When most people think of the outdoor industry and the associated apparel brands, more often than not their minds go to bland colors, cargo pants stuffed with granola bars, and an almost accentuated desire to be understated. Simplicity has always driven design in apparel for the outdoor industry, and that’s okay. But for Em Holman, that bland uniformity was simply not an option. Her answer to this trend was simple: more color.
Em and her brand, Riverstone Tie Dye, are making waves in the Southern whitewater community, with more and more women and men embracing her unique style of tie-dye, a colorful breath of fresh air in a sea of khaki and plaid.
“A lot of tie-dye brands focus purely on the art itself, but I think about functionality and lifestyle just as much as aesthetics. My Take-Out Skirt, for example, was designed specifically for after the river: lightweight, breathable, flowy, and with oversized pockets that women immediately get excited about because they’re actually useful.”
Em, originally from Phoenix, Arizona, found herself in the outdoor industry in a similar fashion to myself and so many others I know: a seasonal job listing on CoolWorks. The drive to escape the sweltering summer heat of Arizona naturally led her in one specific direction: water.
“Whitewater rafting immediately felt right. I grew up visiting the ocean every summer and have always had a deep connection with water. About a week after I finished my freshman year, I moved to the Pigeon River to be a raft guide, without ever having gone rafting before, I just knew in my gut that I would love it.”
A leap of faith into an unfamiliar world, a pioneering attitude, and a yearning for something meaningful.
“I realized what I had been craving all those years was more color in my environment. I fell in love with the green that was so abundant in the scenery around there. Color awakened something in me that I never had living in the dry, brown desert.”
The vibrancy of her new environment helped spark her creative drive, and that drive was stoked by a community so very intertwined with a love for music, art, and individuality. Em was drawn specifically to the style of ice-dye, a method that uses powdered dyes under a mound of ice, causing a slow draw of pigments into fabrics and giving way to a mesmerizing, almost watercolor result, which Em says is more vibrant and defined.
“I met one of my best friends that first year raft guiding, and his mom is who showed me ice tie-dye.”
The parallels between an unpredictable sport and an unpredictable art form are easy to see, but also apparent are the lessons of understanding flow, open-mindedness, and the quest of honing a skill that none will ever master and most will never attempt. Many do not consider the capacity of an athletic community to uplift the personal and creative pursuits of an individual member, but the world of whitewater is a shining example of how a diverse group of adventure athletes can support each other.
The course of Em’s tie-dye journey shifted when her workplace in Charleston, South Carolina, White Duck Taco, based in Asheville, North Carolina, was closed after the destruction of Hurricane Helene. With adventures planned and deadlines closing in, the choice was simple: risk the waiting game of an unpredictable job market or try something new. It was the moment when a hobby became a business, and genuinely worked.
For a year and a half, Em spent her time scouring thrift shops for white blank items to dye and sell to sustain herself.
“That approach taught me a lot creatively but eventually I realized the brand needed more focus and intention.”
A turning point for success, according to Em, was investing in a business coaching program, which she says helped give her direction and strategy in the growth of her brand. That focus manifested itself as she began focusing on functionality alongside the visual appeal of her product. After undergoing surgery for a boating-related shoulder injury and being forced to take time away from her beloved rivers, Em’s drive to really push her business forward skyrocketed.
“The course changed the way I think. I am constantly thinking strategically about my business. No decision I have made in the last few months has been on a whim. It has been really cool to see how my hard, intentional work behind the scenes is starting to pay off.”
At its core, Riverstone Tie Dye is a labor of love based on community and self-expression, a labor which she says would not have been possible without the support of her partner, Mike. Em’s search for adventure led her to tie-dye, and in turn, the community she found in whitewater is now the community that has helped her business grow into a name that is becoming synonymous with the Southeastern whitewater community.
“Riverstone Tie Dye is deeply rooted in the whitewater community and designed from lived experience, not trends. Quite frankly, I couldn’t give a crap about trends. I live my life doing/wearing what makes me happy, and I want other people to do the same. I’m not just making colorful clothing, I’m creating pieces specifically inspired by the rhythm of river life and the people in it.”
“In 10 years, I would love for Riverstone Tie Dye to grow into a recognizable outdoor lifestyle brand rooted in river culture, individuality, and self-expression, especially for women in whitewater.”
Seeing the passion for her business and the enthusiasm that the boater community has to wear her clothing is a testament to the strength of the community as a whole, and the idea that good karma exists when building up ourselves and those around us.
“Long term, I never want the brand to lose touch with where it came from. The whitewater community has supported me so heavily already, and my heart has honestly been so full seeing people rally behind this business. I would love to eventually be in a position where I can give back to the river community that shaped so much of my life and helped this brand grow in the first place.”
