Cotopaxi

Cotopaxi, legally Global Uprising, PBC, is an outdoor gear and apparel company headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah (earlier described as based in Cottonwood Heights, Utah). It designs and sells backpacks, daypacks, fanny packs and slings, fleece and down outerwear, base layers, travel apparel, blankets, and accessories such as water bottles and tumblers, with product lines including Del Día, Cada Día, Allpa, Luzon, Batac, Teca, Abrazo and Solazo. The brand is known for colorful, sustainably made packs and jackets and a llama mascot, and takes its name from a volcano in Ecuador where founder Davis Smith spent part of his childhood.

Giving is structured into the business under the "Gear for Good" motto. The company is organized as a benefit corporation and has been certified as a B Corporation. It directs 1% of annual revenue to the Cotopaxi Foundation, a Utah-based private 501(c)(3) nonprofit that handles grantmaking, and it passes through 100% of monetary customer donations to the foundation on a monthly basis. Earlier in its history, individual transactions were tied to specific humanitarian outcomes — for example a water bottle purchase funding six months of clean water, or a backpack sponsoring educational opportunities for a child — delivered through partnerships with smaller international nonprofits focused on education and health care, with follow-up communication to customers about the cause they supported. The company has reported that its programs have aided an estimated 3.5 million people living in extreme poverty.

Alongside product sales, Cotopaxi offers a "Guaranteed for Good" service program covering U.S. returns and exchanges, a lifetime warranty with repairs, replacement or credit, and trade-in rewards, plus a resale channel for pre-loved gear. It publishes an annual impact report and a Cotopaxi Foundation annual report.

Founding story

Founder Davis Smith grew up partly in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and Ecuador, and has said early exposure to extreme poverty shaped his intent to build a business with a social purpose. He was influenced at Brigham Young University by the story of entrepreneurs Steve and Bette Gibson, and a later meeting with Steve Gibson encouraged him toward entrepreneurship. After graduating from BYU in 2003 he built PoolTables.com with his cousin Kimball Thomas, then earned an MBA and an MA in international studies at Wharton while launching Baby.com.br in Brazil. The specific commitment behind Cotopaxi dates to a trip to Peru, where Smith and his wife met and helped feed a child named Edgar and resolved to find a sustainable way to help children in similar circumstances. Smith reconnected with Stephan Jacob, who had exited his own e-commerce business Kembrel.com, at a Lauder Institute reunion, and the two began building Cotopaxi. Smith and his partners deliberately organized the company as a benefit corporation despite advice that the structure could deter investors.

Business model

Cotopaxi sells branded outdoor gear and apparel primarily direct to consumers through its own e-commerce site, with localized storefronts and pricing for multiple countries. Revenue comes from product sales across packs and bags, men's and women's apparel, outerwear and accessories, supplemented by gift cards, optional third-party shipping protection (Route) and a resale channel for used gear. A defined share of revenue — 1% annually — is committed to the Cotopaxi Foundation, and customer donations collected at checkout are passed on to the foundation in full.

Product sales of outdoor gear and apparel, sold direct to consumers online at price points ranging from roughly $12 for t-shirts to $150–$175 for down parkas, plus resale of pre-loved gear and gift card sales.

Traction

Cotopaxi reported surpassing $100 million in revenue in 2022, double its 2021 sales, with roughly 300 employees, and says its giving has aided an estimated 3.5 million people living in extreme poverty. Earlier figures cited by co-founder Stephan Jacob included product return rates under 1% and repeat purchase probability as high as 20% after a first order, and the company received about 400 unsolicited job applications within weeks of its early 2014 launch.

Latest developments

Lindsay Shumlas, previously chief operating officer and chief financial officer, was named CEO in December 2024. The company's website currently promotes a 2025 Impact Report and a 2025 Cotopaxi Foundation Annual Report, a pre-loved gear resale program, and new pack and layering collections.