Cargo
Cargo Inc. is a Portland-based specialty retailer founded in 1996 that curates and sells globally-sourced artisan goods, vintage textiles, apothecary products, and handmade crafts through two Oregon retail locations and a Shopify e-commerce storefront, serving individual artisan-goods enthusiasts and craft hobbyists.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Cargo does
Cargo Inc. is a privately held, founder-operated specialty retailer headquartered at 81 SE Yamhill Street in Portland, Oregon, with a second retail location in Astoria. Founded in 1996, the company operates a horizontally-segmented assortment of globally-sourced artisan goods, vintage textiles, handmade crafts, apothecary products, accessories, paper goods, and home decor drawn from Japan, India, Southeast Asia, Africa, Central Asia, and Latin America. The product portfolio spans ten core categories — Clothing, Kids, Apothecary, Accessories, Home and Decor, Paper Goods, Craft Supplies, Textiles, Shop by Region, and Sale — augmented by digital gift cards in denominations from $75 to $750, recurring in-store workshops and events, and ancillary workshop-space and pop-up rentals.
The business runs on a Shopify e-commerce storefront paired with two brick-and-mortar retail locations, with no proprietary technology, no mobile app, no AI capabilities, no API or SDK surface, and no documented technology partnerships. Distribution is omnichannel but small-scale: free shipping is offered on e-commerce orders over $100, and the company maintains an active presence on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram plus email newsletters for each store location offering 15% off first purchase.
The revenue model is straightforward one-time retail sales of physical merchandise, supplemented by gift card sales (fronting cash for future redemption) and workshop/event fees. Customer segments are individual consumers — primarily artisan-goods enthusiasts and craft/DIY hobbyists — with no enterprise or B2B customer base. The company has raised only a single $5,000 grant from Comcast RISE in August 2023, has no institutional investors, no parent company, and no documented M&A, partnership, or leadership change activity. Cargo Inc. is incorporated in Oregon, USA.
Cargo firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cargo
- Legal name
- Cargo Inc.
- Website
- https://cargoinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cargo Inc. is a Portland-based specialty retailer founded in 1996 that curates and sells globally-sourced artisan goods, vintage textiles, apothecary products, and handmade crafts through two Oregon retail locations and a Shopify e-commerce storefront, serving individual artisan-goods enthusiasts and craft hobbyists.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cargo industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Retail
- NAICS
- Sewing, Needlework, and Piece Goods Retailers (45913)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)
- akta.pro industry
- Notions & Sewing Accessories Retail (Thread, Needles, Zippers, Buttons)Consumer Products & Retail/Specialty Retail (Hobby, Books, Office, Pet, Toys)/Fabric, Sewing & Needlecraft RetailWeaving & Loom Supplies RetailConsumer Products & Retail/Specialty Retail (Hobby, Books, Office, Pet, Toys)/Fabric, Sewing & Needlecraft Retail
Keywords
Where Cargo is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Cargo business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail Product Sales: Cargo Inc. generates revenue through direct retail sales of clothing, home goods, apothecary products, accessories, paper goods, craft supplies, and international textiles from their physical stores and e-commerce website.
- Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold in denominations of $75, $100, $200, $250, $450, $500, $650, and $750, redeemable both online and in physical stores for any merchandise.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Gift cards in various denominations |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Free shipping threshold |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Cargo product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cargo Inc. operates a specialty retail business selling curated, globally-sourced artisan goods, vintage textiles, handmade crafts, clothing, home decor, apothecary items, and craft supplies through two physical retail stores in Portland and Astoria, Oregon, and an e-commerce storefront. The business emphasizes experiential retail through in-store workshops and events, with merchandise sourced from Japan, India, Africa, Central Asia, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.
Product overview
Cargo is a multi-category retail store operating as a unified e-commerce platform with physical retail locations in Portland and Astoria, Oregon. The product portfolio consists of ten core categories including Clothing, Kids, Apothecary, Accessories, Home and Decor, Paper Goods, Craft Supplies, Textiles, and Region-specific Shop by Region collections, plus a Sale section and Gift Cards. The store specializes in globally-sourced artisan goods, vintage items, and handmade crafts with strong emphasis on international textiles particularly from Japan, India, Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Additional services include in-store workshops and events, and the company offers digital gift cards in multiple denominations. The business operates as a traditional e-commerce retailer without AI capabilities, API integrations, or documented technology partnerships.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Clothing
Companies that use Cargo
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Cargo technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Cargo partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves1 record
Expansion highlights4 records
Cargo competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ten Thousand Villages: Fair-trade artisan retailer selling handcrafted home goods, textiles, jewelry, and gifts sourced globally from artisan cooperatives — directly comparable to Cargo's globally-sourced artisan and textile assortment.
- The Citizenry: Direct-to-consumer home goods and textiles brand partnering with artisan makers worldwide, with similar curation of premium textiles, throws, and decorative objects and an emphasis on provenance storytelling.
- Goodee: Curated marketplace for ethically sourced home goods, textiles, and artisan objects from global makers — overlaps Cargo's mission around globally sourced artisan goods and home/textile categories.
- Made Trade: Online retailer specializing in ethically and sustainably sourced clothing, home goods, and accessories from global makers — comparable assortment to Cargo's artisan fashion, home, and accessories categories.
Broad incumbents
- Anthropologie: Large multi-category lifestyle retailer with significant overlap in artisan-inspired clothing, home decor, accessories, and apothecary — broader assortment and far greater scale than Cargo but comparable merchandising philosophy.
- World Market (Cost Plus): National specialty retailer of globally-sourced home goods, textiles, furniture, and artisan imports — competes for similar customer demand for international home goods and textiles at more accessible price points.
- HomeGoods: Off-price home decor and accessories retailer that competes with Cargo's home and decor, accessories, and apothecary categories at significantly lower price points.
Emerging players
- FOLKLORE: Online platform curating vintage and antique textiles, rugs, and home goods from across the world — directly comparable to Cargo's vintage textile emphasis and regional curation model.
- Soko: Ethical jewelry and accessories brand working with artisan makers in Kenya — overlaps Cargo's artisan jewelry collection and global-sourcing approach in a narrower category.
Others
- Etsy: Largest online marketplace for handmade, vintage, and artisan goods including textiles and craft supplies — competes with Cargo's e-commerce assortment on breadth and price rather than curation.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses1 record
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Cargo social profiles
Digital presenceCargo financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cargo leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Cargo funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cargo 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 Cargo
What does Cargo do?
Cargo Inc. operates a specialty retail business selling curated, globally-sourced artisan goods, vintage textiles, handmade crafts, clothing, home decor, apothecary items, and craft supplies through two physical retail stores in Portland and Astoria, Oregon, and an e-commerce storefront. The business emphasizes experiential retail through in-store workshops and events, with merchandise sourced from Japan, India, Africa, Central Asia, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.
Is Cargo a public or private company?
Cargo is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Cargo founded?
Cargo was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cargo based?
Cargo is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cargo make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Retail Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are gift Cards.
Who are Cargo's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ten Thousand Villages, The Citizenry, Goodee and Made Trade. Broad incumbents are Anthropologie, World Market (Cost Plus) and HomeGoods. Emerging players are FOLKLORE and Soko. Etsy is listed as an others.
Does Cargo have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cargo.
What industry is Cargo in?
Cargo's product category is Specialty Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALADAG, Notions & Sewing Accessories Retail (Thread, Needles, Zippers, Buttons), with a secondary code of CRALADAL, Weaving & Loom Supplies Retail. Its NAICS code is 45913 and its SIC code is 5130.