SANTA CRUZ

What SANTA CRUZ does

Santa Cruz Skateboards, founded in 1973 in Santa Cruz, California, is one of the oldest and most recognizable skateboard deck and apparel brands in the world. The company manufactures and sells skateboard decks, completes, cruisers/longboards, and a full apparel line for men, women, kids, and unisex consumers, serving skateboarders, skate culture enthusiasts, and collectors across the US, Canada, Australia, UK, Denmark, Sweden, and the broader EU. It is a wholly-owned brand of NHS Inc., a privately-held California corporation that also operates Slime Balls Wheels, Krux Trucks, and Mob Grip.

The company's product portfolio spans Pro Decks, Team Decks, heritage Reissues, VX Decks (a proprietary construction using 5 plies of North American Maple plus 2 layers of Quad X technology for thinner, stronger, higher-pop boards), FeelBase and Everslick specialty decks, Completes, Cruisers, and Skate Accessories, complemented by Men's, Women's, Kids & Babies, Unisex apparel, hats, and accessories. Iconic graphic IP including the Screaming Hand (Jim Phillips, 1985) and the Classic Dot logo (Jim Phillips, 1978), plus a heritage archive of artist graphics from Natas Kaupas, Tom Knox, Corey O'Brien, and Rob Roskopp, form the backbone of reissue and licensed collaboration lines.

The business model is primarily transactional (one-time purchases) across three channels: direct-to-consumer e-commerce via nhsskatedirect.com and regional storefronts (US, Canada, Australia, UK, Denmark, Sweden, EU), licensed collaborations with major entertainment IP holders (The Pokemon Company, Netflix's Stranger Things, Toho's Godzilla) that drive premium-priced limited drops, and a global dealer network accessed via a dealer locator on the company website. Pricing is not publicly disclosed on the main website; free shipping kicks in at $85 and returns are accepted within 60 days. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and the company has not announced external funding rounds.

Name

SANTA CRUZ

Legal name

NHS Inc.

Website

https://santacruzskateboards.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Santa Cruz Skateboards, founded 1973 under NHS Inc., designs and sells skateboard decks, completes, cruisers, and apparel for skateboarders, skate-culture consumers, and collectors globally through DTC e-commerce, licensed IP collaborations, and a dealer network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Skateboard Equipment and Apparel

NAICS

Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (45912)

SIC

Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945), Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)

akta.pro primary industry

Electric Skateboards & Longboards (CRACASAC)

Keywords

• Skateboard decks
• Skateboarding apparel
• Cruiser longboards
• Skateboard accessories
• Licensed skate collaborations

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Cruz

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Skateboard Deck Sales: Santa Cruz sells individual skateboard decks including pro decks, team decks, reissues, VX decks, and cruisers/longboards. Products range from standard 7-ply birch decks to premium VX construction decks.
2. Complete Skateboard Sales: The company sells fully assembled skateboards including mini, mid, and full sizes with various components.
3. Apparel Sales: Santa Cruz generates revenue from men's, women's, and kids apparel including t-shirts, hoodies, jackets, pants, shorts, and accessories.
4. Accessories and Hardgoods: Sales of hats, socks, belts, skate wax, rails, and other skate accessories.
5. Licensed Collaboration Products: Limited edition products featuring licensed intellectual property including Pokemon, Stranger Things, and Godzilla collaborations drive premium pricing and collectibility.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Santa Cruz Skateboards manufactures and sells skateboard decks, completes, and cruisers/longboards alongside skate-inspired apparel and accessories. Core deck lines include Pro Decks, Team Decks, Reissues, VX Decks, Everslick Decks, Completes, and Cruisers, complemented by men's, women's, kids, unisex clothing, hats, and licensed collaboration collections (Pokemon, Stranger Things, Godzilla).

Product overview

Santa Cruz Skateboards is a skateboard and apparel company that offers a comprehensive portfolio of products across multiple categories. The core product line includes professional and team skateboard decks (Pro Decks, Team Decks, Reissues, VX Decks), fully assembled completes, and cruisers/longboards for various skating styles. The company complements its skate products with extensive apparel lines for men, women, kids, and unisex consumers, including t-shirts, hoodies, jackets, pants, shorts, and accessories like hats, socks, and belts. Santa Cruz has established itself through iconic graphic collections including the Screaming Hand (one of skateboarding's most recognizable symbols), Classic Dot, and various licensed collaborations with properties like Pokemon, Stranger Things, and Godzilla. The company, founded in the early 1970s by surfers from Santa Cruz High School, has a rich heritage with designs created by legendary artists like Jim Phillips and Natas Kaupas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pro Decks Professional-grade skateboard decks designed for sponsored riders, featuring artist graphics and shaped constructions.
• Team Decks Skateboard decks featuring team rider graphics and designs, including VX technology and Birch constructions.
• Reissues Reissued classic skateboard deck designs from the brand's heritage archive, featuring iconic graphics from the 1980s and 1990s.
• VX Decks Thinner, stronger skateboard decks featuring 5 plies of North American Maple and 2 layers of Quad X technology for enhanced pop and durability.
• Everslick Decks Specialty skateboard decks with unique graphic treatments and constructions.
• Completes Fully assembled skateboards ready to ride, including decks with trucks and wheels in various sizes.
• Cruisers Premium complete cruisers and longboards for cruising and transportation, including shaped, pintail, and drop thru designs.
• Skate Accessories Skateboard accessories including rails, wax, and other hardware components.
• Men's Apparel T-shirts, hoodies, jackets, pants, and shorts featuring Santa Cruz graphics and team rider designs, targeted at male consumers.
• Women's Apparel T-shirts, hoodies, jackets, tanks, and shorts designed for women, featuring various Santa Cruz graphics and designs.
• Kids & Babies Apparel Youth and children's clothing including t-shirts, hoodies, and windbreaker jackets in youth sizes.
• Unisex Apparel Gender-neutral clothing line designed for all bodies and sizes, including hoodies and sweatshirts.
• Hats & Accessories Headwear including beanies, snapbacks, trucker hats, and accessories like socks, belts, keychains, mugs, and beach gear.
• Screaming Hand Collection Iconic Santa Cruz collection featuring the Screaming Hand graphic, one of the most recognizable symbols in skateboarding history, created by Jim Phillips in 1985. Includes decks, completes, apparel, and accessories.
• Classic Dot Collection Core collection featuring the famous Santa Cruz Dot logo, the iconic brand image created by Jim Phillips in 1978 with the distinctive slanted typeface.
• Pokemon TCG Skateboard Collection Pokemon Trading Card Game collaboration featuring skateboard decks with artwork from 30 iconic Pokemon TCG cards, celebrating 30 years of Pokemon.
• Pokemon x Santa Cruz 2023 Collection Pokemon skateboard blind bag decks and apparel collection featuring 15 holo foil variants and 5 special gold foil edition variants.
• Stranger Things Collection Netflix Stranger Things collaboration featuring multicolor glow-in-the-dark decks and Stranger Things-inspired apparel.
• Godzilla x Santa Cruz Collection Godzilla collaboration featuring reimagined classic artwork by Natas Kaupas, Tom Knox, Corey O'Brien, and Rob Roskopp.
• Natas Panther Reissues Reissued classic Natas Panther skateboard decks featuring the iconic SMA (Santa Monica Airlines) graphics created by Natas Kaupas.

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

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Pokemon CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSanta Cruz is a vendor partner for Pokemon Worlds events, selling Pokemon TCG and Santa Cruz Skateboards collaboration products. The partnership includes Pokemon-themed blind bag skateboard decks featuring artwork from iconic Pokemon TCG cards. Products sold at Pokemon Worlds 2026 in San Francisco and upcoming 2027 NAIC event in Chicago.
• NetflixcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSanta Cruz collaborated with Netflix's Stranger Things property on limited edition skateboard decks and apparel collections. Multiple drops including 2022 and 2025 collections featuring multicolor glow-in-the-dark decks and Stranger Things-inspired apparel.
• Toho Co., Ltd.coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSanta Cruz collaborated with Toho Co., Ltd. on a Godzilla vs. Santa Cruz collection featuring reimagined artwork from Natas Kaupas, Tom Knox, Corey O'Brien, and Rob Roskopp based on originals by Jim Phillips. Full collection of skateboards, apparel, and griptape released November 2024.
• Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAKcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLicensed collaboration featuring Pokemon characters on skateboard products. Products include 15 holo foil variants with silver prismatic rainbow glitter foil and 5 special gold foil edition variants with metallic gold ink.
• Krux TrucksminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKrux Trucks featured in Stranger Things x Santa Cruz collection as part of complete skateboard offerings alongside Santa Cruz decks, Slime Balls wheels, and Mob Grip.
• Mob GripminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMob Grip featured in Stranger Things x Santa Cruz collection as part of complete skateboard offerings.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/santacruzskate
• YouTubeyoutube.com/SantaCruzSkateboards
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/santa-cruz-skateboards
• Instagraminstagram.com/santacruzskateboards
• TikToktiktok.com/@santa_cruz_skateboards

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 SANTA CRUZ