K1 Sportswear

What K1 Sportswear does

K1 Sportswear is a privately held, US-based custom sports uniform manufacturer headquartered in Cloquet, Minnesota, with a partner production facility in the Dominican Republic. Founded in 1987 (per firmographic data; one source cites 1990), the company employs 51–100 people and produces fully custom team apparel — primarily hockey, baseball/softball, and lacrosse jerseys and uniforms — for professional, junior, collegiate, amateur, and e-Sports customers. Manufacturing capability spans multiple techniques including traditional cut & sew, sublimation, tackle twill, sublimated patches, and screen print, supported by a proprietary jersey pattern library the company has built and maintained for over 35 years.

The company's revenue model is custom uniform sales on a one-time purchase basis, with unit pricing determined by fabric, design, sizing, and quantity. There is a 12-piece minimum per style, with a 50–100% upcharge for orders below that threshold, a $50 custom pattern design fee, and a 3% credit card processing fee. K1 also operates an Express Line sub-brand offering expedited production for time-sensitive orders. The company holds official licensee status with 11+ major US hockey leagues and conferences, including CCHA, ECHL, USHL, SPHL, NAHL, USA Hockey, NCHC, Big Ten, 3HL, ECHC, and the North American PHL. Distribution is direct — via a sales team (phone/email) and website quote requests — with no disclosed third-party resellers or marketplace presence.

K1 is led by Tony Fisher (President/Owner) and appears to be founder/family-owned with no disclosed external investors, funding rounds, acquisitions, or M&A activity. The go-to-market relies on direct sales, content marketing through an active blog, downloadable PDF catalogs, and a roster-ordering template. The company does not operate a mobile app, expose an API, or disclose any AI/ML capabilities. Named enterprise customers include the Omaha Lancers (USHL), Green Bay Gamblers, Play It Again Sports, Gaming Generations (e-Sports), and multiple collegiate programs including University of Wyoming and Northeastern University.

Name

K1 Sportswear

Legal name

K1 Sportswear

Website

https://k1sportswear.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

K1 Sportswear is a private US custom sports uniform manufacturer in Cloquet, MN, producing hockey, baseball/softball, and lacrosse apparel using cut & sew, sublimation, and screen print for professional, collegiate, amateur, and e-Sports teams.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Sports Uniforms

NAICS

Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing (3152), Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing (except Contractors) (31525), Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Team & Promotional Apparel Cut & Sew (Screenprint/Embroidery-Ready) (IMAOAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Team Sports & On-Field Performance Apparel (CRAAAEAE)

Keywords

• Custom sports uniforms
• Hockey jerseys
• Baseball softball uniforms
• Lacrosse apparel
• Team apparel manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Cloquet

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Uniform Sales: Manufacture and sale of custom sports uniforms including hockey, baseball, softball, and lacrosse jerseys and apparel. Pricing is determined based on fabric options, design choices, sizing, and quantities. Orders are primarily one-time purchases with no minimum order charge but with upcharge for orders under 12 pieces.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

K1 Sportswear manufactures fully custom sports uniforms for hockey, baseball/softball, and lacrosse teams using cut & sew, sublimation, tackle twill, sublimated patches, and screen print techniques. The company serves amateur, collegiate, junior, and professional teams from its Minnesota headquarters and Dominican Republic production facility, leveraging a 35+ year jersey pattern library and official league licenses to deliver game-ready uniforms with custom artwork and rush options.

Product overview

K1 Sportswear is a custom sports uniform manufacturer offering fully custom products for Hockey, Baseball/Softball, Lacrosse, and general Apparel. The company utilizes multiple manufacturing techniques including traditional cut & sew, sublimation, tackle twill, sublimated patches, and screen print. Their product portfolio centers on custom team uniforms with the Express Line sub-brand offering expedited production. They maintain a library of jersey patterns built over 35 years and serve as an official licensee for various hockey leagues including CCHA, ECHL, USHL, SPHL, NAHL, and USA Hockey.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hockey Uniforms Fully custom hockey jerseys and uniforms manufactured for ice hockey teams at professional, junior, collegiate, and amateur levels, using multiple decoration techniques and supporting official league-licensed designs.
• Baseball/Softball Uniforms Custom baseball and softball uniforms for teams and team-sales retailers, with full customization options including sublimation, tackle twill, and screen printing.
• Lacrosse Uniforms Custom lacrosse jerseys and uniforms produced with the same manufacturing techniques as the hockey product line, for organized lacrosse teams and programs.
• Team Apparel General team apparel including jerseys and socks for sports teams, complementing K1's sport-specific uniform lines.
• Express Line (Expedited Custom Uniforms) Expedited production service option for faster turnaround on K1's custom uniforms, available for time-sensitive orders such as tournaments and opening nights.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50 piece minimum per style order for competitive pricing

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CCHA (Central Collegiate Hockey Association)coreOthersK1 Sportswear is an official licensee of CCHA, authorized to produce officially licensed merchandise and uniforms for member teams.
• ECHLcoreOthersK1 Sportswear is an official licensee of the ECHL, authorized to produce officially licensed merchandise and uniforms.
• USHL (United States Hockey League)coreOthersK1 Sportswear is an official licensee of the USHL, authorized to produce officially licensed merchandise and uniforms for junior hockey teams.
• USA HockeycoreOthersK1 Sportswear is an official licensee of USA Hockey, authorized to produce officially licensed merchandise and uniforms.
• NCHC (National Collegiate Hockey Conference)coreOthersK1 Sportswear is an official licensee of NCHC, authorized to produce officially licensed merchandise and uniforms for member schools.
• Big Ten ConferencecoreOthersK1 Sportswear is an official licensee of the Big Ten Conference, authorized to produce officially licensed merchandise and uniforms.
• NAHL (North American Hockey League)coreOthersK1 Sportswear is an official licensee of NAHL, authorized to produce officially licensed merchandise and uniforms for junior hockey teams.
• SPHL (Southern Professional Hockey League)coreOthersK1 Sportswear is an official licensee of SPHL, authorized to produce officially licensed merchandise and uniforms.
• 3HL (3 Nations Hockey League)coreOthersK1 Sportswear is an official licensee of 3HL, authorized to produce officially licensed merchandise and uniforms.
• ECHC (ECHA)coreOthersK1 Sportswear is an official licensee of ECHC, authorized to produce officially licensed merchandise and uniforms.
• North American PHLcoreOthersK1 Sportswear is an official licensee of North American PHL, authorized to produce officially licensed merchandise and uniforms.

Scale indicators1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Eastbay Team Sales: Eastbay operates a team sales business in North America offering custom uniforms and apparel across multiple sports — comparable to K1 in serving school, college, and amateur team markets in the US but as a distribution-led model with broader apparel and footwear selection.

Direct peers

• Badger Sport: Badger Sport is a custom team apparel and uniform manufacturer serving schools, leagues, and organizations across multiple sports — directly competing in the same custom team uniform and apparel manufacturing space as K1.
• Augusta Sportswear: Augusta Sportswear designs and manufactures custom team uniforms and apparel for sports teams, schools, and organizations — overlapping with K1 in custom team apparel across baseball, softball, and other team sports categories.
• Holloway Sportswear: Holloway is a US-based custom team apparel manufacturer serving schools, colleges, and sports organizations with cut-and-sew and sublimated apparel — directly comparable to K1's core cut & sew, sublimation, and tackle twill business across team sports.
• Pennant Sportswear: Pennant Sportswear manufactures custom team uniforms and apparel using sublimation and traditional techniques for baseball, softball, and other team sports — closely aligned with K1's customization, technique mix, and target customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Bauer Hockey: Bauer is a major global hockey equipment and apparel brand that produces custom and stock hockey jerseys and apparel — competes with K1 in custom hockey uniforms but as part of a much broader equipment and apparel portfolio, primarily at the elite and pro levels.
• Adidas Team Sports: Adidas Team offers custom team apparel and uniforms across multiple sports globally — competes with K1 in collegiate and league-level custom apparel but at much larger scale with a global brand and broader product portfolio.
• CCM Hockey: CCM is a global hockey equipment and apparel brand offering custom and stock hockey jerseys — competes with K1 in hockey uniforms from junior through professional levels but as part of a wider sticks, skates, and protective equipment portfolio.
• Nike Team Sports: Nike Team designs and produces custom team uniforms and apparel for collegiate and professional programs across many sports — competes with K1 at the upper end of the team apparel market with significantly greater brand recognition and capital.
• Under Armour Team Sports: Under Armour offers custom team uniforms and apparel across multiple sports through its team sports program — overlapping with K1 in custom team apparel but at much larger scale, with broader brand marketing and a global distribution footprint.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/k1sportswear
• Facebookfacebook.com/k1sportswear

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 K1 Sportswear