News December 17, 2018
Sweda to Sell Branded Apparel
The Top 40 supplier is the latest firm to expand beyond hard goods.
California-based Top 40 supplier Sweda Co. (asi/90305) is entering the largest category in the promotional products industry: apparel. The firm has announced that its apparel initiative for 2019 will include Made-in-America basics, an exclusive partnership with fashion-forward surf/skate-inspired brand Mill42, and clothing from retail brands like Adidas, Oakley, Champion and more.
Podcast
In this exclusive podcast, CEO Jim Hagan and Kellie Claudio, SVP of sales and marketing, discuss the new apparel initiative, which includes Made-in-America basics, an exclusive partnership with fashion-forward surf/skate wear brand Mill42, and clothing from retail brands like Adidas, Oakley, Champion and more.
“With imprint locations in California, Ohio, and Kentucky, we look at this opportunity as a one PO, one freight charge, and one contact convenience for our customers,” said Kellie Claudio, Sweda’s senior vice president of sales and marketing. “After years of planning, we’re certainly ready to enter this category. Offering complete event packages from bags to rags, Sweda is making the distributor search a one-stop solution.”
Come 2019, Sweda will provide Made-in-the-USA basics through its Basecamp Brand label. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to fund the Warrior Spirit Retreat, a place where American servicemen and servicewomen learn to heal the physical and mental wounds of military service. In addition to full-scale, dirt-to-shirt stateside-made products, Sweda will also offer apparel that features USA fabrics/sewn in Mexico for fast custom color, silhouette, and private label capability by the largest vertical factory in the U.S., the company said.
Relatedly, Sweda is moving forward with a partnership with Mill42. A staple in the surf and skate wear business, Mill42 product has been used by brands that include Volcom, Vans, Quiksilver, Billabong, DC Shoes, and New Balance.
Beyond Adidas, Oakley and Champion, Sweda will also offer distributors apparel from retail brands that include Columbia, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and Burnside (asi/87224), along with Gildan (asi/56842), Hanes (asi/59528), Jerzees (asi/40650), Anvil (asi/36350), Bella and Canvas (asi/39590), Next Level (asi/73867), American Apparel (asi/35297), Comfort Colors, Comfort Wash, Augusta Sportswear (asi/37461), Badger Sportswear (asi/37876), Independent Trading Company, J America (asi/62977), and MV Sport (asi/68318).
With reported 2017 North American promotional products revenue of $91.6 million, Sweda ranks 19th on Counselor’s latest list of the largest suppliers in the industry. SVP Claudio was Counselor’s 2018 Supplier Woman of Distinction. She and CEO Jim Hagan together ranked 45th on Counselor’s 2018 Power 50, an annual list of the most influential people in the promo products industry.