Rubie's Costume Company

What Rubie's Costume Company does

Rubie's Costume Company, operating as Rubies II LLC, is the world's largest designer, manufacturer, and distributor of Halloween costumes and related dress-up merchandise, founded in 1951 in Queens, New York. The company produces and sources costumes, accessories, wigs, masks, makeup, pet costumes, party goods, and seasonal decor through its own manufacturing and a global network of subsidiaries (Rubies Canada, Rubies Masquerade Co. UK Ltd, Peter Deck in Germany, Pro-fetes in France, Seaco in Spain) supported by a 300,000 sq ft warehouse and distribution facility in Bayshore, NY. Its product portfolio spans core licensed characters from over 100 entertainment IP agreements (Warner Bros. Discovery, DC Comics, Disney, Universal, Paramount, Mattel, NBC Universal), proprietary lines including Deluxe, Grand Heritage, Inflatable/FunFlatables, ComfyWear, and specialty categories such as adaptive costumes for children with disabilities, plus acquired brands (BuySeasons, Princess Paradise, Collegeville, Ben Cooper, Mask Illusions).

The company operates a wholesale-only B2B go-to-market, selling exclusively through retail partners — Walmart, Target, Costco, Amazon, Sam's Club, BJ's, Spirit Halloween, and specialty costume and party stores — using the NuOrder platform for wholesale ordering and participating in trade shows such as Toy Fair and Halloween & Party Expo. Pricing is negotiated at the wholesale level and is not publicly disclosed; the company does not sell direct to consumers. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time wholesale orders of licensed and non-licensed costumes and accessories, with a heavy seasonal concentration around Halloween Q4 demand supplemented by year-round party, pet, and adaptive product lines.

Since 2020, Rubies has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ad Populum LLC, a diversified holding company whose portfolio includes NECA, Kidrobot, Enesco, WizKids, Joseph Enterprises, and Graceland. The company has no external venture or private equity funding rounds recorded in the source data, indicating growth has been financed organically and through acquisition. It employs between 1,001 and 5,000 people (historical disclosure cited 2,500+ across 14 countries as of 2004), is headquartered in Plainview, NY (Long Island), and is led by Managing Partner Joel Weinshanker. The underlying technology stack is conventional e-commerce and wholesale ordering infrastructure (Shopify for consumer-facing pages, NuOrder for B2B), with no disclosed AI, ML, or data-platform capabilities — competitive differentiation rests on IP licensing, manufacturing scale, and distribution relationships rather than software or data assets.

Name

Rubie's Costume Company

Legal name

Rubies II LLC.

Website

https://rubies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1951

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Rubie's Costume Company (Rubies II LLC) is the world's largest designer, manufacturer, and distributor of Halloween costumes and accessories, selling wholesale to major retailers including Walmart, Target, Costco, and Amazon under 100+ entertainment IP licenses. Founded in 1951 and owned by Ad Populum since 2020.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Costumes & Dress-Up Apparel

NAICS

Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (33993), Gift, Novelty, and Souvenir Retailers (459420)

SIC

Costume Jewelry & Novelties (3960)

akta.pro primary industry

Pop Culture, Licensed & Fandom Gifts Retail (CRALAJAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Seasonal & Holiday Gifts & Decor Retail (CRALAJAD), Collectibles, Trading Cards & Blind Box Toys Retail (CRALAFAI)

Keywords

• Costume manufacturing
• Halloween costumes
• Licensed character apparel
• Costume accessories
• Wholesale party goods

Headquarters

HQ city

Melville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Costume and Accessory Sales: Rubies generates revenue by designing, manufacturing, and distributing costumes, accessories, wigs, masks, makeup, pet costumes, party goods, and decor through wholesale channels to retail partners.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Rubies designs, manufactures, and distributes Halloween and dress-up costumes, accessories, wigs, masks, makeup, pet costumes, party goods, and decor through wholesale B2B channels. The company holds over 100 licenses with major entertainment properties (Warner Bros. Discovery, DC Comics, Disney, Universal, Paramount, Mattel) and supplies its products to retailers including Walmart, Target, Costco, and Amazon.

Product overview

Rubies II LLC operates as the world's largest designer, manufacturer, and distributor of Halloween costumes and accessories, offering a diverse portfolio of products across multiple categories. The core product lineup includes Costumes (for kids, adults, toddlers), Accessories (wigs, masks, capes, jewelry), FunFlatables (inflatable costumes and dress-up kits), Horror Collection, Makeup (Made in USA line), Pet Costumes, Seasonal/Decor, Party Goods, and Novelty Items. The company holds over 100 licenses including Warner Bros. Discovery, DC Comics, Disney, Mattel, NBC Universal, Paramount, and Universal. Key branded product lines include the Deluxe Costume collection featuring premium materials and designs, Grand Heritage costumes with high-end craftsmanship, ComfyWear for comfort-focused everyday costumes, and Inflatable Costumes including the viral T-Rex. Recent additions include Adaptive Costumes designed for children with disabilities. The business operates through wholesale channels (NuORDER platform), with services including drop shipping, warehouse support, FOB options, and marketing support. The company was rebranded as Rubies II LLC in 2020 under the Ad Populum family and has acquired multiple brands including BuySeasons (2017), Princess Paradise, Collegeville, and Ben Cooper.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Costumes Core product line of costumes for kids, adults, and toddlers, including licensed characters from major franchises and non-licensed general costumes sold through wholesale retail channels.
• Costume Accessories Costume accessories including wigs, masks, capes, jewelry, and character-specific add-ons that complement costume offerings for retail and theatrical use.
• FunFlatables Inflatable Costumes Inflatable costume and dress-up products, including the viral T-Rex inflatable costume and themed dress-up kits for various occasions, sold through retail channels.
• Horror Collection Horror-themed costumes and accessories featuring iconic horror franchises including Halloween, The Conjuring Universe, Friday the 13th, and Nightmare on Elm Street, sold through retail channels.
• Character Makeup Line Made in the USA makeup line for character transformation, including face paint, special effects makeup, and theatrical products, produced at the Phoenix facility acquired with Collegeville and Ben Cooper.
• Pet Costumes Costumes for dogs and cats featuring licensed characters and generic designs, including walking costumes, hoodies, and accessories. The Rocky-inspired pet costume won the 2024 Pet Innovation Award for Clothing Product of the Year.
• Seasonal & Holiday Decor Holiday and seasonal decorations including festive decor, balloons, and party decorations for various occasions beyond Halloween.
• Party Goods Party supplies including tableware, favors, balloons, and other celebration items for events and special occasions.
• Novelty Items Quirky novelty items including gag gifts and humorous products for various occasions, traced back to the company's origins as a candy and novelty store in 1951.
• Adaptive Costumes Inclusive costumes designed for children with disabilities featuring easy-to-use closures and accessibility for mobility devices. Developed in partnership with Walmart for sustainability and inclusion initiatives, recognized at the 2025 Walmart Sustainability Milestone Meeting.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer ProductscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2026Rubies is listed as one of multiple licensees for Warner Bros. Discovery's Supergirl merchandise collection, part of a global merchandise program for the DC Studios film.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Disguise (Jesta Group): Direct competitor designing and manufacturing licensed costumes and accessories for major entertainment franchises. Closest like-for-like peer to Rubies in the wholesale licensed costume market.
• Jakks Pacific: Toy and costume company with licensed dress-up and role-play lines sold through mass-market retailers. Overlaps with Rubies in costume category and shares similar major entertainment IP licensing strategy.
• Fun World (Easter Unlimited): Manufacturer and distributor of Halloween costumes, masks, and novelty products sold through wholesale to mass and specialty retailers. Direct competitor in the Halloween costume and novelty category.
• Morris Costumes: Wholesale costume manufacturer and distributor serving party stores, seasonal pop-ups, and mass retailers. Directly comparable business model to Rubies' wholesale costume distribution.
• California Costume Collection: Costume manufacturer focused on Halloween and dress-up apparel sold through wholesale and specialty retailers. Direct competitor in the costume manufacturing and wholesale category.
• InCharacter Costumes: Wholesale costume brand offering licensed and generic dress-up for adults and children through mass and specialty retail channels. Directly comparable in product line and customer base to Rubies.
• Disguise / Elope (parent: Jesta Group): Sister brand within the Jesta Group producing licensed and themed costume accessories, headwear, and dress-up. Comparable to Rubies' accessory category (wigs, masks, headwear) sold to the same retail channels.

Broad incumbents

• Mattel: Major toy and consumer products company that both licenses IP to Rubies (American Girl, Barbie) and competes with adjacent dress-up and role-play offerings through its own brands.
• Party City Holdco: National party goods and Halloween retailer carrying costume assortments that compete with Rubies' products on shelf. Overlap is in retail merchandising and seasonal party category rather than costume manufacturing.

Regional players

• Spirit Halloween: Largest US specialty Halloween retailer and a current Rubies wholesale customer. While not a direct manufacturer competitor, Spirit's exclusive and private-label assortments overlap with Rubies' retail channel strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/rubies
• Facebookfacebook.com/RubiesCostumeCompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rubies-ii
• Instagraminstagram.com/rubiescostumecompany/?hl=en
• Xx.com/rubiescostumeco

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries10 records

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 Rubie's Costume Company