Foreign Rider is a clothing company defined by our mantra:
A REASON TO EXIST.
Does the world need another apparel company?
It doesn’t.
The textile industry is the second largest polluter to the environment and is notorious for unethical business practices and behaviour.
The world doesn’t need another apparel brand, but it does require a company to provide long-lasting product the right way and experiences that connect people for years to come.
One that is focused on people and doing the right thing.
Most brands are built around hype. They make promises they can’t keep. When you pull the curtain back you start to see inconsistencies in who they are, what they do and what they make.
But, we believe building a trustworthy apparel company comes down to just this...
1. Build quality product
2. Build our community around people
3. Build trust
Foreign Rider was founded by Ralph Dunning to push back against an industry he saw heading in the wrong direction - one where speed and cutting corners had replaced intention and integrity. We exist to explore what fr.eedom means to each of us - physically and mentally.
ABOUT RALPH DUNNING
Ralph Dunning has been designing and manufacturing athletic apparel for four decades.
His entrepreneurial career began in 1993 in the technical world of cycling, running and triathlon when he launched his first company, Rip N Hammer, building it into one of the world's most respected multi-sport performance brands.
Then in 2001, Ralph founded Dunning Golf, the very first company to offer a complete range of player specific apparel manufactured exclusively of technical performance fabrics.
In 2007, Zach Johnson's Masters win introduced the Dunning brand to a worldwide audience forever changing the way apparel is worn in the game of golf.
Ralph’s design and manufacturing experience spans from local manufacturing in Toronto to production working with the world's finest mills and factories. He is recognized as one of a handful of experts with respect to fit, fabrication and engineering in apparel.
In 2009, Ralph went on a cycling trip to the Giro D’Italia with the Cervelo Test Team as a guest of Cervelo co-founder Gerard Vroomen. It was his first time cycling outside of North America and was a completely new perspective on riding. Ralph rode everyday and moved from town to town as the tour moved stages. That same year, Ralph also raced the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii.
Ralph has been a dedicated cyclist for the majority of his life and started to think about how to build a wardrobe for post-ride comfort, daily performance and travel. He felt there was a need to build a line comprised of timeless essentials with a specific purpose and reason to exist.
This is when he got the idea to start Foreign Rider.
Ralph’s background in apparel, motorcycle and cycling culture shaped the foundation for our mantra, the exploration of fr.eedom.
“We aren’t chasing trends or trying to be louder than the next company. We’re here to make better product, communicate stories about real people and ask the right questions.” - Ralph Dunning
