Gary Gagnon saw old sneakers tossed into the trash and was inspired: Why not recycle sneakers? Why not make them from recycled materials? ReMyxx (“Sneakers with a Purpose”) are durable, stylish and comfortable and come in bright, pretty colors and clever designs to appeal to all tastes, ages and genders. They are manufactured with a special blend of lab-certified recyclable materials that look and feel like canvas and rubber. They also are stamped on the uppers and soles with the recycle insignia to both identify the wearer as eco-conscious and strike up curiosity about the brand. When you are ready to toss the sneakers, pop them right into the recycle in. Or mail them back to Gary (he’ll pay for postage).
Gary did not do well with the sharks. He had no sales, since he had only been in business for three weeks. He did not have a patent, which left him open to getting bulldozed by the big sneaker companies. He believed that the special nature of his shoes would set him apart. His primary goal was to create a change in the recycling market.
Daymond liked the idea of recycling. He gave Gary $50,000 for 80% of the company; Daymond and his team were going to do most of the work. After the show, Daymond reconsidered. He did not want Gary giving up 80% of his company. However, he was glad to provide advice, such as go to Kickstarter to get the money to manufacture the shoes, which Gary did and made $40,000 in sales. Around that time, ReMyxx became ReKixx but the company closed in 2019.
A farewell message from the founder:
Following the Shark Tank rerun . . . Thank you for liking ReKixx (previously known as ReMyxx). However my sneaker idea and business is dead. While I do believe in the “never quit” philosophy, sometimes the best decision is in fact to let go . . . With sales starting at the end of 2012, with great praise, satisfied customers, positive press, minimal complaints and returns, selling 4000+pairs over a 6-year period is not enough to stay in business. I have no inventory remaining and no plans to restock without a larger channel of distribution lined up. While website and Amazon sales is a fantastic way of doing business for many many companies/products, it has not worked for me. Recognizing ReKixx sneakers are well liked, cool, and serve a bigger (sustainability) purpose, apparently the mass market is not interested. Seems the green-cause market is a bit too small and or I cannot figure out a sustainable method to reach the market in a significant way. On all matters, I am glad I gave ReKixx a try, enjoyed my experience on Shark Tank, and appreciate the friends and support I have gained along the way. With ReKixx behind me, I will move on to other endeavors.
Kind regards, Gary
