College Hype

What College Hype does

College Hype is a privately held custom apparel and promotional products provider founded in 1987 by Jack Doherty in Dorchester, Massachusetts. The company operates an in-house screen printing and embroidery production facility in Weymouth, MA (headquarters) and a retail showroom in Dorchester, MA, sourcing from premium apparel brands such as Nike, Carhartt, The North Face, Under Armour, Yeti, adidas, and Eddie Bauer. It offers Spot Color, 4 Color Process, Half Tones, Vintage/Distressed, Reflective, and Puff Additive screen printing, professional embroidery, a broad promotional products catalog (mugs, pens, bags, drinkware, USB drives), and end-to-end fulfillment services including kitting, picking, and shipping for event merchandise.

The company's go-to-market is primarily relationship-driven direct sales, with each client assigned a dedicated account manager who retains logos, specifications, and order history. Customers obtain pricing through request-a-quote (online form or phone), with a 24-piece minimum order, 5-10 business day standard turnaround, and rush options available. The company also operates retail walk-in sales at its Dorchester showroom and an e-commerce presence via My City Gear. It pursues multi-channel community engagement through Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, TikTok, and earned media coverage on NBC 10 Boston and Boston 25 News, supplemented by 26 years of St. Patrick's Day Southie Parade presence and a dense network of charity partnerships.

College Hype serves eight named vertical segments: Construction and Healthcare are primary, with dedicated recurring apparel programs (new hire kits, online stores, reorders). Events, Non-Profit, Corporate, Government, Education, and Sports are secondary segments. Notable clients include South Shore Health, Bay State Physical Therapy, Gillette, and Fischbach & Moore for construction, alongside charity partners such as the Flutie Foundation, Matt Brown Foundation, and Martin Richard Foundation (MR8). The business operates exclusively within Greater Boston and Southern New England, is bootstrapped with no disclosed outside funding, has 11-50 employees, and remains owned and led by founder Jack Doherty alongside SVP Joe Foley and a tenured sales team.

Name

College Hype

Legal name

College Hype

Website

https://collegehype.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

College Hype is a privately held custom apparel and promotional products provider founded in 1987, operating an in-house screen printing, embroidery, and fulfillment facility in Weymouth, MA for businesses, schools, and organizations across Greater Boston and Southern New England.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Apparel & Promotional Products

NAICS

Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992), Office Supplies, Stationery, and Gift Retailers (4594)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949)

akta.pro primary industry

Team & School Athletic Uniforms Retail (CRAMACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

High-Visibility (Hi-Vis) Safety Apparel (CRAAALAE), Large-Format & Specialty Printing (Signage, Posters, Displays) (MPAJALAD)

Keywords

• Custom apparel printing
• Screen printing services
• Custom embroidery services
• Promotional products
• Uniform fulfillment programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Dorchester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Custom Screen Printing: Custom screen printing on apparel including t-shirts, hoodies, uniforms, and event merchandise. Features include spot color, 4-color process, reflective prints, and puff additive effects. Revenue is generated per order based on quantity, colors, and complexity.
2. Custom Embroidery: Professional embroidery services for corporate uniforms, hats, and accessories. Provides durable, premium-quality decorated apparel for businesses, schools, and organizations.
3. Promotional Products: Custom promotional merchandise including coffee mugs, pens, wristbands, glassware, water bottles, tote bags, umbrellas, stress balls, USB drives, and other branded items.
4. Fulfillment Services: Kitting, picking, and shipping solutions for merchandise distribution including event gift bags, race packages, and corporate welcome kits. Revenue generated through logistics and assembly services.
5. Recurring Uniform Programs: Ongoing apparel programs for construction and healthcare industries including new hire kits, company online stores, and reorders handled by dedicated sales reps.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

College Hype provides custom screen printing, embroidery, promotional products, and kitting/fulfillment services from its in-house Weymouth, MA production facility for businesses, schools, healthcare providers, construction firms, events, non-profits, and sports organizations across Greater Boston and Southern New England. The company also runs recurring uniform programs for the construction and healthcare industries and supports event organizers with branded apparel, gift bags, and finish-line merchandise.

Product overview

College Hype is a custom apparel and promotional products provider offering screen printing, embroidery, promotional products, and fulfillment services from its in-house production facility in Weymouth, MA. Founded in 1987, the company serves various industries including construction, healthcare, events, non-profit, government, corporate, education, and sports. The core service offerings include Screen Printing (with capabilities like Spot Color, 4 Color Process, Half Tones, Vintage/Distressed, Reflective, and Puff Additive prints), Embroidery, Promotional Products (mugs, pens, bags, drinkware, etc.), and Fulfillment Services (kitting, picking, and shipping). The company sources from premium brands including Travis Mathew, Cutter & Buck, Yeti, Marmot, adidas, Eddie Bauer, Peter Millar, Helly Hansen, Carhartt, Under Armour, The North Face, Nike, and others.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Screen Printing Premium screen printing services on apparel and accessories using automated presses and eco-friendly inks, offering Spot Color, 4 Color Process, Half Tones, Vintage/Distressed, Reflective prints, and Puff Additive effects for businesses, schools, sports teams, events, and organizations across Greater Boston and Southern New England.
• Embroidery Custom logo embroidery on apparel and accessories including professional shirt embroidery (corporate uniforms, scrubs, lab coats) and custom hat embroidery, combining state-of-the-art embroidery machines with skilled craftsmanship for businesses, schools, sports teams, and organizations.
• Promotional Products Custom-branded promotional merchandise including coffee mugs, pens, wristbands, glassware, water bottles, tote bags, umbrellas, stress balls, USB drives, and trade show giveaways for businesses and organizations seeking branded giveaways.
• Fulfillment Services End-to-end kitting, picking, and shipping services including assembly of custom golf tournament gift bags, charity race prize/participation packages, and large corporate event welcome kits, with delivery coordinated to event venues for event organizers and corporate clients.
• Construction Apparel Program Recurring custom workwear, hi-vis safety apparel, and crew uniform program for construction contractors, including new hire kits, branded company online stores for reorders, and custom reflective gear handled by a dedicated sales rep.
• Healthcare Apparel Program Recurring uniform program for hospitals, urgent care networks, and medical practices providing embroidered scrubs, lab coats, and staff uniforms with department-level ordering and ongoing replenishment.
• Event Apparel & Merchandise Custom apparel and merchandise package for road races, golf tournaments, fundraisers, and corporate events, including participant shirts, sponsor gift bags, branded giveaways, finish-line merchandise, and kitted delivery to event venues.
• Corporate Apparel Professional-grade branded clothing and accessories for businesses and corporate clients, including executive gift collections, employee onboarding packages, company store programs, and trade show/event kits.
• Retail / Stock Apparel & Merchandise (My City Gear) Direct-to-consumer stock apparel and branded merchandise available at the Dorchester retail showroom and online at mycitygear.com for individual retail shoppers and walk-in customers.

Named customers6 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Flutie FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Partnership for 26th Annual Flutie 5K for Autism. College Hype printed official race shirts for over 1,500 runners. Company volunteers at event, designing finish-line banners and swag bags.
• Thomas E. Smith FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Sponsorship of annual TESF golf tournament supporting young athletes with spinal cord injuries.
• Martin Richard Foundation (MR8)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership with Team MR8 for BFit Challenge at TD Garden. Company produces team apparel and participates in annual stair-climbing event benefiting first responder charities.
• South Shore Food BankminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Sponsorship of leadership conference for South Shore food pantry leaders to strengthen collaboration during community need.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of DorchesterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Hosting facility tours for youth groups, inspiring future careers in manufacturing and design. Company opens doors to embroidery and screen printing departments.
• Rodman for KidsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Attendance and support at Rodman for Kids Celebration event.
• Alma CaresminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership with Alma Cares and Chef Paul Wahlberg for Weymouth Food Pantry volunteer efforts, packing 750 boxes in 45 minutes.
• Chef Paul WahlbergminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Local celebrity chef who visits company events and supports charitable initiatives, including dropping by Boys & Girls Club visits.
• Matt Brown FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2024Long-standing charitable partnership supporting those battling paralysis. College Hype produces specialty merchandise including Big Game tees with portion of proceeds going to foundation. Team members participate in MBF events including 5K runs and golf tournaments. Company has raised over $10,000 through dunk tank fundraiser and $6,000+ through Falmouth Road Race.
• Work Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership supporting Work Inc.'s mission to empower people with disabilities through meaningful employment.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SanMar: Wholesale apparel and accessories supplier to the imprintable apparel industry. College Hype sources from many of the same premium brands SanMar distributes (Nike, Carhartt, North Face, Eddie Bauer); SanMar is upstream rather than directly competing but shapes the supply chain.
• Vistaprint (Cimpress): Large-scale customized printing and marketing services platform. Overlaps with College Hype on small-batch custom apparel and promotional products for SMBs, though Vistaprint's strength is in marketing materials rather than uniform/team apparel programs.
• 4imprint: Large publicly traded promotional products distributor. Overlaps with College Hype on branded merchandise (mugs, pens, bags, drinkware) and corporate customer segments, though 4imprint does not own screen printing/embroidery production.
• Vitronic Promotional Group / Halo: Large promotional products distributor and supplier network. Comparable to College Hype on the branded merchandise and corporate customer side, with broader scale and a wider product catalog.

Direct peers

• CustomInk: National online custom apparel platform offering screen printing and embroidery for groups, teams, and businesses. Directly competes with College Hype on custom decorated apparel, though CustomInk operates a fully digital, self-service model with no minimums in some categories.
• Underground Printing: Mid-sized regional custom apparel and screen printing company with multiple production facilities and collegiate/team/sports customers. Comparable business model combining in-house production, dedicated sales reps, and team/storefront retail.
• RushOrderTees: Custom screen-printed and embroidered apparel provider focused on fast turnaround and small-to-mid batch orders. Closely comparable to College Hype on decoration services, customer segments (groups, teams, businesses), and rush-order positioning.
• BlueCotton: Online custom apparel and screen printing provider serving businesses, schools, and organizations. Comparable on decoration methods, B2B customer segments, and order minimums.

Emerging players

• Printful: On-demand printing and embroidery service for ecommerce brands and small businesses. Competes in the custom apparel decoration space but emphasizes digital integrations, low minimums, and drop-ship fulfillment rather than enterprise B2B uniform programs.

Regional players

• Staton Corporate / Workwear & Uniform Retailers: Uniform and workwear retailer specializing in recurring uniform programs for healthcare, hospitality, and industrial customers. Directly comparable to College Hype's healthcare and construction recurring uniform programs, though with a stronger retail-storefront orientation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CollegeHype
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@collegehype
• Facebookfacebook.com/collegehype
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/college-hype
• Instagraminstagram.com/college_hype
• TikToktiktok.com/@college_hype

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

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 College Hype