What Independent Trading Co. does

Independent Trading Company, founded in 1987 and headquartered in San Clemente, California, is a privately held apparel manufacturer and supplier specializing in premium blank and custom sweatshirts, fleece garments, and related apparel. The company serves three customer segments: B2B wholesale buyers (print shops, decorators, screen printers, and retailers), apparel brands seeking bespoke manufacturing, and direct-to-consumer individuals. Its product portfolio is organized into eleven named sub-brands — Independent, AFX, Expedition, Standard Supply, Premium, Legend, Boulevard, Mainstreet, Perform, California Wave Wash, and LUX — spanning pullover hoods, zip hoods, crew necks, T-shirts, quarter-zips, jackets, flannels, workwear, and accessories at fabric weights from 8.5oz to 13.5oz. Proprietary garment finishing treatments (Pigment Dye, California Wave Wash, Tie Dye, modal fleece, cross-grain construction) underpin the technical differentiation versus generic blanks.

The business model combines three revenue streams: B2B wholesale distribution through a dedicated portal at b2b.independenttradingco.com with exclusive pricing for verified accounts; direct-to-consumer retail e-commerce at independenttradingco.com with free shipping on continental U.S. orders over $99; and project-based custom manufacturing services for brands worldwide. Retail unit prices range from approximately $20 (T-shirts) to $85 (outerwear), with wholesale pricing gated behind B2B account verification. Marketing is multi-channel, spanning the DTC website, B2B portal, email newsletter, a content blog, and active social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. The company maintains multiple distribution centers to support fulfillment.

Independent Trading Company is founder-owned (Brad Rambo), with no disclosed institutional capital, funding rounds, revenue figures, or M&A activity in the source data. Recent strategic activity is product-focused: in July–August 2026 the company expanded colorways across the Boulevard streetwear line (IND330BLV), Men's Perform Quarter Zip (EXP20PQ), and Women's Performance Quarter-Zip (EXP15WPQ), signaling continued investment in streetwear and activewear verticals alongside the core blank business. The company has been identified as a key participant in the 2025 childrenswear/youthwear market, with dedicated youth SKUs supporting that segment.

Name

Independent Trading Co.

Legal name

Independent Trading Company

Website

http://independenttradingco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Independent Trading Co. is an apparel & fashion company specializing in fleece, sweatshirts, jackets, and apparel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wholesale Blank Apparel Manufacturing

NAICS

Clothing and Clothing Accessories Merchant Wholesalers (424350), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Merchant Wholesalers (42435), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (45811), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (458110)

SIC

Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130), Retail-Family Clothing Stores (5651)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable / Ethical Apparel & Accessories Wholesale (CRAOADAJ)

Keywords

• Blank apparel manufacturing
• Wholesale sweatshirts
• Heavyweight fleece hoodies
• Custom apparel manufacturing
• Screen printing blanks

Headquarters

HQ city

San Clemente

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Distribution: B2B wholesale sales of blank apparel to retailers, print shops, and brands through dedicated wholesale B2B portal with exclusive pricing
2. Direct Retail E-commerce: Direct-to-consumer retail sales through independenttradingco.com website for individual consumers
3. Custom Manufacturing: Custom apparel manufacturing services for brands worldwide, providing bespoke production capabilities since 1987

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Independent Trading Co. is a wholesale-focused apparel manufacturer and supplier specializing in high-quality blank and custom fleece apparel — including heavyweight pullover hoodies, zip hoods, crew necks, T-shirts, jackets, outerwear, activewear, and youth apparel — sold primarily to print shops, screen printers, decorators, and retailers through a dedicated B2B wholesale portal, with secondary direct-to-consumer retail sales and bespoke custom manufacturing services for brands worldwide.

Product overview

Independent Trading Company is a leading manufacturer and supplier of high-quality blank and custom apparel established in 1987. The company operates as a wholesale-focused apparel manufacturer offering a diverse product portfolio organized into multiple collections: the core Independent collection (10oz heavyweight hoodies like IND4000, IND4000Z, 10oz Crew), the premium Mainstreet line (12.5oz/420gm IND420XD, IND420ZIP), the Legend premium collection (13.5oz/450gm cross-grain IND5000P, IND5000C), the streetwear-focused Boulevard line (IND330BLV), the activewear Perform line (EXP20PQ, EXP30PZ), and the Expedition outerwear/workwear collection (EXP94NAW, EXP550Z, EXP100PFZ). The company also offers specialty lines including Pigment Dye products (PRM4500, PRM3500, PRM180PT), Tie Dye collections, the California Wave Wash women's line (PRM2600, PRM2500, PRM2700), the LUX premium modal collection (INDLUXHOOD, INDLUXCREW), the AFX lightweight women's line (AFX64CRP), and youth-specific offerings (SS4001Y, PRM1500Y). Their products span pullover hoods, zip hoods, crew neck sweatshirts, half-zip sweatshirts, T-shirts, jackets, outerwear, activewear, flannels, pants, shorts, and accessories like bags and blankets. The company also provides custom manufacturing services for brands worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AFX: Athletic/fitness focused apparel collection featuring performance fabrics and activewear styles including crop tops and lightweight items
• Expedition
• Standard Supply
• Premium
• Independent
• Legend
• Boulevard
• Mainstreet
• Perform
• California Wave Wash
• LUX

Products and services

• Independent Collection (10oz Heavyweight Core Hoodies & Crews)

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Gildan Activewear: One of the world's largest manufacturers of basic apparel including sweatshirts and fleece. Independent Trading Co. competes in the same blank apparel wholesale category but at vastly smaller scale; Gildan offers a broader portfolio across more price points and dominates volume distribution.
• Hanesbrands (Champion): Owner of the Champion brand and a major blank apparel producer through Hanes, Comfortwash, and other lines. Directly competes with Independent Trading Co. in wholesale sweatshirts and hoodies, with substantially larger scale and brand recognition.
• JERZEES (Russell Athletic / Hanesbrands): Established blank apparel brand owned by Hanesbrands offering sweatshirts, hoodies, and fleece for wholesale and screen printing markets. Competes with Independent Trading Co. in mass-market blank apparel with broader scale and distribution.

Direct peers

• Bella+Canvas: Premium blank apparel manufacturer specializing in tees, hoodies, and fleece sold wholesale to decorators and brands. Targets the same screen printer / decorator customer base as Independent Trading Co. with comparable focus on quality blanks and retail-ready finishes.
• Next Level Apparel: Wholesale blank apparel manufacturer focused on premium tees, hoodies, and fleece for decorators and screen printers. Direct competitor in the mid-to-premium blank apparel tier with similar go-to-market through B2B wholesale accounts.
• Comfort Colors: Specialty blank apparel brand known for pigment-dyed garments with vintage character — a direct overlap with Independent Trading Co.'s Pigment Dye and California Wave Wash processes. Targets the same premium blank apparel wholesale segment.
• Tultex: Wholesale blank apparel manufacturer offering tees, hoodies, and fleece to decorators and screen printers. Comparable mid-tier blank apparel positioning with similar B2B distribution model.
• Lane Seven: Premium blank apparel brand offering heavyweight hoodies, tees, and workwear-style garments to wholesale accounts. Direct competitor in the heavyweight fleece category with similar streetwear-meets-basics positioning.
• Threadfast Apparel: Sustainable blank apparel manufacturer offering tees, hoodies, and fleece with eco-friendly materials sold via B2B wholesale to decorators and brands. Competes with Independent Trading Co. in mid-premium blank apparel tier with overlap in custom manufacturing services.

Emerging players

• Shaka Wear: Direct-to-consumer and wholesale blank apparel brand specializing in heavyweight fleece, drop-shoulder cuts, and streetwear-style blanks. Smaller scale than Independent Trading Co. but competes in the same heavyweight/streetwear blank apparel segment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC-kX8clBrVaroROqqFfyyOg
• Facebookfacebook.com/independenttradingcompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/independenttradingcompany
• Pinterestpinterest.com/independenttradingcompany
• Xx.com/indytradingco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/independent-trading-co.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Independent Trading Co.