Close Up Apparel

What Close Up Apparel does

Close Up Apparel is a privately held custom apparel decoration company headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, operating from a single production facility at 2726 Mondovi Road. The company provides screen printing, embroidery, custom design services, and advertising specialty items (pens, mugs, patches, can coolers, phone accessories, etc.) to small and medium-sized local businesses, sports teams, clubs, and community organizations. Its core capability is on-site decoration of blank apparel sourced from major distributors such as SanMar, S&S Activewear, and Alphabroder, using automatic and hand press screen printing machines and state-of-the-art multi-head embroidery equipment capable of multi-color spot process, 4-color process, and 3D embroidery effects.

The business runs on a direct-to-consumer, quote-based commercial model: customers submit specifications through the company website or by phone and receive custom pricing tied to quantity, color count, stitch count, and design complexity. There are no publicly disclosed price tiers, no recurring contracts, and no subscription or licensing structure — every engagement is a one-time production engagement. The company promotes low minimum order quantities as its principal competitive differentiator, targeting SMBs and group orders that larger decoration shops may not accommodate. Marketing and lead generation are conducted primarily through the company website, a portfolio/works gallery, and direct phone outreach.

Operationally, Close Up Apparel employs between 11 and 50 people, serves a Wisconsin-only operating geography, and reports no institutional ownership, venture funding, parent company, or publicly disclosed revenue. The company's distribution is supplemented by informal referral partnerships with Greendoor Graphics & Advertising and Litho Specialists for complementary design and lithography services, and by a branded e-commerce merchandise shop. No management team, regulatory filings, or financial disclosures are available in the input data, reflecting the profile of a small, independently owned regional service business.

Name

Close Up Apparel

Legal name

Close Up Apparel

Website

https://closeupapparel.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Close Up Apparel is a privately held, Eau Claire, Wisconsin-based custom apparel decorator offering screen printing, embroidery, custom design, and promotional products to local SMBs, sports teams, and community organizations via quote-based direct sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Apparel Decoration & Promotional Products

NAICS

Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills (3133), Apparel Manufacturing (315)

SIC

Coating, Engraving & Allied Services (3470), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)

akta.pro primary industry

Tops & Shirts Cut & Sew (T-Shirts/Shirts/Blouses) (IMAOAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Outerwear & Cold-Weather Apparel Manufacturers (CRAAAAAI)

Keywords

• Custom screen printing
• Custom embroidery services
• Promotional products
• Branded apparel decoration
• Advertising specialty items

Headquarters

HQ city

Eau Claire

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Screen Printing Services: Custom screen printing on apparel items including t-shirts, polo shirts, and outerwear. Pricing based on order quantity, number of colors, and design complexity. One-time production fees with per-item costs.
2. Embroidery Services: Custom embroidery on wearable items including caps, jackets, and uniforms. Revenue generated through per-piece embroidery fees based on stitch count and item type.
3. Advertising Specialty Items: Sale of promotional products including pens, pencils, can coolers, name badges, patches, mugs, glasses, phone accessories, speakers, and headphones. One-time purchase model for custom-branded items.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Close Up Apparel is a custom apparel decoration and promotional products company based in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It provides screen printing and embroidery services applied to blank apparel sourced from major distributors, alongside a catalog of advertising specialty items (pens, mugs, badges, patches, phone accessories). Custom design services are offered to support customer creative concepts.

Product overview

Close Up Apparel is a custom decorated apparel and promotional products company offering a unified suite of decoration services. The core offerings are screen printing and embroidery services, supported by custom design services and an advertising specialty items catalog. Screen printing utilizes automatic and hand press machines capable of multi-color spot process and 4-color process printing on various apparel types. Embroidery services use state of the art multi-head machines for direct embroidery, applique, and 3D effects. The company sources blank apparel from distributors (SanMar, S&S Activewear, Alphabroder) which are then customized through these decoration services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Screen Printing Services
• Embroidery Services
• Advertising Specialty Items

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Greendoor Graphics & AdvertisingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMentioned as one of three companies ready to serve creative needs. Greendoor Graphics & Advertising is a related entity providing graphic design and advertising services, potentially referring clients or collaborating on projects requiring broader design services.
• Litho SpecialistsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMentioned as one of three companies ready to serve creative needs. Litho Specialists provides lithography printing services, potentially complementing Close Up's screen printing and embroidery capabilities for broader printing needs.
• SanMarcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor apparel distributor supplying blank apparel products (t-shirts, polo shirts, outerwear) that Close Up Apparel customizes through screen printing and embroidery. SanMar is described as a key supplier enabling the company to produce quality custom crafted apparel.
• S&S ActivewearcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor apparel distributor supplying blank apparel to Close Up Apparel. S&S Activewear stocks a wide selection from basics to unique styles from exclusive brands, providing the canvas for Close Up's decoration services.
• AlphabrodercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor apparel distributor supplying imprintable apparel and accessories to Close Up Apparel for screen printing and embroidery decoration. Alphabroder serves screen printers, embroiderers, and promotional products distributors.

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• 4imprint: 4imprint is one of the largest promotional products distributors in North America, supplying custom-branded apparel and advertising specialty items to businesses. Comparable to Close Up Apparel's advertising specialty + decorated apparel offering, but at vastly greater scale and breadth, serving as a broad incumbent in the same promotional merchandise category.
• Vistaprint (Cimpress): Vistaprint, part of Cimpress, is a large-scale custom printing and promotional products platform serving small businesses with apparel, signage, and marketing materials. Comparable to Close Up Apparel as a small-business-focused custom merchandise provider, but operates at enterprise scale across many product categories beyond apparel decoration.

Direct peers

• CustomInk: CustomInk is a national online-first custom apparel decoration company offering screen printing and embroidery for groups, teams, and businesses. Directly comparable to Close Up Apparel on core services (custom printed/embroidered apparel) but at significantly larger scale with a self-service online design and ordering platform.
• RushOrderTees: RushOrderTees specializes in custom screen-printed and embroidered apparel with an emphasis on fast turnaround for groups, events, and businesses. Comparable in service mix (screen printing + embroidery) to Close Up Apparel but operates nationally with an online ordering flow that Close Up lacks.
• Underground Printing: Underground Printing is a custom screen printing and embroidery company serving collegiate, Greek, and business customers nationally. Comparable to Close Up Apparel in core decoration services and SMB/group customer focus, but with significantly broader geographic reach and brand portfolio.

Emerging players

• Printful: Printful is a print-on-demand and fulfillment service offering DTG printing, embroidery, and other decoration on apparel for e-commerce brands and SMBs. Comparable to Close Up Apparel on the apparel decoration side, with a more digital-native, API-driven, and DTC-oriented business model.
• Zazzle: Zazzle is an online custom products marketplace offering printed apparel, promotional products, and gifts with a maker/user design tool. Comparable to Close Up Apparel at the intersection of custom apparel and advertising specialty items, but operates as a digital marketplace rather than a regional production house.
• The/Studio: The/Studio is an on-demand custom apparel production platform connecting brands and creators with global manufacturing partners for screen printing, embroidery, and cut-and-sew. Comparable in custom apparel decoration services to Close Up Apparel but positioned as a tech-enabled platform serving emerging brands.

Others

• SanMar: SanMar is a major wholesale distributor of apparel and accessories including imprintable blanks for screen printing and embroidery. Listed as a core apparel supplier to Close Up Apparel; comparable as an upstream supplier to the same custom-decoration value chain.
• Alphabroder: Alphabroder is one of the largest imprintable apparel and accessories distributors in North America, supplying screen printers, embroiderers, and promotional products distributors. Listed as a core distributor to Close Up Apparel; comparable as an upstream supplier serving the same decorator ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/close-up-apparel

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 Close Up Apparel