What Matman does

Matman Wrestling Company, Inc., operating as Matman USA, is a privately held U.S. manufacturer of wrestling apparel and equipment founded in 1969 in Lakewood, Washington. The company designs, cuts, sews, sublimates, and finishes its products in a single in-house production facility staffed by under eight employees, including a South Korean sewing team with 20+ years of experience. Its 209-SKU catalog centers on wrestling singlets (men's, women's, youth, custom, and reversible), protective equipment (headgear, knee pads, knee sleeves), practice gear (compression tops, rashguards, fight shorts), and accessories (briefs, ankle bands, hair caps, gear bags, striping tape), and has been extended in 2026 to other team sports including baseball, softball, soccer, and volleyball.

The business serves four overlapping customer segments: individual wrestlers, wrestling teams and clubs (high school, middle school, club, and collegiate), wholesale dealers who resell to schools and teams, and institutional accounts including U.S.A. Wrestling and major university programs (Oklahoma State, Northern Iowa, Edinboro, University of Minnesota). Matman's products were used to outfit the U.S.A. Wrestling team across six consecutive Olympic Games from Seoul 1988 through Beijing 2008 and have been supplied to approximately 30 international teams.

Matman generates revenue through one-time unit sales across four distribution channels: a Shopify-hosted direct-to-consumer website (matmanusa.com), third-party marketplaces (Amazon, Walmart, eBay), a wholesale dealer network, and custom team orders. Pricing is unit-based, with singlets ranging from approximately $10.24 to $45.95 and accessories from $2.49 to $34.97; custom sublimation orders carry a 10-business-day lead time and fully custom team orders a 15-business-day lead time. The company operates as a privately held, single-owner lifestyle business under Ed Zittel, with no disclosed institutional investment, subsidiaries, or M&A activity.

Name

Matman

Legal name

Matman Wrestling Company, Inc.

Website

https://matmanusa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Matman Wrestling Company is a privately held U.S. manufacturer of wrestling apparel and equipment, founded in 1969 in Lakewood, Washington, producing singlets, headgear, and protective gear in-house for individual wrestlers, scholastic and collegiate teams, wholesale dealers, and international Olympic programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Athletic Apparel & Equipment

NAICS

Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992), Apparel Manufacturing (315), Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)

akta.pro primary industry

Team Sports Equipment & Uniforms Retail (CRAMABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Team Sports Equipment & Apparel Distribution (CRAOAJAA), Sports & Outdoor Accessories Manufacturing (Performance Gloves/Headwear) (IMAOAFAI)

Keywords

• Wrestling apparel manufacturing
• Custom team singlets
• Wrestling protective gear
• Sublimation apparel printing
• Wholesale sports uniforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Lakewood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Retail sales through their own Shopify-hosted e-commerce website selling stock and custom wrestling apparel directly to consumers.
2. Marketplace Sales: Sales through third-party marketplaces including Amazon, Walmart, and Ebay.
3. Wholesale/Dealer Sales: Traditional wholesale distribution to dealers who resell to schools, wrestling teams, and individuals.
4. Custom Team Orders: Custom team apparel orders with design services, sublimation, and production for wrestling teams and clubs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Matman manufactures and sells wrestling apparel and equipment from its Lakewood, Washington facility, producing singlets, headgear, knee protection, practice gear, and accessories in-house with cutting, sublimation, and sewing capabilities. The company also offers custom team apparel design and produces limited jerseys for baseball, softball, soccer, and volleyball teams. Distribution occurs through its own e-commerce store, Amazon, Walmart, eBay, and a wholesale dealer network serving schools, wrestling programs, and individual athletes.

Product overview

Matman is a wrestling apparel and equipment manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of 209 products. The core product line centers on wrestling singlets (men's, women's, youth, custom, and reversible styles) complemented by protective equipment (headgear, knee pads, knee sleeves) and practice gear (compression tops, rashguards, fight shorts, compression shorts, warm-ups). The company also provides accessories including wrestling briefs, ankle bands, hair caps, gear bags, and striping tape. Additionally, Matman extends its manufacturing capabilities to other team sports with baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball jerseys and team gear. All products are manufactured in-house at their Lakewood, Washington facility, with custom team orders featuring 15 business day production time and sublimation services at 10 business days. The company sells directly to individuals and teams via their e-commerce platform and through wholesale channels, as well as through Amazon, Walmart, and eBay marketplaces.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Men's Wrestling Singlets Wrestling singlets for adult male competitors in multiple styles (Standard, Heavyweight, Double Knit, Goodwill) with varied color options, priced from $10.24 to $45.95.
• Women's Wrestling Singlets Wrestling singlets designed for female competitors, including the Timeless Women's Singlet at $45.95.
• Youth Wrestling Singlets Wrestling singlets sized for younger competitors in the youth age divisions.
• Custom Wrestling Singlets Custom-designed wrestling singlets with team colors, logos, and personalized designs for schools, clubs, and organizations, with 15 business day production.
• Reversible Wrestling Singlets Double-sided wrestling singlets worn inside-out for quick team color changes during competitions.
• Adult Wrestling Headgear Protective headgear for adult wrestlers to prevent ear injuries, reviewed by Sports Illustrated and Miami Herald.
• Youth Wrestling Headgear Protective headgear sized for younger wrestlers with adjustable features.
• Wrestling Knee Pads Protective knee padding for wrestlers during takedowns and floor contact.
• Wrestling Knee Sleeves Compression knee sleeves providing support and protection during wrestling practice and competition.
• Wrestling Compression Tops Form-fitting compression garments worn during wrestling practice.
• Wrestling Rashguards Close-fitting shirts that protect skin from mat burns and provide coverage during practice.
• Wrestling Fight Shorts Wrestling-appropriate shorts for practice and warm-up activities.
• Wrestling Compression Shorts Supportive compression shorts worn under singlets or during practice.
• Wrestling Warm-Ups Warm-up suits and jackets for pre-competition preparation.
• Wrestling Briefs Protective underwear worn under singlets for additional coverage and support, priced at $21.95.
• Wrestling Ankle Bands Bands worn around the ankle to secure singlets or indicate team affiliation, priced at $22.95.
• Large Hair Cap Hair containment cap made of 4-way stretch lycra (82% Nylon/18% Spandex) with moisture-wicking material, flatlock stitching, and built-in loops to secure to headgear, priced at $9.95 (sale $2.49). Made in the U.S.A.
• Large Gear Bag Spacious 24"H x 10"W x 10"D sports bag with drawstring closure, mesh side panels, padded back, adjustable straps, and water-resistant material, priced at $34.97. Made in China.
• Striping Tape Vinyl striping tape for gym floors and wrestling mats in 1-inch and 2-inch widths and various colors, 108' length, 6 mil thick, priced at $5.00 (sale $2.50). Made in Taiwan.
• Baseball Jerseys Baseball team jerseys available in 6 product variations.
• Softball Jerseys Softball team jerseys available in 9 product variations.
• Soccer Jerseys Soccer team jerseys available in 2 product variations.
• Volleyball Jerseys Volleyball team jerseys available in 3 product variations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products used in 6 Olympic Games (1988-2008)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Tiger Claw: Long-standing wrestling apparel and footwear brand. Comparable to Matman in martial arts / wrestling apparel, custom team apparel, and dealer-based distribution in the U.S.
• Cliff Keen Athletic: Long-established U.S. wrestling apparel and headgear manufacturer. Directly competes with Matman in singlets, headgear, and protective gear sold to high schools, colleges, and wrestling clubs, and is one of the most comparable Made-in-USA heritage brands in the niche.
• Brute Wrestling: U.S. wrestling apparel and singlet brand sold team-direct and through dealers. Comparable to Matman in target market (high school to college wrestling teams), custom sublimation capability, and channel mix.
• Rudis: Wrestling-rooted apparel brand selling singlets, shoes, and apparel to teams and consumers. Comparable to Matman in serving wrestling teams and individuals, with a stronger consumer/DTC brand posture and an aggressive sponsored-athlete marketing model.

Regional players

• WrestlingMart: Multi-brand wrestling retailer offering apparel, shoes, and gear from competing brands. Comparable to Matman as a wrestling-focused destination, but as a retailer rather than a manufacturer and brand owner.
• Kwon (Martial Arts): Korean-origin martial arts and combat sports apparel manufacturer. Comparable to Matman in wrestling and combat sports apparel, particularly given Matman's South Korean sewing team heritage, though primarily European-distributed.

Broad incumbents

• BSN Sports: Large team sports apparel and equipment distributor serving schools and leagues. Comparable to Matman as a wholesaler to schools and teams across multiple sports, though BSN is a multi-brand distributor while Matman is a brand-owned manufacturer.
• adidas Wrestling: Major global brand with deep wrestling involvement including footwear, apparel, and sponsored national teams. Comparable to Matman as a wrestling apparel supplier to elite and amateur teams, with far greater scale, brand recognition, and resources.
• Asics (Wrestling): Global athletic footwear and apparel giant with a dedicated wrestling line (shoes, singlets, accessories). Comparable as a wrestling apparel competitor but operates at materially larger scale across many sports, with broader distribution and deeper marketing budgets.

Others

• OshKosh B'Gosh (Apparel Manufacturing): Heritage U.S. apparel brand with in-house and contract manufacturing. Relevant only as a touchpoint for the broader 'Made-in-USA apparel' narrative that Matman also leans on, not a direct competitor in wrestling.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@MatmanUSA
• Facebookfacebook.com/Matmanusa
• Instagraminstagram.com/matmanusa
• TikToktiktok.com/@matmanusa1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/matmanusa

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 Matman