Newton’s First Presents the FIRST Big & Tall Athleisure Brand!

About Newton’s First:

Co-Founder Wil Cuadros:

Wil has been involved in the Big & Tall space since 2016 when he founded The Winston Box, the first Big & Tall men’s subscription box, and helped guide it through a successful Kickstarter launch. He also co-owns an apparel factory in Peru and is responsible for the creative and design vision of Newton’s First.

Co-Founder Amit Patel:

With a track record of leadership and innovation, Amit oversees the business side of Newton’s First. He currently serves as CEO of The Winston Box and is in high demand as a business consultant. He holds a double major in Finance and Information Technology from Virginia Tech.

We had the unique opportunity of sitting down with co-founders Wil and Amit to discuss the creation and launch of Newton’s First:

Congratulations on the launch of Newton’s First, the first athleisure brand exclusively for Big & Tall men. Can you share with us what inspired you to create this groundbreaking brand, and why you felt it was essential to fill this gap in the market?

Thank you! When you think about it, big and tall men stand to benefit from the comfort and convenience of athleisure garments made from super-stretchy, wrinkle resistant and breathable fabrics. Unfortunately, most athleisure brands have chosen not to be size inclusive and this is where Newton’s First comes in.

The Big & Tall men’s apparel market is booming, yet there’s been a glaring lack of athleisure options tailored specifically for this demographic. How did you approach the design and development process to ensure that Newton’s First meets the unique needs and preferences of Big & Tall men?

We have eight years of experience designing for bigger bodies through our sister company, The Winston Box. This has not only been a great business for us, but it has also served as an eight-year experiment in market research and product development that is informing every decision we make as we design clothes for big and tall men. Knowing where to add a touch of stretch, where to add a gusset, or where to reinforce a seam is critical to the performance aspects of our product.

Your brand name, Newton’s First, is a nod to Sir Isaac Newton’s laws of motion. How do these principles inform the design philosophy and mission of Newton’s First, particularly in terms of providing comfort, freedom of movement, and functionality?

The most basic definition of Newton’s First Law of Motion is that an object will remain in uniform motion unless compelled to change its state by the action of an external force. Using that analogy, big and tall men are the bodies in motion and rigid fabrics and poor design are the outside forces that are inhibiting our movement. We strive to produce thoughtfully designed garments using innovative comfort-first fabrics that allow the body to move naturally, creating freedom of movement.

Fit, fabric, and fashion are the cornerstones of Newton’s First. Can you elaborate on how each of these elements was prioritized during the creation of your athleisure line, and how they contribute to the overall core of the brand?

Just like Newton had his three laws of motion, our three laws of production are at the core of everything that we do. We start with ensuring the fit is where it needs to be, both for our customers and the specific cut of the garment. However, the fit is only as good as the fabrics you choose. If the fabrics don’t have the stretch required, the desired fit won’t be achieved. Finally, our goal is to constantly identify trends in the athleisure market and translate that to our end users.

Sustainability is a key focus for Newton’s First, with a commitment to eco-friendly materials and production processes. How do you ensure that sustainability remains central to your brand identity while delivering high-quality, long-lasting garments?

We believe in the power of fashion to create positive change in the world. We also understand that as a fashion brand, we have a responsibility to protect our planet and contribute to the well-being of future generations. That’s why we are committed to making a difference through our dedicated conservation efforts, such as sourcing sustainable fabrics when possible, partnering with factories that share our values and comply with international labor standards, and prioritizing sustainable packaging solutions to minimize waste.

Wil, as the creative visionary behind Newton’s First, can you share some insights into the design process and the inspiration behind the styles and aesthetics of your athleisure collection?

We start by taking inspiration from current trends in the athleisure space and then begin the process of identifying which styles can make a natural transition into big and tall spaces while remaining true to our core aesthetic. Our aesthetic is both functional, making use of technical fabric and fits that support freedom of movement, and versatile through the use of clean lines and solid colors. There is an understated elegance to every piece we design.

Amit, with your background in finance and business leadership, how do you balance the creative vision of Newton’s First with the practical considerations of running a successful apparel brand?

A successful apparel business is always a collaborative effort and our unique core strengths make Wil and I great partners in that respect. Wil’s core strengths are creativity and imagination and my core strengths are systems and processes. These are very unique perspectives, but they are always working towards the common goal. We balance each other out.

Newton’s First offers sizes ranging from 1XL to 6XL, with a focus on providing flattering cuts and consistent sizing across the collection. How do you ensure inclusivity and accessibility for Big & Tall men of all shapes and sizes?

The diversity of body types big and tall can present a challenge, especially when you are looking to design a collection that is a little more fitted, as is typical of athleisure collections. Trying to design clothing that has slightly more tapered sleeves, torsos, and legs while trying to make the sizing as inclusive as possible, is definitely a challenge and will be a work in progress as we introduce new cuts, garments, and collections.

The athleisure market is highly competitive. What sets Newton’s First apart from other brands, and how do you plan to carve out a niche and build brand loyalty within the Big & Tall community?

As competitive as athleisure is, there is a tremendous white space in the industry when it comes to extended sizes. Most athleisure companies don’t carry extended sizes, and the few that do aren’t always sized correctly. For example, currently, I’m between a 2XL and a 3XL, but at what is arguably the most prominent athleisure brand in the country I’m actually a 5XL with the shoulder hanging down my arm and my sleeves way too long. This is where we come in. We aim to be size-inclusive and sized right.

Looking ahead, what are your aspirations for Newton’s First, and how do you envision the brand evolving in the future to continue meeting the needs of Big & Tall men?

We’d like to think of ourselves as Lululemon, but bigger. Not in the sense of size or market share, which we know is simply not possible from a numbers perspective. However, we feel that we have the potential to be the brand that is top of mind whenever anyone thinks of athleisure for big and tall, and we believe that will help us not only enter into traditional retailers but also allow us to open brick-and-mortar locations of our own.