Counselor Top 40 supplier SanMar (asi/84863) has reached an agreement to acquire BELLA+CANVAS (asi/39590), the companies have announced.

BELLA+CANVAS will continue to operate as an independent brand. Counselor Power 50 member Megan Spire “will lead the brand into its next chapter,” according to the companies while retaining her title of executive vice president.

“As the fashion leader in the industry, BELLA+CANVAS has earned the trust and respect it holds today,” said Jeremy Lott, president and CEO of SanMar and a member of the Counselor Power 50. “Our commitment is simple: give BELLA+CANVAS the focused ownership and resources it needs to keep doing what it does best and to deliver even more of what the market expects from this exceptional brand.”

BELLA+CANVAS co-founders Danny Harris and Marco DeGeorge started screen printing in their garage in 1992, and started the dedicated women’s apparel line Bella in 1998. Two years later they launched their men’s line, Canvas, and merged the two brands in 2002.

“As we looked for the right next chapter,” said Harris, “it was critical to find an owner that would champion the brand’s DNA and build on what has made it a leader; delivering the highest‑quality fashion blanks with manufacturing integrity and an unwavering ethos of being different. SanMar believes deeply in this brand and is uniquely positioned to support its growth through inventory depth, service and operational excellence. The BELLA+CANVAS legacy lives on, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.”

Added DeGeorge: “It was paramount to my partner and me that BELLA+CANVAS joins a privately held, family‑owned company rather than private equity. We know SanMar will be exceptional stewards of the brand and of the BELLA+CANVAS team who continue to shape it today.”

The companies said that BELLA+CANVAS products “will continue to be sold through authorized wholesale distributors nationwide.” In addition to SanMar, BELLA+CANVAS is currently offered through multiple promo suppliers, including Counselor Top 40 supplier S&S Activewear (asi/84358), Counselor Top 40 supplier Hit Promotional Products (asi/61225), OneStop (asi/75085) and Apparel Coast to Coast (asi/37355).  

“BELLA+CANVAS has always operated with a simple conviction: the people who print, decorate, and sell our products deserve the best blank apparel in the world,” said Spire. “That belief is not changing. With focused ownership and additional investment behind the brand, we will be able to bring more newness, more innovation, and an even stronger commitment to the partners who make BELLA+CANVAS what it is while staying true to who we’ve always been. I’ve never been more excited to lead this brand.”

Based on North American promotional product revenue of $3.8 billion, SanMar ranks first on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest suppliers in the industry.