Riley

Pioneering sustainable period care, Riley collaborates with Wayflyer to challenge industry giants

Challenge

Riley is an Irish female-founded company specializing in 100% organic cotton period products. In their few short years of existence, they’ve benefitted from huge media and PR interest in their efforts to stick it to the big toiletries brands with a product line that’s organic, biodegradable, and includes zero harmful chemicals. Launching in April 2021, they focused on direct-to-consumer (D2C) channels and a subscription service, later expanding into a B2B model.

Despite their clear market traction from the outset, traditional financial institutions were reluctant to provide the necessary funding. The founders, driven by a gap in accessible and sustainable period care, were committed to growth but constrained by limited financing options to help them manage inventory and meet the demands of large contracts, particularly in their burgeoning B2B segment.

Solution

Facing financial hurdles, Riley turned to Wayflyer for a solution. Wayflyer's wholesale funding, tailored to the unique needs of retail and wholesale businesses, offered the flexibility and rapid funding Riley required.

This support was crucial when Riley secured a substantial wholesale contract but lacked the inventory to meet it. Wayflyer's fast and flexible funding enabled Riley to not only fulfill this contract but also to manage cash flow effectively, essential for a small business grappling with long retailer payment terms.

“We were approached by a huge company to fulfill a contract. We knew we didn't have the inventory to be able to fulfil it at the time so we called Wayflyer. They were able to turn our application around really quickly with wholesale funding. And that actually helped us to launch that deal. So it was brilliant for us.” Áine Kilkenny, Co-founder, Riley

Results

Wayflyer's Wholesale Funding was transformative for Riley. It enabled them to venture into new markets, including the UK and Europe, and solidify their position in the B2B sector.

By efficiently managing their inventory and cash flow, Riley can now focus on customer retention, reduce reliance on paid advertising, and channel their resources towards global expansion and innovation in female health products. With 140 corporate clients and a vision for continued growth, Riley sees Wayflyer as a pivotal partner in their journey towards global leadership in sustainable period care.

“When traditional banks failed us, we really needed to look at our options and Wayflyer was the perfect partner for us.”