Australia & New Zealand's Most Trusted D2C Brands 2026 › Rip Curl
#7 of 100 – Fashion & Apparel

Rip Curl

Surf brand that makes surf clothing and gear and sells through its own stores and website as well as wholesale accounts.

By Abhimanyu Ghosh, Chairman, WCRC, with the WCRC Business Intelligence Unit · November 2026

Consumer Trust 84/100
Rip Curl ranked #7 in Australia & New Zealand's Most Trusted D2C Brands 2026 by WCRC
Trust Score85.22out of 100
ANZ D2C rank#7 of 100
HeadquartersTorquay, VIC, Australia
Founded1969
Latest revenueNZ$571.2M sales (FY2026, year ended 31 Jul 2026)
Trust pillar84/100

The Rip Curl story

Rip Curl was founded in Australia in 1969 by Doug Warbrick and Brian Singer and is owned today by KMD Brands Ltd (NZX: KMD, ASX: KMD). It is one of 20 Fashion & Apparel brands in this year's ranking, where it places #2.

Why people trust Rip Curl

It has been based in Torquay since 1969, and reported sales grew 3.8% in FY2026.

The watch-out

About 40% of sales still go through wholesale on reported figures, and parent KMD Brands made a large FY2026 loss and in November 2026 gave US-based Bluestar Alliance exclusive due diligence for a possible takeover, with no deal signed.

Why Rip Curl ranks #7

Strongest of the four trust-led pillars

Brand Recall, scored 90 out of 100.

Room to grow

Consumer Trust & Sentiment, scored 84 out of 100.

The WCRC D2C Trust Score gives 80% of the weight to Consumer Trust, Brand Recall, Positioning and Brand Love. Rip Curl scores 85.22 overall.

Pillar profile

Consumer Trust & Sentiment (32%)
84
Brand Recall (18%)
90
Brand Positioning (15%)
88
Brand Love (15%)
86
Product, Innovation & Delivery (10%)
86
Digital & Financial Soundness (6%)
72
Governance & ESG (4%)
78

Versus its nearest rivals

5Southern Cross Health SocietyInsurance · 85.346KoalaHome · 85.317Rip CurlFashion · 85.228RACVMobility · 84.329Adore BeautyBeauty · 84.13

Questions people ask

What rank is Rip Curl in WCRC's Australia & New Zealand's Most Trusted D2C Brands 2026?

Rip Curl ranks #7 of 100 in WCRC's Australia & New Zealand's Most Trusted D2C Brands 2026, with a WCRC D2C Trust Score of 85.22 out of 100.

Why is Rip Curl trusted?

It has been based in Torquay since 1969, and reported sales grew 3.8% in FY2026.

What is Rip Curl's revenue?

NZ$571.2M sales (FY2026, year ended 31 Jul 2026), as per company filings.

Who owns Rip Curl?

Rip Curl is owned by KMD Brands Ltd (NZX: KMD, ASX: KMD). It was founded in 1969 in Australia and is based in Torquay, VIC, Australia.

What is Rip Curl's biggest challenge?

About 40% of sales still go through wholesale on reported figures, and parent KMD Brands made a large FY2026 loss and in November 2026 gave US-based Bluestar Alliance exclusive due diligence for a possible takeover, with no deal signed.

Key facts

BrandRip Curl
Company / ownerKMD Brands Ltd (NZX: KMD, ASX: KMD)
HeadquartersTorquay, VIC, Australia
Founded1969
Founder(s)Doug Warbrick and Brian Singer
Latest revenueNZ$571.2M sales (FY2026, year ended 31 Jul 2026), as per company filings
SectorFashion & Apparel
Country of originAustralia

Sources

  • Annual report and results announcements lodged with the ASX by the parent company
  • Company website, official announcements and press releases
  • Published interviews and statements by the founders and leadership
  • WCRC Business Intelligence Unit research: consumer ratings and reviews, complaint records, search demand and social data
Want the full picture? For the detailed methodology, a brand's full assessment report, or the other factors behind a score, contact the WCRC Business Intelligence Unit at consulting@wcrcint.com.
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Disclaimer
  1. Who was considered. Only brands whose owners publish financial results, or that have publicly stated their own revenue, were considered. Brands that do not publish revenue have not been assessed or ranked. Not being on this list says nothing about a brand's quality.
  2. Eligibility. Ranked brands were founded in Australia or New Zealand, are controlled there today, and sell mainly direct to consumers: online, by app, by phone or mail order, or through their own stores under their own label. The rules are applied as of November 2026.
  3. Independent opinion. This ranking is WCRC's independent research and opinion, based on publicly available information as of November 2026. It is not an endorsement of any brand.
  4. Not advice. Nothing on this site is investment, financial, insurance, medical, legal or purchasing advice. Do not rely on it to make decisions of that kind.
  5. Scores. WCRC D2C Trust Scores are provisional assessments by the WCRC Business Intelligence Unit at the time of research. They are opinions, not measurements, and may be revised.
  6. Revenue and facts. Revenue is shown as lodged with the ASX or NZX, with ASIC or the New Zealand Companies Office, or published in company results, or, where marked, as stated by the company itself. Figures are in Australian or New Zealand dollars unless noted, and are not converted. Some figures are for a parent company segment, as noted. WCRC has not audited any figure. Facts are checked twice against public sources, but errors are possible.
  7. Trademarks. Brand names, logos and trademarks belong to their owners. Their use here is for identification only and does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by WCRC.
  8. Use of the badge. Ranked brands may use the WCRC badge only as provided, linked to their page, and unaltered. Any other use of the WCRC name, badge or data needs WCRC's written permission.
  9. Rights and AI. © 2026 WCRC. All rights reserved. The WCRC D2C Trust Score and its methodology are proprietary. Copying, text and data mining, and use of this content to train artificial intelligence models are not permitted without written permission; WCRC expressly reserves these rights, including under Article 4 of EU Directive 2019/790.
  10. Corrections. To report an error or ask for a review, write to consulting@wcrcint.com. Corrections are made promptly.