Prep Sportswear
Prep Sportswear was a direct-to-consumer e-commerce marketplace offering customizable fan apparel across high schools, colleges, pro sports, and additional verticals, manufactured on-demand in Louisville, Kentucky, and winding down operations in February 2026 following trademark litigation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersSeattle, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Prep Sportswear does
Prep Sportswear is a direct-to-consumer e-commerce marketplace that sells customizable fan apparel across multiple lifestyle and community verticals, including high school sports, colleges, professional sports teams, golf courses, Greek organizations, government agencies, race events, travel destinations, and U.S. national and state parks. The platform is operated as the flagship brand of Sportswear Inc., a Washington-incorporated private company founded in 2003 by Chad Hartvigson, a former Little League World Champion, College All-American, and professional baseball player. As of February 13, 2026, the parent entity has filed articles of dissolution with the Washington Secretary of State and is winding down operations, two days after Elon University filed a federal trademark infringement lawsuit alleging unauthorized use of university trademarks.
Products are manufactured on-demand at the company's Louisville, Kentucky facility at 7100 Intermodal Drive, Suite D, using a zero-water dying process and 100% post-consumer recycled plastic bottles under the Fanthread sub-brand. The catalog spans t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, jerseys, hats, and bottoms in men's, women's, and youth sizing with up to 17 color options and personalization fields for names, numbers, and graduation years; list pricing on a standard hoodie is around $42.99 with regular reference points near $57.32. The platform's underlying stack consists of a directory-led e-commerce front-end on prepsportswear.com, a self-serve team store builder, Stripe-based checkout with Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Amazon Pay, Klarna for buy-now-pay-later, and Chatwoot for support; no native mobile app, no AI/ML features, and no registered patents beyond common-law trademarks are disclosed.
Monetization combines direct one-time e-commerce sales of made-to-order customized apparel with promotional codes (25% sitewide, free shipping over $75, 10% first-order discount) and a free Team Store program in which schools, booster clubs, and organizations receive a 15% monthly rebate on sales with no contracts or minimum orders, functioning effectively as an affiliate channel. Distribution is purely online, with no physical retail; reach spans all 50 U.S. states plus Canada, Puerto Rico, Guam, and American Samoa. Customer acquisition combines email capture, an affiliate program, SEO-optimized directory navigation, and social proof from a 4.2-star average across 7,823 verified reviews. Only one funding round ($1.14M in June 2016 from unstated investors) is disclosed and no revenue figures have been published.
Prep Sportswear firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Prep Sportswear
- Legal name
- Sportswear Inc.
- Website
- http://www.prepsportswear.com/
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Prep Sportswear was a direct-to-consumer e-commerce marketplace offering customizable fan apparel across high schools, colleges, pro sports, and additional verticals, manufactured on-demand in Louisville, Kentucky, and winding down operations in February 2026 following trademark litigation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Prep Sportswear industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Custom Fan Apparel
- NAICS
- Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992)
- SIC
- Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Team Sports Equipment & Uniforms Retail (CRAMABAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Team & School Athletic Uniforms Retail (CRAMACAJ), Team Sports & On-Field Performance Apparel (CRAAAEAE), Fan Apparel & Wearables Retail (Licensed) (CRAMAOAE)
Keywords
Where Prep Sportswear is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Seattle
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Prep Sportswear business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct Apparel Sales: E-commerce sales of customized fan apparel including t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, hats, jerseys, and accessories. Products are made-to-order and shipped directly to consumers. Revenue from individual purchases at various price points with promotional discounts.
- Team Fundraising Program: Free team store platform where organizations (teams, schools, clubs) earn 15% rebate on all sales. Rebates are distributed monthly digitally. No upfront costs for organizations.
- Promotional Discount Programs: Email newsletter signup offering extra 20% off first order, sitewide 25% off sales, free shipping on orders over $75, first-time customer 10% discount codes.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard apparel pricing with promotional discounts |
| Other | Monthly | Free team store with fundraising rebate |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Prep Sportswear product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Prep Sportswear is a direct-to-consumer e-commerce marketplace selling customizable fan apparel including t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, jerseys, and hats, personalized with names, numbers, and graduation years across verticals covering high schools, colleges, pro sports, golf courses, Greek organizations, government services, race events, destinations, and national/state parks. Products are made-to-order and manufactured on demand at the company's Louisville, KY facility using a sustainable zero-water dye process and recycled fabric inputs. The platform also includes a free self-serve Team Store builder that gives organizations a 15% monthly rebate on sales with no contracts or minimum orders.
Product overview
Prep Sportswear is a direct-to-consumer customizable apparel e-commerce platform offering made-to-order products across multiple verticals. The portfolio includes core product lines for High School Sports Apparel, College Fan Gear, Pro Sports Fan Apparel, Vintage Teams Sports Apparel, Golf Course Apparel, Greek Life Apparel, Government/First Responder Apparel, Race Event Apparel, Travel/Destination Apparel, and National/State Parks Apparel. The ecosystem includes Fanthread (sustainable eco-friendly sub-brand), the Team Store Platform (customizable team store builder with fundraising capabilities), and the Affiliate Program. All products are manufactured on-demand in the USA with personalization options for names, numbers, and graduation years. Founded in 2003 as the flagship brand of Sportswear Inc., the company operates from Louisville, Kentucky.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Fanthread: Eco-friendly, sustainable apparel line manufactured in the USA using recycled plastic water bottles and zero-water dying processes. Products include jerseys, hoodies, and t-shirts made in Louisville, Kentucky.
Products and services
- High School Sports Apparel Customizable fan gear for U.S. high school sports including t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, jerseys, and hats with personalization for name, number, and graduation year, sold to students, parents, alumni, and supporters through a nationwide school directory.
- College Fan Gear NCAA-affiliated customizable apparel for college students, alumni, and fans including t-shirts, hoodies, jerseys, and hats personalized with school affiliation, sold through thousands of dedicated college storefronts.
- Pro Sports Fan Apparel Personalized fan gear for professional sports leagues across football, baseball, basketball, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, rugby, and cricket teams worldwide, including independent and international leagues, sold via dedicated pro sports stores.
- Vintage Teams Sports Apparel Retro and throwback team fan gear featuring vintage-inspired designs for past teams across multiple sports categories, sold through a dedicated vintage teams directory.
- Golf Course Apparel Custom golf-themed apparel including polos, tees, hoodies, and hats for golf courses across all 50 U.S. states, sold through a dedicated golf directory.
- Greek Life Apparel Fraternity and sorority merchandise including t-shirts, hoodies, and hats customized with Greek letters and chapter information, sold through a dedicated Greek store directory for recruitment, formals, Greek Week, and everyday wear.
- Government and First Responder Apparel Custom apparel for fire departments, police departments, sheriff's offices, and state trooper agencies across all 50 U.S. states, sold through a dedicated government directory.
- Race Event Apparel Custom gear for running, cycling, triathlon, swimming, and mountain biking events and clubs with personalization for race names and finish times, sold through a dedicated race directory.
- Travel and Destination Apparel Country, state, city, and county-themed apparel for travel enthusiasts and souvenirs from destinations worldwide, sold through a dedicated destination directory.
- National and State Parks Apparel Outdoor-themed merchandise for U.S. National Parks and State Parks including Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Acadia, sold through a dedicated adventure directory.
- Fanthread Sustainable Apparel Sub-Brand Sustainable, eco-friendly apparel sub-brand offering t-shirts, hoodies, and jerseys made from 100% recycled plastic water bottles using a zero-water dying process, manufactured to order in Louisville, Kentucky with up to 17 color options.
- Free Team Store Platform Free self-serve team store builder that lets sports teams, clubs, leagues, booster clubs, schools, and organizations create custom online stores in minutes with year-round fundraising capabilities and a 15% monthly rebate on all sales, with no contracts or minimum orders.
Quantifiable outcome
- 4.2 star average rating based on 7823 reviews
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Prep Sportswear
Customer profileSegments8 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Prep Sportswear technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature3 records
Prep Sportswear partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Prep Sportswear competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- CustomInk: Largest direct-to-consumer custom apparel platform in the US, offering customized t-shirts, hoodies, and team gear for groups, schools, and organizations. Closest comparable to Prep Sportswear's core team-store and customizable-apparel offering.
- Underground Printing: Custom apparel and screen-printing company with collegiate licensed apparel, Greek life merchandise, and custom team stores. Overlaps directly with Prep Sportswear's school, college, and Greek verticals.
- Boelter Brands: Specializes in licensed sports and corporate branded merchandise, including custom fan apparel for teams and corporations. Comparable custom team-apparel offering and licensing-driven business model.
- LogoSportswear: Online retailer of custom logo apparel and team uniforms with personalization for names and numbers. Mirrors Prep Sportswear's customization engine and team-store playbook.
- Blue 84: Collegiate licensed apparel brand selling vintage-inspired college fan gear, t-shirts, and hoodies. Closely comparable to Prep Sportswear's college directory and vintage teams verticals.
Emerging players
- Rally House: Multi-store retailer of licensed sports apparel and fan gear across colleges and pro teams, with growing national footprint. Adjacent retail model for licensed fan apparel that Prep Sportswear distributes.
Broad incumbents
- CafePress: Mass-market custom print-on-demand marketplace with apparel, gifts, and accessories. Broader product breadth but overlapping customization and D2C marketplace mechanics.
- Spreadshirt: Global custom apparel platform enabling individuals and organizations to design, sell, and buy custom clothing. Operates a marketplace model directly comparable to Prep Sportswear's team-store concept.
- Cimpress (Vistaprint parent): Large diversified mass-customization platform including Vistaprint and BuildASign. Operates a custom-products marketplace with apparel adjacency at much greater scale.
- Fanatics: Largest licensed sports merchandise retailer globally with pro and college verticals. The dominant incumbent whose licensing relationships expose Prep Sportswear's lack of licenses as a structural weakness.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Prep Sportswear social profiles
Digital presencePrep Sportswear financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Prep Sportswear leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Prep Sportswear funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Prep Sportswear M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Prep Sportswear
What does Prep Sportswear do?
Prep Sportswear is a direct-to-consumer e-commerce marketplace selling customizable fan apparel including t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, jerseys, and hats, personalized with names, numbers, and graduation years across verticals covering high schools, colleges, pro sports, golf courses, Greek organizations, government services, race events, destinations, and national/state parks. Products are made-to-order and manufactured on demand at the company's Louisville, KY facility using a sustainable zero-water dye process and recycled fabric inputs. The platform also includes a free self-serve Team Store builder that gives organizations a 15% monthly rebate on sales with no contracts or minimum orders.
Is Prep Sportswear a public or private company?
Prep Sportswear is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently closed.
When was Prep Sportswear founded?
Prep Sportswear was founded in 2003. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Prep Sportswear based?
Prep Sportswear is headquartered in Seattle, United States, in the North America region.
How does Prep Sportswear make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Direct Apparel Sales are the primary driver. The others are team Fundraising Program and promotional Discount Programs.
Who are Prep Sportswear's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are CustomInk, Underground Printing, Boelter Brands, LogoSportswear and Blue 84. Rally House is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are CafePress, Spreadshirt, Cimpress (Vistaprint parent) and Fanatics.
Does Prep Sportswear have an API?
No public API is recorded for Prep Sportswear.
What industry is Prep Sportswear in?
Prep Sportswear's product category is Custom Fan Apparel. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAMABAE, Team Sports Equipment & Uniforms Retail, with a secondary code of CRAMACAJ, Team & School Athletic Uniforms Retail. Its NAICS code is 45911 and its SIC code is 5600.