California Manufacturing

What California Manufacturing does

California Manufacturing, operating commercially as CMC Brands (formerly California Manufacturing Co.), is a privately held, family-owned apparel company founded in 1946 and headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, with an expansive distribution center in California, Missouri, and partner factories around the globe. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes men's and women's apparel across a portfolio of lifestyle sub-brands — DKOTA Grizzly (outdoor/adventure), Canyon Guide Outfitters (classic lifestyle, wholesale only), Stillwater Supply Co. (affordable versatile clothing), Rural Cloth (rural lifestyle), and American Cattle Co. (ranch heritage) — and additionally produces private label apparel for leading retailers nationwide. The business is now in its fourth generation of family ownership and is structured as a woman-owned enterprise.

The company operates a B2B wholesale and OEM/private label model rather than direct-to-consumer retail: Canyon Guide is explicitly a "wholesale only brand," and the broader portfolio reaches end consumers through retail partners rather than owned storefronts. Distribution is anchored by the California, MO facility and a globally distributed partner-factory base, enabling flexible production across both branded wholesale lines and retailer-owned private label programs. Marketing support is modest, consisting primarily of organic social media presence and a corporate website (cmcbrands.com) showcasing the brand portfolio and seasonal catalogs.

CMC Brands does not disclose pricing publicly, and its competitive positioning centers on heritage (nearly 80 years of continuous operation), quality craftsmanship (machine-washable, rugged gear with detail-level features such as tonal rack stitching, embossed logo clips, and hidden pockets), and brand portfolio diversification across outdoor, rural, classic, and value lifestyle segments. The company has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities, digital product surface, or institutional funding, and there is no public data on revenue, named retail customers, or contract structure.

Name

California Manufacturing

Legal name

CMCBrands

Website

https://cmcbrands.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

California Manufacturing (CMC Brands) is a privately held, fourth-generation family-owned apparel designer and manufacturer in St. Louis, Missouri, producing branded men's and women's clothing across five sub-brands and private label apparel for leading U.S. retailers via wholesale and global partner factories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Apparel Manufacturing

NAICS

Apparel Manufacturing (315), Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing (3152)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)

akta.pro primary industry

Fast Fashion Manufacturing & Private Label (Cut-Make-Trim) (CRAAAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Branded Merchandise & Promotional Apparel Wholesale (CRAOADAI)

Keywords

• Wholesale apparel manufacturing
• Private label clothing
• Outdoor lifestyle apparel
• Men's and women's apparel
• Branded apparel distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Apparel Sales: CMC Brands generates revenue through wholesale distribution of its portfolio of branded apparel products including DKOTA Grizzly, Canyon Guide Outfitters, Stillwater Supply Co., and Rural Cloth/American Cattle Co. to retailers.
2. Private Label Manufacturing: The company produces private label apparel for leading retailers nationwide, manufacturing apparel under retailers' own brand names.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

California Manufacturing (CMC Brands) designs, manufactures, and distributes branded men's and women's apparel and outerwear through a portfolio of lifestyle sub-brands (DKOTA Grizzly, Canyon Guide Outfitters, Stillwater Supply Co., Rural Cloth, and American Cattle Co.) sold wholesale to retailers. The company also produces private label apparel for leading retailers nationwide, manufacturing under retailer-owned brand names.

Product overview

CMC Brands is a family-owned apparel company that designs, manufactures, and distributes men's and women's clothing through multiple lifestyle sub-brands. The portfolio includes DKOTA Grizzly (outdoor/adventure apparel), Canyon Guide Outfitters (classic lifestyle apparel, wholesale only), Stillwater Supply Co. (affordable versatile clothing), Rural Cloth (rural lifestyle), and American Cattle Co. (ranch heritage collection). The company also produces private label apparel for leading retailers nationwide. Founded in 1946 and headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, CMC Brands operates distribution centers in California, Missouri with partner factories globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DKOTA Grizzly: Outdoor and adventure apparel brand designed for easy-to-wear, versatile pieces that elevate timeless styles.
• Canyon Guide Outfitters
• Stillwater Supply Co.
• Rural Cloth
• American Cattle Co.

Products and services

• DKOTA Grizzly Outdoor and adventure apparel sub-brand offering machine-washable, rugged men's and women's clothing with timeless style, coordinated color palettes, tonal rack stitching, embossed logo clips, hidden pockets, and sunglasses wipes; sold wholesale to retailers.
• Canyon Guide Outfitters Tried-and-true classic lifestyle apparel brand for men and women, offering full range of seasonal clothing with a blend of durability, comfort, and affordability; wholesale only and not sold direct to consumers.
• Stillwater Supply Co. Versatile and affordable men's and women's clothing collection including outerwear, sportswear, and activewear, focused on functional style, wearability, performance, and everyday value; sold wholesale to retailers.
• Rural Cloth Apparel brand for men and women who enjoy hunting, fishing, rural lifestyle, and outdoor activities; celebrates rural American heritage and country living, sold wholesale to retailers.
• American Cattle Co. Lifestyle apparel collection celebrating American ranching and farming heritage, honoring generations of farmers and ranchers who built the nation; sold wholesale to retailers as part of CMC Brands' rural heritage portfolio.
• Private Label Apparel Manufacturing Custom contract manufacturing of private label apparel for leading nationwide retailers, producing men's and women's apparel under retailer-owned brand names; leverages partner factories globally and the company's California, MO distribution center.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• G-III Apparel Group: Diversified apparel manufacturer and wholesale distributor operating both licensed, owned, and private label brands across men's and women's categories. Highly comparable to CMC's hybrid branded-plus-private-label wholesale model.
• Delta Apparel: Vertically integrated apparel company producing branded (Salt Life, etc.) and private label apparel, with manufacturing footprint and wholesale distribution. Closely comparable to CMC in size, hybrid model, and category mix.
• Carhartt: Family-owned heritage workwear and rugged apparel brand sold through wholesale and DTC. Directly comparable to DKOTA Grizzly and Rural Cloth positioning in rugged/outdoor lifestyle apparel.
• Ariat International: Western and equestrian lifestyle apparel and footwear brand. Comparable to CMC's Rural Cloth and American Cattle Co. sub-brands targeting rural, ranching, and western lifestyle consumers.
• Haggar Clothing: Heritage menswear brand with private label and wholesale programs. Comparable to CMC's Canyon Guide heritage positioning and men's apparel private label manufacturing.
• Cutter & Buck: Premium lifestyle apparel brand distributed through wholesale (golf, corporate, specialty retail). Comparable in classic lifestyle apparel wholesale model and B2B distribution focus.
• Filson: Heritage outdoor and rugged apparel brand targeting hunters, anglers, and outdoorsmen. Closely comparable to DKOTA Grizzly and Rural Cloth in outdoor/heritage positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Hanesbrands: Large-scale apparel manufacturer with both branded and private label programs across basics, activewear, and innerwear. Comparable as a vertically integrated apparel producer serving wholesale and private label retail customers.
• Perry Ellis International: Multi-brand apparel company managing a portfolio of men's and women's lifestyle brands distributed through wholesale channels. Comparable in managing multiple sub-brands across lifestyle segments.

Emerging players

• Schaefer Outfitter: Heritage western and outdoor apparel brand. Comparable to CMC's western/rural lifestyle sub-brands in product positioning and target consumer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 California Manufacturing