ANDREW DINNES

February 10, 2026

Over the last while, I’ve started to see a new apparel brand popping up on the local Scottish trails, named Fortan Activewear. Fortan – meaning “fortune” or “luck” in the historic Scottish Gaelic language – make a range of apparel at comparatively reasonable prices, and with a high degree of inclusivity thanks to a kids, men’s and women’s ranges in wide size ranges. And of course, being a Scottish brand, I’ve got a certain level of patriotism tied to them.

I figured it would be worth diving into Fortan Activewear and learning from their founder, Andrew Dinnes, about how they came to be and what the future looks like.

TLW: Firstly, can you give us an introduction to you and your background pre-Fortan Activewear?

Fortan Activewear (FA): I am Andrew, Mountain biker, husband of 20+ years, dad of two now grown up kids, and business owner. I have been in the print and signage industry since my early 20’s, and have owned my own print business for around 13 years. Riding is my reset. I’m into steep, technical trails and spend most of my time at places like the Golfie, Yair, Dunkeld, Pitmedden, and up in Aberdeenshire whenever I can get north

TLW: What inspired you to start Fortan Activewear?

FA: The idea actually came about during the dreaded Covid period. I was looking for a new riding jersey and found that a lot of brands felt quite samey, while prices just kept climbing. I thought surely I could bring something different to the market, something affordable, with a unique design element, and a bit more character than plain colours or overly fluorescent styles. Coming from print, I figured I could translate my skills into apparel. Turns out it’s been a serious learning curve, but a rewarding one.

TLW: What have you set out to achieve?

FA: From the very beginning, I wanted Fortan to be for the whole family. Inclusive sizing and fit across men’s, women’s, and kids’ ranges was really important to me. Mountain biking continues to grow and is genuinely for everyone, so everyone should have access to quality gear. I also wanted to build a real community around the brand, where people love wearing their Fortan kit and feel proud to represent it, regardless of skill level.

TLW: What influence does your Scottish base have on your activewear?

FA: Scotland’s weather is the ultimate test lab. You can set off in sunshine and end up in a downpour within minutes, going from dust to mud in the blink of an eye. That makes it the perfect place to develop trail-ready kit that’s built to handle the elements.
On top of that, Scotland has some of the best mountain biking in the world, paired with incredible scenery, being based here just feels right for the brand.

TLW: What’s your personal favorite product in the range, and why?

FA: This is a hard one, as I am biased. Probably my jacket, which I use both on and off the bike (when its not filthy from riding). Like all my technical products, I have created all the templates from scratch, rather than an ‘off the shelf product’, so they all have my own stamp on them.

TLW: What are you most proud of with Fortan so far?

FA: Seeing the community grow around Fortan and the loyalty people show to the brand is huge for me. Watching people share their rides and stories on social media and genuinely being proud to represent Fortan is pretty humbling.
I’ve also made some great friends along the way and every conversation with someone new out on the trails, who recognises the kit reminds me why I started.

TLW: What are the future plans for Fortan, what can we expect to see?

FA: More events, some new collaborations and continuing to grow an inclusive community of Mountain bikers around the UK. There are also lots of new products in the pipeline, including our new kids “ GROM Line” which is dropping imminently, also coming soon are our new trousers and a technical trail hoodie so we are very excited about so much product development, watch this space!

To learn more and check out the Fortan Activewear range, head to their website or Instagram.