# UNLESS Collective

> Portland-based UNLESS Collective makes plant-based, plastic-free streetwear and footwear designed around a practical end-of-life system: wear it, return it, then repair, recycle or process it into soil inputs. Founded by veteran apparel executives and acquired by Under Armour for $10.3 million in 2024, the company is now a product brand and an experimental materials lab for regenerative sportswear.

- **Founded:** 2020
- **Headquarters:** Portland, United States
- **Founders:** Eric Liedtke (CEO and Co-Founder), Tara Moss (CMO and Co-Founder), Maarten Teijsse (Head of Product and Co-Founder), Paul Gaudio (Co-Founder)
- **Team size:** Approximately 10 employees in the supplied company record; public LinkedIn data lists a broader 51-200 employee band after acquisition.
- **Products:** Plant-based streetwear, The Degenerate, Take Back Program, Under Armour x UNLESS, Earth Essentials
- **Notable:** Launched a sneaker made from plant- and mineral-based inputs with no conventional plastic components., The initial low-volume Degenerate run sold out and remained unavailable for more than a year, according to founder interviews., The Degenerate was featured in Fast Company's 2023 World Changing Ideas coverage.

## Products & services

- **Plant-based streetwear** — Direct-to-consumer tees, hoodies, crews, pants, shorts, jackets and accessories made without plastic-based fibers, trims or conventional plastisol printing.
- **The Degenerate** — A lifestyle sneaker using NFW Clarus recycled cotton, Mirum plant-based leather alternative, Pliant natural-rubber outsole, Tunera foam and a coconut-fiber insole.
- **Take Back Program** — Customers return worn UNLESS products for credit; products are routed toward repair, resale, recycling or processing into soil inputs.
- **Under Armour x UNLESS** — Plastic-free sportswear and footwear capsules sold through Under Armour, including York shoes, Earthness hoodies, shorts and socks.
- **Earth Essentials** — An Under Armour capsule with artist Nathaniel Russell using premium-weight Pima cotton and nontoxic, water-safe colors.

## Achievements

- Launched a sneaker made from plant- and mineral-based inputs with no conventional plastic components.
- The initial low-volume Degenerate run sold out and remained unavailable for more than a year, according to founder interviews.
- The Degenerate was featured in Fast Company's 2023 World Changing Ideas coverage.
- Completed two collaborations with Mammut, including a charitable International Mountain Day capsule.
- Acquired by Under Armour for $10.3 million in August 2024.
- Expanded its regenerative design system into Under Armour footwear and apparel sold through a large global sportswear channel.
- Launched in Europe and produced an official plant-based jacket for SXSW filmmakers in 2026.

## Latest updates

- **2024-08** — Under Armour acquired 100% of UNLESS for $10.3 million; Eric Liedtke joined Under Armour as EVP of brand strategy while continuing to lead UNLESS.
- **2025-04** — Under Armour and UNLESS presented a plant-based regenerative sportswear collection and lifecycle installation at Milan Design Week.
- **2025-12** — UNLESS promoted a European storefront and broader availability in Europe.
- **2026-03** — SXSW selected UNLESS to make its first official filmmakers jackets, with 350 jackets planned for creatives at the festival.
- **2026-04** — UNLESS, Under Armour and artist Nathaniel Russell launched the Earth Essentials capsule for Earth Day.

## Links

- Website: https://unlesscollective.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unlesscollective
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unlesscollective/
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@unlesscollective

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/unless-collective
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-20