By: Lindsay Jeffords
Dusty Rhodes never set out to become a sportswear mogul. His story begins far from boardrooms or brand deals—on his father’s Nevada ranch, where work started before sunrise and grit was the only real currency.
“When you grow up branding cattle and fixing fence lines, you learn quickly: nobody’s going to do the work for you. If something’s broken, you fix it. If you want more, you work for it. That mindset has helped me build PROLOOK.”
That ethos of durability and perseverance became the DNA of a company that would go on to reshape the custom sportswear industry.
The Pair of Shorts That Changed Everything
In 1992, as a student athlete at Southern Utah University, Rhodes received a pair of custom basketball shorts from a buddy who had a suit maker build them in the Philippines. Longer, flashier, and more authentic than anything available to consumers at the time, they sparked considerable interest. “Everywhere I wore them, people would ask, ‘Where did you get those?’”
Rhodes started taking pre-orders from teammates and friends, designing shorts modeled after college and NBA teams. They featured longer inseams and tackle twill lettering—features athletes wanted but couldn’t buy anywhere else. What began as a hustle out of the back of his car evolved into a growing venture. By 1996, PROLOOK was born.
Betting It All on the First Team Order
The real breakthrough came when Milford High School’s basketball coach, Joe Hillock, asked Rhodes to outfit his entire team. It was a leap. “That was the moment I went from selling shorts out of a duffel bag to thinking: this could actually be a business,” Rhodes recalls.
That single order unlocked a scalable model. PROLOOK quickly moved from outfitting friends to supplying high schools, youth leagues, colleges, and eventually professional athletes. By 2004, the company was recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the 200 fastest-growing companies in America, ranked #199—a clear sign that the garage-born hustle had real potential.
Winning by Refusing to Play the Industry’s Game
While big brands leaned on outsourced manufacturing and cookie-cutter designs, PROLOOK went the other way. Rhodes built PROLOOK as a manufacturer first, giving the company full control of quality, speed, and design.
That control became its competitive edge. With a groundbreaking digital customizer, PROLOOK made it easy for coaches and athletes to design their own gear—transparent pricing, fast turnaround, no hidden surprises.
The result? Strong reliability, a reputation for being on-time, and quality so consistent that the National Sporting Goods Association has recognized PROLOOK as a leading custom team sportswear brand in America.
Partnerships That Redefine Scale
In 2022, PROLOOK reached a defining milestone by becoming the exclusive custom team apparel partner for Dick’s Sporting Goods, gaining presence in 900 stores nationwide. For a brand that started with a single pair of shorts, it marked a new era: delivering custom uniforms to athletes at scale while staying true to its roots.
But Dick’s isn’t the only major player trusting PROLOOK’s capabilities. Today, PROLOOK also manufactures custom team apparel for some of the biggest names in sports and lifestyle, including New Balance, Legends, Marucci, Richardson, Riddell, Baden, and many more.
“We’ve proven that our platform and our people can deliver not just for schools and leagues, but for world-class brands,” Rhodes says. “That confidence tells me we’re building something bigger than just a company—we’re building the standard for custom sportswear.”
Reliability, Service, and Simplicity: The True Differentiators
Ask Rhodes what really sets PROLOOK apart and he doesn’t point to the tech or even the gear—it’s the experience.
“We’ve built our reputation on three things: reliability, service, and simplicity. Coaches know they’ll get their orders on time. They know if they need help, a product pro is available 24 hours a day. And they know our platform makes ordering gear easier than anyone else.”
That combination has made PROLOOK not just a manufacturer, but a trusted partner.
The Secret Ingredient: People
But beneath the tech and the systems lies something more powerful: the team.
“The cornerstone of our success has always been our people. We have teammates who truly care about one another, and that shows in how they serve our customers. Their passion and commitment influence the excellence in everything we do.”
It’s this culture—family-driven, competitive, and caring—that has fueled PROLOOK’s growth from a college apartment to a national brand.
The Road Ahead: Expanding the Platform
With its reputation built, PROLOOK is now expanding its vision. Leveraging its end-to-end customization technology, the company is creating a unified platform that will allow customers to buy not only PROLOOK’s products, but also connected inventory from leading brands and partners.
Imagine a coach building a custom uniform on PROLOOK’s platform—then adding SanMar apparel, New Balance shoes, Riddell helmets, or even Dick’s Sporting Goods inventory—all in the same seamless order.
“Customization made us different. Now technology will make us essential,” Rhodes says. “We’re not just outfitting teams anymore—we’re simplifying the entire ecosystem.”
Built. Better.
PROLOOK’s motto, Built. Better., is more than marketing—it’s a philosophy. Every product comes with a reliable lifetime warranty, a commitment that Rhodes says reflects the values he learned growing up. “On the ranch, you don’t build things to last for a season. You build them to last for generations. That’s how we think about gear. It should be durable, it should earn your trust, and it should reflect the pride of the athlete wearing it.”
That ethos extends beyond business. Each year, PROLOOK hosts the All In Tournament, a youth baseball event benefiting the Autism Council of Utah. For Rhodes, giving back is inseparable from growth. “If success doesn’t allow you to lift others, then what’s the point?”
From a single pair of shorts in 1992 to outfitting athletes worldwide, PROLOOK has grown by holding tight to a simple belief: athletes deserve better. Better gear. Better service. Better experiences.
“At the end of the day, it’s not about building uniforms—it’s about building confidence, building pride, and building teams. That’s what we mean when we say Built. Better.”
