Cream City Ribbon

What Cream City Ribbon does

Cream City Ribbon, LLC is a Milwaukee-based manufacturer of eco-friendly cotton yarn ribbon, operating as a privately-held LLC with 1–10 employees. The company produces a unique "unwoven" fabric ribbon — horizontal warp strands bonded with a water-soluble adhesive, with no cross-stitch weft — crafted on vintage machines acquired in the 1920s that remain in active use. Products are made from U.S.-grown cotton yarn with chlorine-free water-based dyes, soy-based inks, and USDA-approved adhesives, yielding a 100% biodegradable ribbon with a signature paper-like feel that curls distinctively. The company traces its roots to a string manufacturer founded over a century ago and sells under the registered Cream City Ribbon® trademark.

The product portfolio centers on stock ribbon (widths from 3/16" to 3/4", in solids, prints, stripes, gingham, Chambray, ombre, and metallic finishes), a custom ribbon program with a 500-yard minimum, Eco Flat String (a 3/16" narrow ribbon/string line), and bundled Multi-Spool Kits. Cream City Ribbon holds compliance with California Proposition 65, EU Risk Phrases, and ETAD34 dye and pigment safety standards.

Revenue is generated through three channels: direct-to-consumer e-commerce on a Shopify-powered website with small-ticket unit sales, a wholesale/B2B program for retailers and resellers, and a custom ribbon business for corporate and boutique buyers. The company ships domestically via UPS Ground and USPS (including Alaska and Hawaii) and internationally to Canada, Mexico, South America, and select Asian and EMEA markets. Marketing is organic, relying on Instagram and Facebook brand pages, an email newsletter, share-enabled product pages, and a gallery of inspiration content. The company maintains a carbon-neutral shipping arrangement through UPS and has no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, or M&A activity.

Name

Cream City Ribbon

Legal name

Cream City Ribbon, LLC

Website

https://creamcityribbon.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1900

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cream City Ribbon is a Milwaukee-based, privately-held manufacturer of biodegradable, artisan-made cotton yarn ribbon sold via Shopify e-commerce, wholesale, and custom B2B programs, serving crafters, retail boutiques, and corporate gifting clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Decorative Ribbon Manufacturing

NAICS

Narrow Fabric Mills and Schiffli Machine Embroidery (31322), Textile Mills (313)

SIC

Textile Mill Products (2200), Miscellaneous Fabricated Textile Products (2390)

akta.pro primary industry

Narrow Fabrics & Webbings (Tapes/Ribbons/Straps) (IMAOABAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Elastic, Tapes & Webbing Manufacturing (Elastic Bands/Binding/Strapping/Webbing) (IMAOALAD)

Keywords

• Cotton ribbon manufacturing
• Eco-friendly packaging materials
• Biodegradable gift wrap
• Custom ribbon printing
• Wholesale ribbon supplier

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: One-time product sales of ribbon through their Shopify-powered online store to consumers. Products are sold in various lengths (10 yards, 100 yards, 250 yards, 500 yards) at different price points.
2. Custom Ribbon Orders: Custom ribbon orders with a 500 yard minimum. Customers can choose width (3/16", 3/8", 1/2", 5/8" or 3/4"), yarn colors, and print colors for bespoke ribbon products.
3. Wholesale B2B Sales: Wholesale pricing for retailers and businesses wanting to resell ribbon or use it for in-store packaging, gift wrapping, corporate gifting, or fundraising.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cream City Ribbon manufactures artisan cotton yarn ribbon using a proprietary "unwoven" fabric technique on vintage machines from the 1920s in Milwaukee, WI. The company produces stock ribbon in multiple widths, colors, and patterns, plus custom ribbon orders with a 500-yard minimum, Eco Flat String, and multi-spool kits, all made from U.S.-grown cotton with biodegradable, water-based dyes and soy-based inks.

Product overview

Cream City Ribbon offers a specialized portfolio of artisan-crafted cotton yarn ribbon products manufactured in Milwaukee, WI using vintage 1920s machines with an unwoven fabric technique. The core offering comprises Stock Ribbon in standard widths and patterns (solids, prints, stripes, dots, gingham, Chambray, ombre, and metallic finishes) and Custom Ribbon for bespoke manufacturing with a 500-yard minimum. Supporting products include Eco Flat String (narrow 3/16" ribbon/string) and Multi-Spools/Kits (pre-assembled bundles). All products feature sustainable materials including U.S.-grown cotton, water-based dyes, soy-based inks, and biodegradable adhesives. The company also provides custom design services and a gallery of packaging/gifting inspiration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stock Ribbon Cotton yarn ribbon crafted using vintage 1920s machines with a unique unwoven fabric technique. Available in widths of 3/16", 3/8", 1/2", 5/8", and 3/4", in solids, prints, stripes, dots, gingham, Chambray, ombre, and metallic finishes. Sold to crafters, gift wrappers, and retailers.
• Custom Ribbon Bespoke ribbon manufactured to customer specifications with choices of width (3/16" to 3/4"), yarn colors (solid, bordered, variegated, or striped), and single-color soy-based ink printing. Minimum order of 500 yards, targeted at retailers, businesses, and corporate clients seeking branded ribbon.
• Eco Flat String 3/16" narrow ribbon/string crafted in the same manner as standard ribbon using the same U.S.-grown cotton yarn, providing the same paper-like feel and curl characteristics. Available in solid colors and ombre designs.
• Multi-Spools and Kits Pre-assembled bundles combining multiple ribbon designs on a single spool, including the Woodland Collection and Woodsy Christmas kit containing five different 5-yard ribbons totaling 25 yards. Targeted at crafters and gift wrappers seeking variety packs.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• UPS (Carbon Neutral Shipping)minorOthersCream City Ribbon invests in global projects through the UPS Carbon Neutral program to mitigate the environmental impact of delivering packages to customers. This partnership supports their sustainability commitment.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Berwick Offray LLC: One of the largest U.S. manufacturers of decorative ribbon, bows, and packaging trims, with deep relationships in retail, florist, and craft channels. Directly comparable to Cream City Ribbon as a heritage American ribbon manufacturer serving overlapping end markets (florists, retailers, gift wrap, crafts), though Berwick Offray's portfolio is far broader and largely synthetic.
• May Arts Ribbon: Wholesale ribbon manufacturer and distributor offering a wide range of woven, grosgrain, satin, and decorative ribbons to retailers and crafters. A direct peer given overlapping product category (ribbon) and customer base (retail, craft, gift packaging), though May Arts focuses on woven constructions rather than an unwoven technique.
• The Ribbon Retreat: U.S. online ribbon retailer offering a broad assortment of grosgrain, satin, and printed ribbon to crafters and small businesses. Comparable as a direct-to-consumer ribbon seller in the same craft, gift-wrap, and small-business use cases, though primarily a reseller rather than a manufacturer.

Broad incumbents

• Paper Mart: Large U.S. wholesale distributor of packaging supplies, including ribbon, tissue, boxes, and gift wrap. Comparable as a multi-channel packaging supplier serving retail and B2B customers, but operates a much broader portfolio and is distribution-led rather than a specialty ribbon manufacturer.

Regional players

• Hafner Group: European manufacturer of decorative ribbons, bows, and packaging trims serving retail, florist, and confectionery customers across EMEA. A peer in product category and end use, but primarily serves a different geography (Europe) and competes indirectly in the U.S. via specialty channels.

Emerging players

• EcoEnclose: Sustainable packaging supplier offering recycled and compostable mailers, boxes, tissue, and custom-branded packaging trims to e-commerce brands. A peer in the eco-friendly packaging trim space and shared target customer (sustainable and indie brands), though its primary focus is shipping mailers rather than ribbon.
• noissue: Sustainable custom packaging company offering compostable mailers, tissue, stickers, and branded packaging trims targeted at indie and DTC e-commerce brands. A peer in the sustainable, custom-branded packaging category and a direct competitor for brand-custom ribbon orders.
• Nashville Wraps: U.S. wholesale supplier of gift wrap, ribbon, tissue, and packaging supplies focused on retail, boutique, and small-business customers. A peer in wholesale ribbon distribution and gift packaging, with comparable customer segments but a broader catalog of non-ribbon packaging.
• Tiny Planet: Eco-friendly packaging brand offering compostable mailers, tissue, and custom-branded packaging for DTC and small e-commerce businesses. A peer in the sustainable, custom-branded packaging trim category with overlapping B2B custom-order dynamics, though the product mix is mailer-centric.

Others

• Crelando (Lidl private label): Listed here only to highlight the existence of large private-label and mass-market ribbon sold at European discount retailers, which compete on price at the low end of the ribbon market. A peripheral competitor for price-sensitive craft and packaging buyers but a fundamentally different business model and not a like-for-like comparison.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Cream-City-Ribbon-441882562502492
• Instagraminstagram.com/creamcityribbon
• Xx.com/creamcityribbon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cream-city-ribbon

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Cream City Ribbon