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Element 26 doesn’t just make gym accessories; they engineer “Plateau Destroying” equipment designed for the mechanical rigors of competitive CrossFit. The multi-year partnership with Dani Speegle, a top-tier CrossFit athlete, is built on shared values of strength and individuality, and was formed to bridge the gap between high-level biomechanics and cultural identity.
As founder of DELLE Athletics, a brand that champions Girls Who Eat, Dani brought a unique voice and loyal community to the Element 26 brand. By aligning with the visionary behind Girls Who Eat, Element 26 moved from being a vendor of generic gear to a core stakeholder in a global empowerment community. The collaboration has evolved over multiple years, rooted in mutual trust and a commitment to creating performance gear that reflects Dani’s message of empowerment.
Element 26 aimed to deepen its presence in the strength and CrossFit communities by aligning with an athlete who could embody both elite performance and cultural relevance. The goal was to develop custom gear that reflected the athlete’s identity and resonated with her audience, moving beyond mere cosmetic branding to address a long-standing void in the market. The strength equipment industry is notoriously male dominated, often leaving female athletes with products that are simply smaller versions of men’s gear.
Element 26 recognized an opportunity to disrupt this dynamic by creating high-performance hardware that specifically addressed the identity and functional needs of the female strength community. The brand’s objective was to transition from product placement to product ownership, proving that their commitment to inclusivity was backed by actual industrial innovation rather than just marketing imagery.
Athelo Group facilitated a deep-level product development joint venture. Rather than slapping a logo on an existing item, Athelo spearheaded the co-design of a custom signature lifting belt line inspired by the aesthetics and ethos of Dani’s Girls Who Eat brand. Dani was integrated into the design cycle, providing critical feedback on material selection and ergonomic fit to ensure the belt functioned as a professional-grade tool for the most demanding lifts.
We recognized that Girls Who Eat was a pre-existing cultural engine; by creating a branded physical product, we provided that community with a tangible way to wear their values while training. The campaign narrative focused on the “why” behind the design, showing the transition from raw materials to a finished product that symbolized physical and mental strength.
This partnership successfully validated Element 26 as the premier choice for the modern female athlete, resulting in a sustainable revenue stream and a deepened cultural footprint. By leaning into a passion point that already possessed massive momentum, the custom belt line served as a primary catalyst for direct sales, capturing a loyal demographic that mainstream brands had historically overlooked.
The launch proved that athlete-led development is more effective than traditional sponsorship, as the audience viewed the product as a tool created for them by someone who actually understands them. This collaboration didn’t just sell gear, it turned Element 26 into the definitive hardware provider for the Girls Who Eat movement, securing a dominant position in the female strength vertical.
Is your brand’s innovation getting lost in a male-default market? Athelo Group specializes in athlete-led development, turning your product’s technical specs into a community’s standard of empowerment. Let’s co-design your next success story.
