Wilmer Valderrama Spends 'More Time in Sweats Than in a Suit' — So He Created His Own Activewear Brand (Exclusive)

Wilmer Valderrama isn’t just the guy from your favorite television show — he’s also a dad, an author (his memoir, An American Story: Everyone’s Invited comes out in September), a fitness enthusiast and most recently, the founder of E.P.U., a lifestyle apparel brand, which launched on July 9. 

“It's been almost three and a half years that I've been conceptualizing it, building it, creating it, finding its purpose and spirit. It's just been an incredibly rewarding journey,” the NCIS star, 44, tells PEOPLE exclusively. 

Valderrama has “always loved fashion” and this isn’t his first time stepping into the business side of it. In 2007, he helped launch casual apparel and denim brand Calavena in major department stores, like Saks Fifth Avenue and Barneys.

“I had a lot of fun designing and developing things that I would want to wear myself.” 

But when it came to his second foray into the industry (“Fashion was calling me back,” Valderrama says), there was a new part of his life that he wanted to incorporate.

“I started embracing more of my fitness and my physical evolution. Leaving playing Fez [the beloved teen he played on That '70s Show from 1998-2006] and having to evolve into someone that could play other characters besides that, I wanted to challenge myself. I embraced fitness as another transformative process where I could create more of a runway for me and my career,” Valderrama says. "I felt like I needed to look like the parts I wanted."

His love for fitness and fashion is prominent in his debut collection of unisex sweatpants, hoodies, tees, tank tops and accessories for men and women that are fashion-forward but also functional (the women's leggings have pockets). The clothing is available from sizes XS to 2XL and retails for $75 and under.

Aesthetically he drew inspiration from ‘50s and ‘60s training gear to create “timeliness” and “elegant” designs made of 100% French terry cotton that you can dress up, dress down, but ultimately wear “again and again” — and for more than one occasion, whether it be for traveling or exercising at the gym next door. 

He knows what makes a good athleisure look, not only because he takes his workout routine seriously or because he's a multi-hypenate who's always on the go, but because he spends "much more time in sweats than in a suit.”

But he's also experimenting with a fancier way of dressing these days for special occasions outside the house. “At this time of my life, I'm also really embracing dressing up a little bit more. I'm wearing blazers and slacks, and I'm trying to be a little more James Bond-esque."

He also says E.P.U.'s got all the “cool dad swag,” which he's an expert in as a father to 3-year-old daughter Nakano Oceana, whom he shares with fiancée Amanda Pacheco.

Pacheco, a model and fellow fitness devotee, came on board to help Valderrama and the team get the women’s apparel just right, which in this case meant nailing the perfect combination of retro and modern. “It was kind of a family affair,” Valderrama notes. 

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The sense of community happening behind the scenes at E.P.U. is very much a part of the brand’s ethos. 

Its acronym stands for the Latin term "E Pluribus Unum,” which translates to "Out of Many, One.” And Valderrama is big on connection. Since starting #MyHourADay on Instagram with videos and photos showing how he devotes 60 minutes of his day to self-care — with the hope of encouraging others to do the same — he and his fans have formed a community online that he doesn't take for granted. 

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He was also inspired by a cause close to his heart, which he's introducing to his new business.

Through a direct partnership with the United Service Organizations, portions of E.P.U. sales will go towards benefitting members of U.S. service members and their families. 

Valderrama has been a global ambassador for the nonprofit since 2021 and worked with them since his early 20s (throughout his career he’s been on 50 USO tours and engagements globally).

He tells PEOPLE: “Meeting thousands of soldiers and hundreds and hundreds of families around the world that all sacrificed for the freedom of this country, I thought, well, this is one way that I can continue to serve the people that I love so much.” E.P.U.’s debut collection also incorporates colors of the military branches. “We’ve thoughtfully infused it with the spirit of the brand,” he adds. 

E.P.U. is available to shop now on epuhq.com