Trau & Loevner
Trau & Loevner is a 125-year-old, family-owned licensed apparel manufacturer producing screen-printed tees, fleece, and headwear for major US retailers and four in-house DTC brands, leveraging one of the largest licensed property portfolios in the industry.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1897
- HeadquartersBraddock, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Trau & Loevner does
Trau & Loevner is a privately held, family-owned decorated apparel manufacturer founded in 1897 and headquartered at 838 Braddock Avenue, Braddock, Pennsylvania. The company specializes in licensed apparel — producing screen-printed tees, fleece, tanks, raglans, women's fashion tops, headwear, and hosiery featuring brands licensed from third-party intellectual property holders across food and beverage (e.g., Reese's, Hershey's, Dr Pepper, Pepsi, Coors, Miller Lite, Corona), automotive (Ford, Chevrolet, GMC, Mustang, Corvette), collegiate (Harvard, Yale, Carnegie Mellon, University of Pittsburgh, and others), and entertainment (SpongeBob, TMNT, South Park, MTV, NASA, US Postal Service) categories. The company describes its licensed property portfolio as one of the largest in the industry and operates with 101–250 employees producing millions of units per year.
The business operates a hybrid B2B/B2C model. On the wholesale side, Trau & Loevner is a vendor to major US retailers across mass merchandise (Target, Walmart), off-price (T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Ross, Burlington), department stores (Belk, Old Navy), specialty (Foot Locker, Hollister, Urban Outfitters, Five Below, Cracker Barrel), and travel retail (Hudson Group). On the direct-to-consumer side, the company operates four in-house brands — TeeLuv, Bear Run Clothing Co., TNT clothing, and Parts & Labor — sold through Amazon, Walmart.com, and dedicated e-commerce sites. The company pays licensing royalties to brand owners for the right to use their IP and generates revenue through wholesale distribution plus DTC margin, with full-service capabilities spanning design, manufacturing, global sourcing, packaging customization, and e-commerce fulfillment.
Operationally, Trau & Loevner has remained an independent private company with no observed venture capital, private equity, or public market participation, and no disclosed leadership changes, M&A, or restructuring events in the available source data. Its competitive positioning rests on the scale of its licensed property portfolio, the breadth of its retail distribution relationships built over more than a century, and its integrated manufacturing-plus-sourcing capability. No revenue, headcount growth, or unit volume figures are publicly disclosed.
Trau & Loevner firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Trau & Loevner
- Legal name
- Trau & Loevner
- Website
- https://trau-loevner.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1897
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Trau & Loevner is a 125-year-old, family-owned licensed apparel manufacturer producing screen-printed tees, fleece, and headwear for major US retailers and four in-house DTC brands, leveraging one of the largest licensed property portfolios in the industry.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Trau & Loevner industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Licensed Apparel Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Apparel Manufacturing (315), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Merchant Wholesalers (424350), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (4581)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Branded Merchandise & Promotional Apparel Wholesale (CRAOADAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Apparel Sourcing, Buying Houses & Trading Companies (CRAAAAAN)
Keywords
Where Trau & Loevner is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Braddock
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Trau & Loevner business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Licensed Apparel Manufacturing & Sales: Trau & Loevner manufactures and sells decorated apparel (men's, women's, youth tees, fleece, fashion tops, headwear, hosiery) featuring licensed brands. Revenue is generated through wholesale distribution to retail partners and direct-to-consumer e-commerce sales through their in-house brands (TeeLuv, Bear Run Clothing Co., TNT clothing, Parts & Labor).
- Licensing Fees: The company pays licensing fees to brand owners (food brands, beverage brands, automotive brands, universities, entertainment properties) for the right to use their intellectual property on apparel products.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels2 records
Trau & Loevner product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Trau & Loevner manufactures and distributes decorated licensed apparel, including men's, women's, juniors, and children's tees, fleece, fashion tops, headwear, and hosiery featuring brands from food and beverage, automotive, collegiate, and entertainment licensors. The company operates four in-house consumer brands (TeeLuv, Bear Run Clothing Co., TNT clothing, Parts & Labor) for direct-to-consumer sales and provides full-service design, manufacturing, packaging, and e-commerce fulfillment services to retail partners.
Product overview
Trau & Loevner operates as a licensed apparel company offering a one-stop-shop manufacturing and global sourcing model. The core offering consists of decorated licensed apparel for men, women, juniors, and children, including tees, fleece, fashion tops, headwear, and hosiery. The company supports this with four in-house brands—TeeLuv, Bear Run Clothing Co., TNT clothing, and Parts & Labor—which serve as direct-to-consumer touchpoints primarily through Amazon and dedicated e-commerce sites. Additional services include full-service program customization and packaging, with e-commerce order fulfillment and online advertising expertise.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- TeeLuv: In-house brand available on Amazon.com and Walmart.com, featuring licensed apparel with customer reviews highlighting quality designs and comfortable materials.
- Bear Run Clothing Co.
- TNT clothing
- Parts & Labor
Products and services
- Licensed Decorated Apparel (Men's, Women's, Youth, Juniors) Decorated licensed apparel including men's, women's, juniors, and children's tees, fleece, fashion tops, headwear, and hosiery featuring intellectual property from food, beverage, automotive, collegiate, and entertainment brand owners. Distributed through national retailers and direct-to-consumer channels.
- TeeLuv In-house apparel brand sold through Amazon, Walmart.com, and the TeeLuv direct-to-consumer e-commerce site, featuring licensed apparel designs including t-shirts, sweatshirts, and hats.
- Bear Run Clothing Co. In-house clothing brand operating as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce channel.
- TNT clothing In-house apparel brand sold through the Amazon store, featuring licensed apparel designs.
- Parts & Labor In-house apparel brand operating as a direct-to-consumer e-commerce site.
Quantifiable outcome
- Millions of units produced per year
Companies that use Trau & Loevner
Customer profileNamed customers20 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Trau & Loevner technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Trau & Loevner partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- TargetcoreMajor national retail partner distributing Trau & Loevner licensed apparel products in Target stores and online.
- WalmartcoreMajor national retail and e-commerce partner distributing Trau & Loevner licensed apparel through Walmart stores and Walmart.com.
- AmazoncoreE-commerce marketplace partner hosting Trau & Loevner's in-house brands (TeeLuv, TNT) and licensed apparel products. Also retail partner through Amazon.com.
- T.J. MaxxcoreOff-price retail partner distributing Trau & Loevner licensed apparel products in T.J. Maxx stores.
- MarshallscoreOff-price retail partner distributing Trau & Loevner licensed apparel products in Marshalls stores.
- Ross StorescoreOff-price retail partner distributing Trau & Loevner licensed apparel products in Ross stores.
- Burlington Coat FactorycoreOff-price retail partner distributing Trau & Loevner licensed apparel products in Burlington Coat Factory stores.
- Old NavycoreRetail partner distributing Trau & Loevner licensed apparel products in Old Navy stores and online.
- Foot LockercoreSpecialty retail partner distributing Trau & Loevner licensed apparel products in Foot Locker stores.
- HollistercoreSpecialty retail partner distributing Trau & Loevner licensed apparel products in Hollister stores.
- Urban OutfitterscoreBoutique retail partner distributing Trau & Loevner licensed apparel products in Urban Outfitters stores and online.
- BelkcoreDepartment store partner distributing Trau & Loevner licensed apparel products in Belk stores.
- Five BelowcoreDiscount retail partner distributing Trau & Loevner licensed apparel products in Five Below stores.
- Cracker BarrelcoreSpecialty retail partner distributing Trau & Loevner licensed apparel products in Cracker Barrel stores.
- Hudson GroupcoreTravel and convenience retail partner distributing Trau & Loevner licensed apparel products in Hudson Group airport and travel center locations.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Trau & Loevner competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Fanatics: Largest vertically integrated licensed sports merchandise platform globally, manufacturing and distributing licensed apparel across pro and collegiate sports. Overlaps Trau & Loevner on the collegiate licensing side and operates at significantly larger scale with similar retail distribution.
- G-III Apparel Group: Public apparel manufacturer and licensor for DKNY, Karl Lagerfeld, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, and Levi's. Operates at much larger scale but shares the licensed apparel manufacturing and wholesale distribution model serving major US retailers.
- Hanesbrands: Large-scale basic apparel manufacturer with global sourcing capabilities selling through mass, off-price, and specialty channels. Overlaps Trau & Loevner on basic decorated tees/fleece and big-box/off-price distribution, though broader in product portfolio.
- PVH Corp. Global apparel conglomerate behind Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger with extensive licensing partnerships and a global sourcing/manufacturing footprint. Comparable in licensed apparel manufacturing, global sourcing scale, and US big-box distribution.
Direct peers
- Bioworld International: One of the largest US licensed apparel and accessories manufacturers, producing decorated tees, headwear, and accessories featuring entertainment, gaming, music, and food/beverage brands. Closest direct comparable in product category, licensing model, and big-box distribution to Trau & Loevner.
- Great Lakes Productions: Screen-printed and embroidered apparel manufacturer producing licensed and branded apparel for the licensed novelty and college segments. Comparable in decorated-apparel manufacturing, licensing relationships, and retail/wholesale mix.
- Fifth Sun: Licensed apparel and graphic tee manufacturer serving national retailers with pop-culture, music, and entertainment-branded apparel. Operates in the same licensed decorated-apparel category with comparable big-box and specialty retail distribution.
- Ripple Junction: Licensed pop-culture apparel and accessories company producing tees and apparel featuring entertainment, gaming, anime, and CPG brands. Comparable product mix, license-driven model, and retail distribution through Amazon and specialty chains.
- Liquid Blue: Licensed tie-dye and graphic apparel maker specializing in music, entertainment, and CPG brand apparel. Comparable in decorated-tee production and licensing-based business model, though smaller in scale.
Emerging players
- CafePress (Rescue Holidays): Print-on-demand marketplace producing licensed and user-designed graphic apparel. Competes with Trau & Loevner in novelty/graphic tees but via a digital, no-inventory model targeting small-volume SKUs and creator-led brands.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Trau & Loevner financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Trau & Loevner leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Trau & Loevner funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Trau & Loevner 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 Trau & Loevner
What does Trau & Loevner do?
Trau & Loevner manufactures and distributes decorated licensed apparel, including men's, women's, juniors, and children's tees, fleece, fashion tops, headwear, and hosiery featuring brands from food and beverage, automotive, collegiate, and entertainment licensors. The company operates four in-house consumer brands (TeeLuv, Bear Run Clothing Co., TNT clothing, Parts & Labor) for direct-to-consumer sales and provides full-service design, manufacturing, packaging, and e-commerce fulfillment services to retail partners.
Is Trau & Loevner a public or private company?
Trau & Loevner is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Trau & Loevner founded?
Trau & Loevner was founded in 1897. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Trau & Loevner based?
Trau & Loevner is headquartered in Braddock, United States, in the North America region.
How does Trau & Loevner make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Licensed Apparel Manufacturing & Sales are the primary driver. The others are licensing Fees.
Who are Trau & Loevner's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Fanatics, G-III Apparel Group, Hanesbrands and PVH Corp.. Direct peers are Bioworld International, Great Lakes Productions, Fifth Sun, Ripple Junction and Liquid Blue. CafePress (Rescue Holidays) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Trau & Loevner have an API?
No public API is recorded for Trau & Loevner.
What industry is Trau & Loevner in?
Trau & Loevner's product category is Licensed Apparel Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAOADAI, Branded Merchandise & Promotional Apparel Wholesale, with a secondary code of CRAAAAAN, Apparel Sourcing, Buying Houses & Trading Companies. Its NAICS code is 315 and its SIC code is 5130.