Carbon 38

Carbon38 is a premier e-commerce destination specialising in performance fashion, blending functional activewear with progressive street style for women. The company aims to empower women to be bold through its fashionable yet functional apparel.

The product range includes high-fashion activewear and women’s ready-to-wear items such as leggings, tops, dresses, and accessories.

The company operates primarily online, offering worldwide shipping and a variety of activewear and athleisure options.

Short history of Carbon38

Founded in 2011 by Katie Warner Johnson, Carbon38 originated from an innovative idea and a spontaneous contest entry, evolving from a small startup to a recognised name in luxury activewear with a strong emphasis on empowering women.

Initially, Carbon38 operated out of Johnson’s one-bedroom apartment, where inventory was stored in her dining room and desks were set up in the living space.

The company raised its first $100,000 investment in 2013 from the Winklevoss Twins and continued fundraising to reach $1 million by 2014.

Early on, Carbon38 focused on curating activewear from female-led and independent brands, aiming to disrupt the male-dominated athleticwear industry by providing fashion-forward performance apparel designed by women for women.

The company grew steadily, and by 2019, Carbon38 had 91 employees and had attracted a $15 million investment from Foot Locker, which became a minority owner.

The brand also expanded its offerings to include exclusive collaborations and its own branded collections, emphasising fit, fabric, and function for its female customer base.

In recent years, Carbon38 has continued to evolve, rebranding in 2022 with a new logo and identity and partnering with organisations such as Girls Inc. and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

In 2024, BC Brands acquired Carbon38, marking a new chapter in the company’s growth within the activewear market.

What is Carbon38 all about?

Recognised as a leader in luxury active apparel, Carbon38 has been noted for pioneering a cultural shift in women’s fashion by combining fitness and fashion, gaining acclaim as one of the rising activewear brands globally.

The company also emphasises a localised and seamless shopping experience for its international customers, reflecting its global reach and commitment to accessibility. Rather than focusing solely on gym performance, Carbon38 aims to enhance a woman’s performance in all aspects of her life by acting as curators, collaborators, and creators of clothing that blends style and comfort. This philosophy reflects a commitment to combining functional activewear with progressive street style, catering to women who want fashion that moves with them beyond just workouts.

What do they have to offer?

Carbon38 offers its own proprietary label alongside a curated selection of contemporary brands and exclusive collaborations, pushing the boundaries between functional activewear and progressive street style.

The company is renowned for quality and style, often compared to brands like Lululemon, with customers praising its flattering fit and unique designs.

Carbon38 provides a diverse product range primarily focused on high-fashion activewear and women’s ready-to-wear apparel.

Their collection includes leggings, featuring high-rise and ribbed styles designed for both performance and style, sports bras in a variety of designs such as racerback, strappy, convertible, and compression bras, and tops, including tanks, sweatshirts, and knit tops.

They also offer skirts and shorts, joggers and loungewear, trousers and knit trousers, sweaters, dresses, and jumpsuits, as well as jackets and outerwear.

The accessories section boasts baseball caps, tote bags, and backpacks, along with skincare products tailored for athletes, including creams and face washes.

The product range emphasises fit, fabric, and function, designed to move with the wearer from workouts to everyday wear, with moisture-wicking and compressive fabrics being common features.

What is the user experience like?

The Carbon38 website reflects a high-fashion activewear and women’s ready-to-wear e-commerce platform that emphasises both style and functionality.

The site showcases a curated collection of global activewear brands and exclusive Carbon38 pieces, blending fashion with performance.

The homepage and category pages use a clean, modern layout with large product images, clear typography, and easy navigation to highlight featured items, new arrivals, and sales.

There is a dedicated section for designers, allowing users to explore top-selling and trending designers, which adds a boutique, editorial feel to the shopping experience.

Products are presented with high-quality images, detailed descriptions, and pricing, often with quick shop options and filters to enhance usability.

The site is built on Shopify (re-platformed in 2021), ensuring responsiveness and a smooth user experience across devices.

Carbon38 is active on several social networks, with a strong presence on Instagram, where they have 443K followers and regularly post performance fashion content designed to move with their audience.

What are the prices like?

Carbon38 offers a variety of activewear and athleisure items, with prices varying depending on product type and style.

Bras typically range from approximately $75 to $88, while leggings generally range from around $64 (final sale) to $158 on sale, with regular prices between $100 and $148.

Some premium or special styles are priced higher, reaching up to about $220 in certain regions.

Tops and sweatshirts are priced roughly between $89 and $148 on sale.

Dresses and jumpsuits are available from about $126 to $178 on sale.

Bundles combining bras and leggings are priced around $185 to $200, and accessories such as bags and hats range from about $71 to $168.

What are their shipping options?

Carbon38 offers free shipping on US orders over $199. For orders below this amount, standard shipping fees apply. This typically takes 6 to 10 business days to arrive, shipping is typically handled by FedEx, expedited shipping is available for $25 and takes 2 business days to arrive and lastly overnight shipping is available for an additional fee of $50.

Regarding international orders, when you visit the Carbon38 website, you can select your country from a dropdown menu in the top left corner, which will adjust the currency and show local payment methods.

Specific international shipping costs and delivery times depend on the destination and are calculated at checkout.

Conclusion!

Carbon38 is a fashion-forward activewear brand that combines performance and style, catering to women who want both functionality and trendiness in their workout and casual apparel.

The website combines a sleek, fashion-forward aesthetic with functional e-commerce features tailored to activewear shoppers looking for both style and performance.

In summary, Carbon38 is favoured for its fashionable, female-led activewear with a strong brand ethos and stylish designs, but it currently sometimes faces challenged with getting the right fit and some concerns about higher pricing.

With that been said, potential buyers may want to look out for sales or promo codes to offset the higher costs, and be mindful of the return policies.