University Tees

What University Tees does

University Tees is a Cleveland, Ohio-based custom collegiate and Greek apparel company founded in 2003 that designs, prints, and distributes custom apparel and merchandise primarily to sororities, fraternities, college organizations, and student groups across the United States. Its core technology is a real-time Design Studio paired with a Group Ordering System and an extensive library of thousands of customizable design templates organized by category (sorority, fraternity, events, college, lifestyle), enabling chapter-level bulk customization with on-platform design editing, licensed collegiate branding, and decoration services including screen printing, embroidery, rhinestones, and distressed prints.

The company operates a hybrid go-to-market combining a distributed Campus Manager field-sales program (student representatives embedded at college campuses who facilitate group orders for Greek chapters and college groups), an owned direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront (Shop UTees), Marketing Affiliate and Campus Ambassador referral programs, and a dedicated B2B Contract Sales channel (uteesdeco.com). Revenue is generated primarily through one-time custom apparel sales transacted across these channels, with a credit-based VIP Rewards loyalty program providing retention mechanics. In August 2024, University Tees acquired Santa Monica-based Greek House (founded 2013, parent of Athlete's Thread, which had served over 20,000 student athletes), adding in-house printing-press manufacturing capacity, expanded Campus Manager coverage, and entry into the college-athlete apparel segment. The company is privately held, employs 101–250 people, and is headquartered at 2233 W. 110th Street, Cleveland, Ohio.

Name

University Tees

Legal name

University Tees, Inc.

Website

http://www.universitytees.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

University Tees is a Cleveland-based custom collegiate and Greek apparel company that designs and produces custom-printed apparel, accessories, and merchandise for sororities, fraternities, college organizations, and student groups, distributed via a Campus Manager field-sales network and its Shop UTees e-commerce platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Collegiate Apparel Manufacturing

NAICS

Apparel Manufacturing (315), Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing (except Contractors) (31525), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Men's & Boys' Furnishgs, Work Clothg, & Allied Garments (2320), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Team & Promotional Apparel Cut & Sew (Screenprint/Embroidery-Ready) (IMAOAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dresses, Skirts & Tailored Apparel Cut & Sew (Suits/Formalwear) (IMAOAEAF), School Uniforms (Children) (CRAAAHAE), Textiles, Uniforms & Linens Procurement (Student/Staff Uniforms, Towels, Bedding) (EDAEAIAN)

Keywords

• Custom collegiate apparel
• Greek life merchandise
• Custom t-shirt printing
• Sorority fraternity apparel
• Group ordering apparel

Headquarters

HQ city

Lakewood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Apparel Sales: University Tees generates revenue through the sale of custom-printed and embroidered apparel including t-shirts, sweatshirts, tank tops, accessories, and outerwear. Orders are placed through Campus Managers or directly via the e-commerce platform. The acquisition of Greek House expanded manufacturing capabilities with additional printing presses and production capacity.
2. Campus Manager Program: Student Campus Managers facilitate orders within their college communities, earning commissions or credits while providing personalized service to Greek organizations and college groups.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

University Tees designs, manufactures, and sells custom-printed and embroidered collegiate and Greek apparel—including t-shirts, sweatshirts, tank tops, outerwear, bottoms, dresses, and accessories—through an online Design Studio and a Campus Manager field-sales program. It serves sororities, fraternities, higher-education institutions, and select corporate clients with licensed collegiate merchandise and decoration services (screen printing, embroidery, rhinestones, distressed prints).

Product overview

University Tees is a custom collegiate and Greek apparel provider offering a comprehensive product portfolio centered around custom-printed apparel and merchandise. The core offering includes various apparel categories (short sleeves, long sleeves, sweatshirts, bottoms, tank tops, outerwear, dresses, and accessories) alongside design services through their Design Studio and a library of customizable templates. The company operates a hybrid business model combining B2C retail via Shop UTees with B2B group ordering through their Campus Manager program. Following the 2024 acquisition of Greek House, the company expanded its production capacity and Campus Manager program while integrating Greek House's brands including Athlete's Thread. Additional offerings include the VIP Rewards loyalty program, Corporate Casual collection for business customers, and Contract Sales for enterprise clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Custom Collegiate and Greek Apparel Custom-printed and embroidered collegiate and Greek apparel including t-shirts (short sleeves), long sleeves, sweatshirts, tank tops, bottoms, outerwear, dresses, and accessories (stickers, buttons, keychains, car decals, banners), targeted at sororities, fraternities, higher-education institutions, club sports, and student organizations. Decoration methods include screen printing, embroidery, rhinestones, and distressed prints.
• Group Ordering Service Coordinated bulk-ordering service for chapters and organizations, facilitated through Campus Managers who handle design consultation, order management, and delivery for Greek life and student group apparel orders.
• Contract Sales (uteesdeco.com) Dedicated contract sales channel for enterprise and business clients needing larger-volume custom apparel orders, accessible via uteesdeco.com and tied to the Corporate Casual product collection.
• Online Design Studio Browser-based customization tool that lets customers edit pre-made templates in real time, changing colors, adding text and graphics, and combining design elements to create custom collegiate and Greek apparel.
• Shop UTees Retail Storefront Direct-to-consumer e-commerce retail storefront at shop.universitytees.com offering individual purchases of University Tees apparel to consumers, with a 10% off promotion for email list subscribers.

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Greek HousecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 August 2024University Tees acquired Greek House, a Santa Monica-based company specializing in branded apparel for sororities, fraternities, and college athletes. Founded in 2013, Greek House had launched multiple brands including Athlete's Thread. The acquisition enhanced UTees' decoration services, customer experience, and manufacturing capacity by adding new printing presses and increasing production capacity. Greek House operated under the University Tees brand during a transition period.
• Life is GoodminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborative merchandise partnership under UTees X Life is Good branding, creating co-branded products with the lifestyle brand.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Custom Ink: Largest U.S. custom apparel platform serving groups, businesses, and Greek organizations with a design lab, group ordering, and free-shipping thresholds — the category leader UTees competes with most directly in collegiate and Greek orders.
• Underground Printing: Midwest-based custom apparel and collegiate merchandise printer with a comparable mix of custom group orders, screen printing, and campus-oriented customers, directly overlapping UTees' core offering.
• RushOrderTees: Custom apparel company specializing in fast-turnaround screen-printed and embroidered apparel for groups, schools, and Greek organizations — a close functional competitor in on-demand custom collegiate orders.
• Prep Sportswear: Online custom apparel platform focused on school, team, and group merchandise with design tools for customization, directly comparable to UTees' Design Studio-led self-serve flow.
• Spreadshirt: Global custom apparel and print-on-demand platform serving individuals, groups, and organizations, with comparable self-serve design and group-ordering capabilities targeting similar end customers.
• Blue 84: Collegiate-licensed apparel and accessories brand selling to universities, Greek organizations, and alumni — overlapping with UTees' licensed collegiate merchandise assortment and target buyer.

Broad incumbents

• Rally House: Multi-store retail chain selling collegiate, team, and local licensed apparel across many U.S. markets, providing a broader retail distribution channel that competes with UTees' Shop UTees storefront for licensed collegiate merchandise.
• Vistaprint: Large-scale printing and custom products platform (parent Cimpress) with custom apparel, promotional products, and design tools — a broader incumbent whose marketing reach and pricing power can pressure mid-sized custom apparel players.
• 4imprint: Established promotional products distributor with a sizable custom apparel category, competing for corporate, team, and organizational custom merchandise spend that overlaps with UTees' Business Solutions segment.

Others

• League Outfitters: Supplier of uniforms, team apparel, and custom decorated gear to team dealers and resellers — comparable supply-chain role to UTees' decoration services and an ecosystem enabler in the custom team-apparel channel.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/universitytees
• Pinterestpinterest.com/universitytees
• TikToktiktok.com/@universitytees
• Facebookfacebook.com/universitytees
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/university-tees

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about University Tees