Pistil Designs, Advised by Bell Lap Advisors, Acquired by Fox River, a Portfolio Company of Longwater Opportunities

Date

May 2022

Client

Pistil Designs

Service

M&A Advisory

Buyer

Great Sock Holdings, a portfolio company of Longwater Opportunities

Headwear, Apparel, Accessories, Athleisure, Soft Goods, DTC, eCommerce, Wholesale, Outdoor Recreation

Hood River, Oregon-based Pistil Designs was acquired by LongWater Opportunities, a Dallas, Texas-based Private Equity fund.

Pistil is focused on creating thoughtfully designed products manufactured with environmentally sustainable practices. In acquiring Pistil Designs, LongWater adds a fast-growing outdoor apparel firm known for design-focused products. Founded in 2003, Pistil sells its distinctive products through a variety of channels, including eCommerce channels and apparel outfitters. Among Pistil’s noteworthy outdoors-focused products are hats and outerwear.

LongWater’s co-founder Jordan Bastable said of the transaction, “We are proud to partner with the Pistil team, who have built a brand that embodies their lifestyle and passion for quality, design-driven outdoor apparel.”

Fox River, a portfolio company of LongWater Opportunities, is a manufacturer of high performance socks geared towards the outdoors. Fox River manufactures their products in the United States.

Pistil was advised on the sell-side by Bell Lap Advisors. Pistil founder Pete Hixson noted, “We are extremely excited about the future with LongWater and Fox River. For twenty years, Pistil has been the leader in design and development of accessories, and now we have combined forces with a US-based manufacturer. Pistil has always been a product-based brand, with Fox River, we have opened the door for product line expansion and development, in addition to providing a higher level of customer service.”

Bell Lap Advisors is a leading M&A Advisor exclusively focused on the outdoor market. If you’re interested in learning more about how an M&A transaction could benefit you on the buyer or seller side, please contact us for a free consultation.