Working at Proper Cloth

Proper Cloth is a unique company with a unique culture. Bootstrapped, founder-led, and now in our 15th year, we’re leaders in our category and still growing. We currently have 75 employees, mostly in New York. We operate at the intersection of a fashion brand and a tech startup, but we’re proud to be free from the cut-throat politics of the fashion industry and the machismo of venture backed startups.

Describing culture is never easy, but here are a few points on what we value as a company, and how we work as a team.

Striving for Greatness

We’re united in our desire to be the best we can be. As designers, engineers, leaders, and service professionals we’re all striving to fulfill our potential. We want to make the best products we possibly can, to provide the best service we can, and to build the best company we can. And it’s only through focus, discipline, and hard work that we can realize these ambitions.

Kind

We treat each other with respect. We keep conversations polite. We practice humility. We give our team members, customers, and partners the benefit of the doubt. We address problems and setbacks directly, but still, with compassion and patience. Many folks at Proper Cloth occupy roles they’ve never been in before, learning as they go. Our culture supports that. We strive to be a place where people that work hard can grow.

Customer Focused

We take customer feedback very, very seriously. We regularly review all comments, complaints, and suggestions. Collectively, this gives us an objective view of what is working, what needs improvement, and where we have opportunities for growth. A data driven analysis of feedback helps us to incrementally improve our products over time, and the results are clear. Reading through thousands of positive customer reviews is among the most rewarding parts of working at Proper Cloth.

Detail Oriented

We really believe that details matter. This philosophy influences everything we do, from creating the ability to adjust custom sizes by 0.1″ increments, to the precise curve of a collar, to the handshake when you walk into one of our showrooms. We’re constantly analyzing and refining the small details of what we do, because we want everything, from our products to our customer experience, to be as good as it can be.

Technology Enabled

We’re committed to using technology to improve the customer experience and streamline internal workflows. We thrive on building tools that increase our productivity and make things more efficient. Technology helps us save time on repetitive tasks and creates space for more creative thinking and problem solving.

Balanced

We’re wary of companies that idolize the 100-hour work week. That pace is often short-sighted, leading to burnout and poor decision making. A typical week at Proper Cloth is eight to nine hours a day, five days a week. Of course there are exceptions, but we do our best to create an environment where our team can succeed in their roles without sacrificing their sleep, health, or personal lives.

We value diversity and take extra care to ensure that our work environment is a supportive place for all employees, regardless of age, ethnicity, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.

Recruiting

We believe that race, religion, hometown, economic background, sex, and sexual orientation should not limit anyone’s opportunities in life, and that these factors have nothing to do with a person’s potential. We are an equal opportunity employer, and take pride in finding talent in unexpected places.

Over the years we’ve made a series of adjustments to ensure we’re recruiting the best talent out there, regardless of background. Here are a few policies of note:

1. We developed several recruiting channels that cater to people from underrepresented communities, such as KindWork and The Door.
2. Our entry level positions no longer require a Bachelor’s degree.
3. We revised many of our new-hire application processes to focus on an applicant’s response to a question or challenge, as opposed to their resume and cover letter. This takes emphasis off of their name, address, or the schools they attended, and opens the door for the most motivated and capable people to stand out.

Team Demographics

Here is what our team looks like today¹ in terms of demographics:

• 75 Total Employees
• 53% Male
• 47% Female
• 49% White or Caucasian
• 21% Asian, Asian American, or Pacific Islander
• 12% Black or African American
• 17% Hispanic, Latino, or Latinx
• 13% Openly identify as LGBTQ+

1. As of Mar 28, 2023

At Proper Cloth, we take pleasure in rewarding great performance with great compensation. We schedule structured employee reviews at least once per year, providing salary adjustments accordingly. Team bonuses are common at the end of the year.

Competitive Salaries and Hourly Rates

We also make a point of taking care of our most entry level positions. These roles, typically within logistics or customer service, currently start at $52,000 annually, or $20/hr — well above the New York minimum wage of $15 per hour. And they come with the following benefits.

Do you think you’d be a perfect fit on our team? We’re always looking for great folks. Check out our open positions and come work with us.