GenTeal Apparel was co-founded by Blake Dubinski and a science professor at Ole Miss in 2016. The professor at Ole Miss brought the idea to Dubinski, who was there getting his MBA.
The goal for GenTeal was to create a premium menswear line for the avid outdoorsman. After a couple years, GenTeal broke into the golf apparel industry and is now in 60 golf resorts and country clubs across the U.S. GenTeal’s earthy color palette and unique logo of a flying mallard help the brand stand apart.
Fairway to Green’s Nathan Rarick had the opportunity to talk with Dubinski, GenTeal’s co-founder and CEO.
Nathan Rarick: What inspired you to create GenTeal?
Blake Dubinski: I grew up enjoying the outdoors with friends and family – fly fishing, hunting, playing golf, etc. However, as I was finishing college and looking to start a career, I always had a hard time finding clothes that were a nod to my lifestyle and that I could wear to both work and in casual settings.
The traditional hunting or fishing brands were overly technical with a lot of camouflage, and I found most lifestyle brands to be too bright, preppy or only golf focused. I wanted products that paired modern fabrics with classic styles in a rich earth-toned color pallet. We are still rounding out our collections, but so far I believe we have achieved what I originally set out to create.
N.R.: How relevant are golf apparel trends for your design process?
B.K.: We focus on creating timeless pieces that are meant to be worn for years, not just a season, avoiding overly trendy styles. At the same time, our design team stays current on new fabrics and design techniques. This allows us to introduce modern updates, such as our Textured Performance Polos and innovative outerwear pieces, while maintaining a classic, enduring aesthetic. Golf apparel trends inform our design process, but they do not drive it.
N.R.: Who is your core customer?
B.K.: Our core customer is a 35–50-year-old who values time outdoors and an active lifestyle, with interests like fly fishing, travel and golf. He’s looking for versatile apparel that fits seamlessly into his day-to-day life and pieces he can wear to the office, out to dinner or outside on the weekend. He appreciates quality, thoughtful details and understated style and prefers clothing that feels refined without being flashy.
N.R.: What differentiates your brand from other golf apparel companies?
B.K.: One of the key ways GenTeal differentiates itself is through its distinct color palettes and broader product offering. Our colors are outdoors-inspired, muted and earth-toned, setting us apart from the brighter, trend-driven looks common in golf apparel.
In addition, our expanded categories, including refined outerwear and performance sport shirts, give customers more variety and flexibility in building a performance wardrobe that works well beyond the course.
N.R.: Do you plan on expanding into women’s apparel?
B.K.: We have started to make women’s products specifically for our corporate embroidery program. We’ve started with a women’s fit in our bestselling Venture Performance Quarter-Zip and plan to continue expanding this offering to service a broader scope of customers in this channel.
As a brand, we have room for expansion within new and existing categories that align with our customers’ lifestyle. For now, we are continuing to focus on our men’s offering. However, we haven’t ruled out developing women’s products in the future.
N.R.: What fabrics or technologies do you use to enhance performance?
B.K.: We focus on durability, shape retention and overall comfort in every product we create. Utilizing unique fabric blends containing nylon, spandex, cotton and modal allows us to put a modern spin on timeless styles.
For example, our Wander Collection is an offering of t-shirts, polos, hoodies and (in the fall) quarter-zips made from a unique nylon and spandex blend that almost has a cotton hand feel to it. However, it doesn’t shrink or pill and has phenomenal shape retention, making it perfect for outdoor activities, exercise or athleisure.
