as these were the first games to achieve a 50/50 ratio of men and women athletes.
In this positive context, the brand sees opportunity to continue to grow, after tripling its sales last year. Throughout 2025, the all female founding team hired a CEO, Chris Booth, raised €900,000 in funds, and repositioned itself as a fully premium outdoor brand (instead of a hybrid lingerie/sports category). It is now looking to raise €3 million.
The company specialises in sports brassieres that are made without stitches to offer seam-free comfort, an important feature for long distance runners. Hastko’s products are designed so that no stitches are in direct contact with the skin. It uses instead various stitchless techniques including bonding by ultrasound or heat, lamination, along with moulding, 2D and 3D printing. Years of research into these alternative construction methods have given the brand a distinct and technical DNA.
Fabrics used by Hastko are made from recycled nylon, with a high proportion of elastane, and are manufactured in China.
Photo courtesy Hastko
