Custom apparel company Custom Ink explores sale, sources say
By Abigail Summerville NEW YORK, Oct 15 (Reuters) — Custom Ink is exploring a sale that could value the custom-design apparel and accessories company at close to $1.5 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. The business, backed by private equity firm Great Hill Partners, is working with investment bank Jefferies on the process, the people said, requesting anonymity to discuss a private matter. Custom Ink, Great Hill and Jefferies declined to comment. The company generates upwards of $100 million of annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), the people said. Schools, teams, businesses and other groups use Custom Ink to design and produce apparel, accessories and other products. Two major players in the adjacent wholesale apparel space merged earlier this year. In June, SanMar Corporation acquired wholesale T-shirt business Bella+Canvas, which was owned by the co-founders of popular yoga clothing brand Alo. Those companies sell blank apparel to screen printers and other customers who then decorate and resell the items, whereas Custom Ink works directly with the end customer. Great Hill acquired a significant stake in Custom Ink in 2
By Abigail Summerville NEW YORK, Oct 15 (Reuters) — Custom Ink is exploring a sale that could value the custom-design apparel and accessories company at close to $1.5 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. The business, backed by private equity firm Great Hill Partners, is working with investment bank Jefferies on the process, the people said, requesting anonymity to discuss a private matter. Custom Ink, Great Hill and Jefferies declined to comment. The company generates upwards of $100 million of annual earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), the people said.
Schools, teams, businesses and other groups use Custom Ink to design and produce apparel, accessories and other products. Two major players in the adjacent wholesale apparel space merged earlier this year. In June, SanMar Corporation acquired wholesale T-shirt business Bella+Canvas, which was owned by the co-founders of popular yoga clothing brand Alo. Those companies sell blank apparel to screen printers and other customers who then decorate and resell the items, whereas Custom Ink works directly with the end customer.
Great Hill acquired a significant stake in Custom Ink in 2019 but Custom Ink co-founder Marc Katz remained a major shareholder. Katz, who served as CEO until 2024, and two college friends started the business in 2000 out of a basement in Northern Virginia, where the business is currently headquartered. (Reporting by Abigail Summerville in New York; Editing by Colin Barr and Mark Porter) ((abigail.summerville@thomsonreuters.com)