Gildan
- Company typePublic
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersCharleston, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Gildan firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Gildan
- Legal name
- Gildan Activewear Inc.
- Website
- https://gildancorp.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Gildan industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Basic Apparel Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Apparel Manufacturing (315), Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers (4243), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Merchant Wholesalers (424350), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Branded Merchandise & Promotional Apparel Wholesale (CRAOADAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Workwear, Uniforms & Corporate Apparel Wholesale (CRAOADAF)
Keywords
Where Gildan is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Charleston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices11 records
Markets served
Gildan business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Wholesale/B2B Apparel Sales: Gildan generates the vast majority of its revenue by selling basic apparel (activewear, underwear, socks, intimates) in bulk to wholesale distributors, screenprinters, embellishers, retailers, and e-commerce platforms, as well as global lifestyle brand companies and directly to consumers. Products are sold under company-owned brands including Gildan, Hanes, Comfort Colors, American Apparel, Bali, Maidenform, Playtex, GOLDTOE, Peds, as well as Champion under exclusive licensing for the printwear channel in the U.S. and Canada.
- Consumer/Retail Sales: Post-HanesBrands acquisition, Gildan also sells directly to consumers through retail channels and e-commerce platforms under heritage brands such as Hanes, Maidenform, Bali, and Bonds.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | B2B bulk pricing through wholesale distributors |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Gildan product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gildan manufactures and distributes basic apparel including T-shirts, activewear, underwear, socks, and intimates through a vertically integrated supply chain spanning yarn-spinning, knitting, dyeing, sewing, and distribution. Products are sold in bulk primarily to wholesale distributors, screenprinters, embellishers, retailers, and e-commerce platforms under a portfolio of company-owned brands (Gildan, Hanes, Comfort Colors, American Apparel, Bali, Maidenform, Playtex, GOLDTOE, Peds, Bonds, ALLPRO) and one exclusively licensed brand (Champion for the printwear channel in the U.S. and Canada). The company operates 40+ manufacturing and distribution installations globally and after the December 2025 HanesBrands acquisition also sells directly to consumers through retail channels and brand websites.
Product overview
Gildan is a vertically integrated manufacturer of everyday basic apparel selling products under a diversified portfolio of Company-owned brands including Gildan®, Hanes®, Comfort Colors®, American Apparel®, Bali®, Maidenform®, Playtex®, GOLDTOE®, Peds®, and Bonds®, plus Champion® under exclusive licensing. The company's product lines span activewear, underwear, socks, and intimates, sold to wholesale distributors, screenprinters, embellishers, retailers, e-commerce platforms, and directly to consumers across North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. The December 2025 acquisition of HanesBrands approximately doubled the company's scale, adding heritage brands and go-to-market expertise to Gildan's low-cost manufacturing network.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Gildan: Core brand offering activewear, underwear, socks for wholesale and printwear markets
- Hanes
- Comfort Colors
- American Apparel
- Bali
- Maidenform
- Playtex
- GOLDTOE
- Peds
- Champion
- ALLPRO
- Bonds
Products and services
- Gildan® (basic apparel) Primary house brand offering everyday basic apparel including T-shirts, activewear, and imprinted garments, sold in bulk to wholesale distributors and screenprinters who customize and resell the products.
- Hanes® (underwear, socks, activewear) Heritage apparel brand offering underwear, socks, and intimate apparel products, one of the most recognized apparel brands in North America. Acquired through the December 2025 HanesBrands merger.
- Comfort Colors® (premium dyed apparel) Brand known for garment-dyed, ring-spun cotton garments with soft-hand feel, primarily serving the imprintables market. Acquired through the HanesBrands merger.
- American Apparel® (fashion basics) Premium fashion-forward basics brand offering contemporary apparel, distributed exclusively through S&S Activewear in the U.S. imprintables market.
- Bali® (intimate apparel) Intimate apparel brand specializing in bras, panties, and shapewear products. Acquired through the HanesBrands merger.
- Maidenform® (intimate apparel) Intimate apparel brand known for bras, panties, and shapewear offerings, targeting the mass-market women's intimates segment. Acquired through the HanesBrands merger.
- Playtex® (intimate apparel) Heritage brand for women's intimates and shapewear. Acquired through the HanesBrands merger.
- GOLDTOE® (premium socks) Premium sock brand known for quality dress, casual, and athletic socks. Acquired through the HanesBrands merger.
- Peds® (hosiery) Brand focused on women's hosiery and legwear. Acquired through the HanesBrands merger.
- Champion® (athleticwear — licensed) Iconic athleticwear brand available to Gildan under exclusive licensing agreement for the printwear channel in the U.S. and Canada.
- Bonds® (Australian innerwear) Australian innerwear and underwear brand acquired through HanesBrands merger, targeting the Asia Pacific market.
- ALLPRO™ (athletic socks) Athletic socks brand within Gildan's portfolio, distributed primarily through sporting goods channels.
Quantifiable outcome
- Record Q4 2025 net sales of $1,078 million, up 31.3% year-over-year, including $217 million from HanesBrands in its first month post-acquisition.
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Gildan
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Gildan technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Gildan partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- S&S ActivewearcoreGildan granted S&S Activewear exclusive wholesale distribution rights for its American Apparel brand in the U.S. imprintables market, and made S&S the exclusive wholesale distributor for Gildan's full brand portfolio in Canada. These exclusive distribution arrangements took effect on December 28, 2025, combining Gildan's manufacturing capabilities with S&S's distribution network to improve product availability and service for decorators in North America.
- ComputershareminorComputershare serves as the exchange agent for the HanesBrands acquisition, handling the conversion of HanesBrands shares into Gildan shares and cash consideration. Shareholders of HanesBrands can contact Computershare for inquiries regarding the exchange of shares and cash payments related to the acquisition.
- ITOCHU CorporationminorITOCHU Corporation and Inglewood jointly acquired all shares of Hanesbrands Japan from Gildan, marking a strategic expansion of ITOCHU's textile and apparel portfolio in the Japanese market. Hanesbrands Japan was previously acquired by Gildan in December 2025 as part of the larger HanesBrands merger.
- World Vision HondurasminorGildan maintains an 11-year partnership with World Vision Honduras focused on education programs for children in communities where Gildan operates. Employees in Honduras participate in volunteer activities with nearly 100 students from local schools, promoting environmental education and community engagement.
- First Book CanadaminorGildan's Montreal headquarters partnered with First Book Canada, an organization dedicated to promoting educational equity by creating home libraries for children in low-income and historically excluded communities. Gildan employees prepared book bags and wrote inspirational notes for 110 children as part of the Global Employee Volunteer Month initiative.
Scale indicators19 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Gildan competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fruit of the Loom: Fruit of the Loom (Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary) is one of the world's largest vertically integrated basic apparel manufacturers, producing T-shirts, underwear, and activewear sold through similar wholesale and screenprinter channels. Most direct comparable to Gildan in product mix, manufacturing model, and customer base.
- Hanesbrands Inc. Pre-acquisition, Hanesbrands was Gildan's largest direct competitor in basic apparel, innerwear, and activewear across North America. Now a wholly-owned subsidiary, but pre-merger financials remain the most relevant benchmark for Gildan's addressable market and operating profile.
- Bella+Canvas: Bella+Canvas is a leading manufacturer of premium blank apparel serving the screenprint, embroidery, and DTC customization markets. Direct competitor to Gildan's premium sub-brands like Comfort Colors in the imprintables channel.
- Next Level Apparel: Next Level Apparel manufactures premium blank T-shirts, tanks, and fleece primarily for the wholesale decoration and screenprinter channel. Comparable to Gildan in target customer (decorators and distributors) and product category (basic apparel blanks).
- Augusta Sportswear: Augusta Sportswear manufactures athletic apparel, team uniforms, and activewear sold through wholesale distributors to the screenprint and team-decorator market. Directly comparable to Gildan's activewear and sportswear categories.
- S&S Activewear: S&S Activewear is the largest wholesaler of imprintable apparel and accessories in North America, holding exclusive distribution rights for Gildan's American Apparel brand in the U.S. imprintables market and the full Gildan portfolio in Canada. Functions as both a major customer and a competitor in blank apparel distribution to decorators.
Broad incumbents
- PVH Corp. PVH owns Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, operating a global apparel platform spanning wholesale and DTC. Broad incumbent in the apparel space with overlapping distribution channels but a fashion-led rather than basics-led portfolio.
- VF Corporation: VF Corporation owns a diversified portfolio of apparel and footwear brands (The North Face, Vans, Timberland, Dickies). Broad incumbent in wholesale apparel distribution with overlap in basics/workwear through Dickies but specialized across multiple categories beyond Gildan's basics focus.
- Levi Strauss & Co. Levi Strauss is a global apparel company with wholesale and DTC distribution of denim and casualwear. Broad incumbent sharing similar wholesale relationships with screenprinters and retailers, though focused on branded denim rather than basic apparel blanks.
Emerging players
- Printful: Printful is a print-on-demand and custom apparel fulfillment platform that sources blanks (including some from Gildan) for customization and direct shipping. Emerging player representing both a customer of Gildan's blank apparel and a partial alternative model for custom apparel distribution.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Gildan social profiles
Digital presenceGildan financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Gildan leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Gildan subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries10 records
Gildan funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Gildan M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Gildan
What does Gildan do?
Gildan manufactures and distributes basic apparel including T-shirts, activewear, underwear, socks, and intimates through a vertically integrated supply chain spanning yarn-spinning, knitting, dyeing, sewing, and distribution. Products are sold in bulk primarily to wholesale distributors, screenprinters, embellishers, retailers, and e-commerce platforms under a portfolio of company-owned brands (Gildan, Hanes, Comfort Colors, American Apparel, Bali, Maidenform, Playtex, GOLDTOE, Peds, Bonds, ALLPRO) and one exclusively licensed brand (Champion for the printwear channel in the U.S. and Canada). The company operates 40+ manufacturing and distribution installations globally and after the December 2025 HanesBrands acquisition also sells directly to consumers through retail channels and brand websites.
Is Gildan a public or private company?
Gildan is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Gildan founded?
Gildan was founded in 1984. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Gildan based?
Gildan is headquartered in Charleston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Gildan make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Wholesale/B2B Apparel Sales are the primary driver. The others are consumer/Retail Sales.
Who are Gildan's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fruit of the Loom, Hanesbrands Inc., Bella+Canvas, Next Level Apparel, Augusta Sportswear and S&S Activewear. Broad incumbents are PVH Corp., VF Corporation and Levi Strauss & Co.. Printful is listed as an emerging player.
Does Gildan have an API?
No public API is recorded for Gildan.
What industry is Gildan in?
Gildan's product category is Basic Apparel Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAOADAI, Branded Merchandise & Promotional Apparel Wholesale, with a secondary code of CRAOADAF, Workwear, Uniforms & Corporate Apparel Wholesale. Its NAICS code is 315 and its SIC code is 5130.