Terracea is aiming to be New Hampshire’s next fashion icon 

Terracea’s line of jackets (Sorrel, Trillium, Helicon and Camara) feature waterproof, breathable and windproof construction. (Evan Kay)

Take a look around the lift line nowadays and you can’t help but wonder if you’ve stumbled into a branding convention, a competition of sorts to see which outerwear company’s strategically displayed logo stands most prominently — not to mention, self-importantly — against the rest. 

We all recognize the big players because everywhere we turn, they stare us in the face.

However, one small, up-and-coming New Hampshire-based company is striving to do things a little bit differently. 

Terracea founder Eric Hui wants his outdoor creations to stand out in their subtlety. Those who own one of Hui’s jackets quickly discover that beneath Terracea’s understated, raised-fabric embossed logo is a carefully crafted and highly technical product loaded with performance, comfort and versatility.

“Our conscious effort is to make things more streamlined and clean looking,” said Hui, whose firm is headquartered in Kensington, just outside of Exeter. “We make things a little more conservative or subdued but interesting in style — everyday wearable pieces that are also highly technical and functioning.”

Hui’s philosophical design style is grounded in a culture of respect for the outdoors, an ethos instilled within him in his native Hawaii, and one he also sees embraced by the people of New Hampshire. Where other brands might push the idea that wearing their products can help recreationalists conquer the outdoors, Hui and Terracea’s approach is more reverent.

“I took a step back and took a genuine look at who I am, and it brought me back to a place of acceptance,” Hui said. “One aspect common in Hawaii and New Hampshire that applies to Terracea is a hearty respect for nature. It is rooted in acceptance. We can respect our environment but never control it.”

Born in Oahu, Hui lived in Hawaii until moving to Los Angeles to attend Pepperdine University. It was after moving to Boston to pursue his MBA at Northeastern University when the seeds to start his own outdoor apparel company took root. While working at State Street Bank and attending classes in Boston in 2010, the city was blasted with 10 feet of snow over two months. Walking to work every day, Hui discovered that his snowboard jacket outperformed other coats against the constantly changing elements of wind, freezing rain and snow. He saw opportunity.

“My first inkling was that I felt either very overdressed or very underdressed,” Hui said. “I knew I could make a more versatile solution for nature’s unpredictability.” 

So he started sketching jackets in his dorm room with the concept of creating pieces that could move seamlessly from mountain to everyday life.

Hui launched Terracea with a Kickstarter campaign in 2017, and took it from a garage business to a small business while balancing the challenges of breaking into a highly competitive market, navigating the global pandemic, and staying true to his creative vision. After stepping back from the company for a couple years to focus his efforts on being a full-time dad (he and his wife’s daughter just turned 3), Hui says he’s in the sweet spot now where he hopes to build Terracea into the next big adventure brand.

“We really want to be New Hampshire’s success story and build from there,” he said. “We talk to a lot of people in the state and try to find partners we want to work with. We are getting more feedback from people who live here and wear our products every day, not just in skiing and snowboarding, but all the outdoors.”

Terracea’s line of jackets (Sorrel, Trillium, Helicon and Camara) feature waterproof, breathable and windproof construction. Additional features include a magnetic storm flap designed to keep the cold out, powder skirt, wrist gaiters and articulated sleeves that provide versatility and comfort both on and off the slopes. Helmet-compatible hoods and fully sealed seams provide added protection from the elements. Similar baseline technologies are included in Terracea’s line of bib pants/insulated ski pants. Light- and mid-weight insulators and heavy down parkas also are available, as well as hoodies, tees and beanies.

Hui said Terracea prioritizes sustainable practices, beginning with the design process. The company works with a number of BlueSig-approved vendors, is a member of 1% For the Planet, and uses recycled fabric like Primaloft Silver Eco Oeko-Tex Certified Insulation and Re:Down where possible. Terracea also is switching from C6 to C0 DWR, which breaks down faster after being discarded and does not linger in the environment.

Having recently hired its first sales manager, Terracea has forged many wholesale inroads. The company, which just partnered with REI in Conway, N.H., now has 35 retail partners throughout New England, with shops in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut. Hui is now focused on scaling up production and sales, leveraging e-commerce growth, building B2B sales and collaborating with other outdoor brands, like Ski New Hampshire and Granite Backcountry Alliance.

Terracea works closely with New Hampshire’s Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry Development, has partnered with many mountain retailers (Gunstock sold out its Terracea inventory even after a couple reorders) and has developed a team of local ambassadors, athletes and outdoors-folks who provide valuable product feedback as well as promoting the brand.

“Our mentality is being local for local,” Hui said. “We work with as many local businesses as we can. We want to win in our home state and then spread from there. It’s been an interesting journey and, honestly, I love it.”