CHAPS
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2003
- HeadquartersFrechen, Germany
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
CHAPS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CHAPS
- Legal name
- CHAPS Merchandising GmbH
- Website
- https://chaps-online.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2003
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CHAPS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Branded Merchandise Services
- NAICS
- Clothing and Clothing Accessories Merchant Wholesalers (424350), Apparel, Piece Goods, and Notions Merchant Wholesalers (4243)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sports Licensing, Merchandising & Retail Programs Management (MPAKAKAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Merchandising Services (Field Merchandising, Audits, Compliance) (MPAAAJAF), Workwear, Uniforms & Corporate Apparel Wholesale (CRAOADAF)
Keywords
Where CHAPS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Frechen
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
CHAPS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Branded Fashion & Corporate Fashion: Custom-branded clothing and apparel products sold to enterprise clients. Revenue generated through one-time product sales with customization and design services included. Covers sports teams, entertainment brands, and corporate clients requiring branded merchandise.
- License Collection Products: Licensed merchandise products developed in partnership with brand licensors. Revenue model involves licensing royalties and product sales for brands looking to expand reach into new markets.
- Merchandise / On-Pack Solutions: Creative promotional items and premiums for marketing campaigns, events, and product packaging. Revenue from custom merchandise projects including design, production, and delivery.
- Online Shop / E-Commerce Platforms: Custom e-commerce platform development and hosting for B2B and B2C clients, enabling online sales of branded merchandise. May include ongoing platform maintenance and support services.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
CHAPS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CHAPS Merchandising GmbH designs, sources, and delivers custom branded merchandise for enterprise clients across five service pillars: Branded Fashion, License Collection, Merchandise/On-Pack, Corporate Fashion, and custom-built Online Shops. The company manages the full lifecycle from concept and design through sourcing, production oversight, and e-commerce launch, transforming everyday textile accessories and apparel into brand-aligned merchandise without operating its own production facilities.
Product overview
CHAPS is a merchandising company offering a comprehensive portfolio of five interconnected service pillars: Branded Fashion (custom brand clothing), License Collection (licensed merchandise), Merchandise/On-Pack (promotional products), Corporate Fashion (workwear/uniforms), and Online Shops (e-commerce solutions). The company manages the full lifecycle from concept development to final delivery, serving clients in entertainment, sports, and lifestyle sectors. CHAPS positions itself as a creative partner that transforms standard products into brand ambassadors, operating primarily in B2B with over 600 partners managed for more than 20 years.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Branded Fashion Custom brand clothing and apparel designed to embody client brand identity and vision. Service includes material selection, trend-conscious design, and high production quality with customization options such as embroidery and printing. Targeted at enterprise clients in entertainment, sports, and lifestyle sectors.
- License Collection Licensed merchandise products developed in partnership with brand licensors. Includes clothing, accessories, and household goods with designs aligned to licensor guidelines and brand identity, targeting brands seeking to extend reach into new markets through licensed merchandise partnerships.
- Merchandise / On-Pack Promotional merchandise and on-pack solutions including textiles, accessories, household items, and stationery. Designed for marketing campaigns, trade shows, and corporate events using high-quality, durable materials, targeting enterprise marketing and brand teams.
- Corporate Fashion Professional workwear and corporate clothing including shirts, blouses, pants, jackets, and shoes. Customizable with company logos and colors through embroidery or printing to reflect corporate identity, targeted at companies seeking uniform and corporate apparel programs.
- Online Shops Custom e-commerce platform development and hosting for B2B and B2C merchandise sales. Includes seamless product integration, multiple payment methods (credit card, PayPal, debit card, Klarna, Apple Pay), and reliable shipping logistics integration, enabling clients to operate their own branded merchandise online stores.
Quantifiable outcome
- 600+ partners served over more than 20 years of operation
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use CHAPS
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
CHAPS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
CHAPS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- DPD CO2-neutral shippingminorCHAPS utilizes DPD's CO2-neutral shipping service for product delivery, aligning with the company's commitment to sustainable logistics and reduced carbon footprint in its distribution operations.
- retracedcoreCHAPS uses retraced for supply chain mapping and transparency, enabling supplier mapping and gaining greater transparency over the origin of materials. The company works continuously to improve product traceability and is committed to fair and environmentally friendly production conditions.
- Gruner Knopf (Green Button) CertificationcoreCHAPS was successfully certified with the Green Button (Gruner Knopf) in July 2021. This is the first government seal to distinguish textiles that have been produced socially and ecologically by responsibly acting companies. CHAPS uses this certification to demonstrate commitment to sustainable production standards.
- GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard)coreCHAPS maintains GOTS certification for organic textile production. GOTS addresses the sustainable production of textiles, checking the entire supply chain with all its work steps for organically produced raw materials and environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing.
- GRS (Global Recycled Standard)coreCHAPS holds the Global Recycled Standard (GRS), an internationally recognized standard that aims to promote the use of recycled materials in products while ensuring compliance with environmental and social standards in production.
- Bundesinitiative 'Bunt ist nicht dumm' / BnT (German Textile Alliance)coreCHAPS is a member of the German Textile Alliance (Buntnis fuir Nachhaltige Textilien - BnT), which was founded in response to fatal accidents in textile factories. The alliance comprises members from business, NGOs, the federal government, and standard organizations working together to continuously improve corporate responsibility regarding social, ecological, and economic sustainability along the entire textile chain.
- SedexcoreCHAPS is a member of Sedex, a membership platform that enables many different companies to manage working conditions in their supply chain and their own network. Sedex provides tools to help implement responsible and sustainable business practices.
- Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI)coreCHAPS works with ETI-supported programs including the Living Wage Lab 2.0 project, where the company collaborates directly with the elected Worker Participative Committee on site. This ensures the perspective of workers - a particularly vulnerable group - directly influences CHAPS' solution development.
- Supply Chain CountriesminorCHAPS sources from Bangladesh, China, India, and Turkey for confectioning, wet processes, raw material production, and cotton cultivation. The company has no production facilities of its own and relies entirely on external suppliers, requiring rigorous supplier verification and monitoring.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CHAPS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- HALO: US-headquartered global merchandise and brand experience agency serving enterprise clients. Comparable in end-to-end service model (sourcing, decoration, kitting, e-commerce) and enterprise account focus, though at significantly larger scale.
- Brand Addition: UK-headquartered direct competitor offering branded merchandise, corporate gifts, and licensed products to enterprise clients across Europe. Closely comparable in service scope (sourcing, decoration, e-commerce) and target segments, with similar mid-market positioning.
- Midocean: Netherlands-based one-stop shop for promotional products and corporate gifts across Europe. Direct competitor in B2B branded merchandise with comparable multi-category catalogues and sustainability positioning.
- PF Concept: Germany-based promotional products wholesaler serving European resellers and brands. Highly comparable as a European mid-sized merchandise business with multi-country distribution and a broad product catalogue.
- 4imprint Group: Public US-listed direct marketer of promotional products. Comparable in core offering (branded merchandise to enterprise/sports/education buyers) but materially larger, providing a public-market reference point for the B2B merchandise category.
Emerging players
- Boost Awards: UK-based branded merchandise and recognition provider with strong focus on tech-enabled service delivery. Comparable in service scope and target buyer profile, with a more technology-led positioning and faster growth profile.
- Sustainable Brand Products (SBP): European promotional merchandise provider competing on sustainability credentials. Directly comparable to CHAPS' positioning around certified, traceable, and ethically sourced branded merchandise.
Regional players
- Elite Group: European merchandise and corporate gifting company headquartered in the UK. Comparable in B2B promotional merchandise and corporate gifting offering, with a regional European focus that overlaps with CHAPS' DACH base.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CHAPS social profiles
Digital presenceCHAPS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CHAPS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
CHAPS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CHAPS M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CHAPS
What does CHAPS do?
CHAPS Merchandising GmbH designs, sources, and delivers custom branded merchandise for enterprise clients across five service pillars: Branded Fashion, License Collection, Merchandise/On-Pack, Corporate Fashion, and custom-built Online Shops. The company manages the full lifecycle from concept and design through sourcing, production oversight, and e-commerce launch, transforming everyday textile accessories and apparel into brand-aligned merchandise without operating its own production facilities.
Is CHAPS a public or private company?
CHAPS is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CHAPS founded?
CHAPS was founded in 2003. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is CHAPS based?
CHAPS is headquartered in Frechen, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does CHAPS make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Branded Fashion & Corporate Fashion is the primary driver. The others are license Collection Products, merchandise / On-Pack Solutions and online Shop / E-Commerce Platforms.
Who are CHAPS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are HALO, Brand Addition, Midocean, PF Concept and 4imprint Group. Emerging players are Boost Awards and Sustainable Brand Products (SBP). Elite Group is listed as a regional player.
Does CHAPS have an API?
No public API is recorded for CHAPS.
What industry is CHAPS in?
CHAPS's product category is Branded Merchandise Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAKAH, Sports Licensing, Merchandising & Retail Programs Management, with a secondary code of MPAAAJAF, Merchandising Services (Field Merchandising, Audits, Compliance). Its NAICS code is 424350 and its SIC code is 5130.