Community Highlights: Meet Ryan Hoang of Centric

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Hoang.

Hi Ryan, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My background is in marketing. I spent years working with large, well-known fashion brands, learning how brands are built, positioned, and scaled. Seven years ago, I decided to take that experience and build something of my own — Centric.

We officially launched the business four years ago with an investor partner, but the reality was that we were inexperienced operators. We made a lot of mistakes, from strategy to execution, and despite the ambition, the business struggled. After two years of ups and downs, we ultimately had to shut it down. That period was difficult, and there were moments where I seriously considered walking away altogether.

Two years ago, everything changed. I met my current business partner, and together we decided to rebuild — but this time with clarity, humility, and a deep focus on what we’re genuinely good at. We took every lesson from the past, stripped the brand back to its core, and rebuilt it with discipline and intention.

The journey hasn’t been easy. There were countless 17-hour days, long trips back and forth to Asia, and moments of doubt along the way. But the results speak for themselves. Today, Centric is stronger than it’s ever been, and I’m incredibly excited about where we’re heading. The setbacks didn’t break the journey — they shaped it.

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I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I started the business with very limited capital, and while bringing on an early partner allowed us to raise a larger investment, we ultimately lost everything after two years. I had to start again from zero.

Competing in an industry dominated by well-funded, established brands was challenging, especially without the resources they had. Early on, I also lacked deep experience in fabric development and product design — areas that are critical in performance apparel. That learning curve was steep, but it became one of our biggest strengths over time.

Today, we own five proprietary fabric technologies. Unlike most activewear brands that source pre-existing fabrics from the market, we develop our materials from scratch, engineering them to combine the best performance features possible. Getting to that point wasn’t easy. High minimum order quantities for premium fabrics, limited cash flow, and the inability to afford large teams forced us to be extremely disciplined and resourceful.

Before AI tools were widely accessible, running a small business meant doing almost everything ourselves — from product development to operations and marketing. It was exhausting, but it taught us how to build lean, think long-term, and focus only on what truly mattered. Those early constraints shaped the brand we are today.

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We’ve been impressed with Centric , but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Centric is a performance-driven activewear brand built for people who train with intention. At its core, we specialize in technically advanced apparel that’s engineered, not just designed. Every product is built to perform under real conditions — hard training, long sessions, and daily wear — without sacrificing comfort or aesthetics.

What truly sets Centric apart is our approach to materials and manufacturing. Most activewear brands source existing fabrics and rely on third-party factories. We don’t. We develop our fabrics from the ground up, engineering proprietary material systems that combine durability, breathability, flexibility, and long-term performance. Today, we own five proprietary fabric technologies, each created to solve real performance problems.

Last year, we took this a step further by launching Wearlab, a high-precision manufacturing facility that I co-own. With Wearlab, we control the entire production process — from fabric development and patterning to sampling, testing, and final production. Owning the manufacturing side allows us to move faster, refine products more precisely, and maintain an uncompromising level of quality that’s difficult to achieve in a traditional supply chain.

Brand-wise, what I’m most proud of is the discipline behind everything we do. We don’t chase trends or shortcuts. Every product is tested, refined, and rebuilt until it meets our standards. For readers, I want them to understand that Centric isn’t just another activewear brand — it’s a vertically integrated system built through years of learning, failure, and refinement, designed to raise the standard of modern performance apparel.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
What I like most about LA is how naturally it supports an active lifestyle. The weather makes it easy to train year-round, whether that’s lifting, running outdoors, hiking, or just staying moving. Fitness here isn’t something you schedule once in a while — it’s built into daily life, and that really keeps you disciplined and consistent.

What I like least is the traffic. It can turn simple routines into long commutes, which is mentally draining and sometimes cuts into recovery or training time. And like many big cities, the cost of living keeps rising, which adds pressure. But overall, if you care about health, movement, and performance, LA gives you an environment that constantly pushes you to stay active.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.centricwear.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/centric
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centricwear
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@centricwear
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@centricwear