THIStm
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What THIStm does
THIStm is a privately held, founder-owned brand and circular-economy concept established in 1989 by Buddy Jackson and based in Los Angeles, California. The company operates under the THIS™ trademark selling gift clothing and accessories (including pink and green hats) under a "three for the price of two" pricing model, sourcing inventory through donations and upcycling rather than new manufacturing. Distribution is hybrid: a direct-to-consumer e-commerce shop at thistm.com and a licensing program that allows individuals to own and operate their own Hippiemart outlet, Social Media Portal, or Trance Portal in their respective towns, accepting donated clothing, refurbishing it, and selling it under the Gift Box Card framework.
The underlying platform concept is the "Social Media Portal" or "Trance Portal" — described as a closed-network social media environment functioning as #NewRetailTheatre within previously vacant retail real estate, where patrons access the #GitXome! social network app and free WiFi-based advertainment content. The Kindwill sub-brand extends this into charitable activities including upcycling, volunteering, employment, and capsule-hotel-style accommodations (MODS) for travelers and veterans. Marketing runs almost entirely through the founder's YouTube channel (psychedelic-hypnosis music videos), the company website, and hashtag campaigns (#THIStm, #Kindwill, #NewRetailTheatre, #GitXome, #GiftBoxCard).
Revenue mechanics span upcycled clothing sales, prospective licensing royalties from franchisees, food and beverage sales at planned Trance Portal locations, and donations via PayPal and Giveback International. The company discloses no revenue figures, no funding history beyond a $10M investor solicitation, and no operating retail locations — physical outlets are described as "coming soon." The founder has publicly listed the company for sale at a $200 million asking price. Headcount is reported as 1-10, with no disclosed institutional investment or paid franchise operations currently generating income.
THIStm firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- THIStm
- Legal name
- THIStm
- Website
- https://thistm.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
THIStm industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Upcycled Apparel and Circular-Economy Retail
- NAICS
- Used Merchandise Retailers (459510), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)
- SIC
- Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Costume Jewelry & Novelties (3960)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sustainable / Ethical Apparel & Accessories Wholesale (CRAOADAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Recorded Music Retail & D2C Merch Bundles (MPAIAAAF)
Keywords
Where THIStm is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
THIStm business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Upcycled Clothing Sales: Selling U-P-C-Y-C-L-E-D (upcycled) donated clothing and accessories as THIS brand gift clothing and accessories, packaged in boxes with cards. Pricing model offers three items for the price of two.
- Licensing Fees: Revenue from licensing the Hippiemart/Social Media Portal business model to franchisees who operate their own outlets in their own towns.
- Food & Beverage: Sale of fruit smoothies, deli sandwiches, healthy fruits, nuts and berries at Trance Portal locations.
- Donations: Accepting donations for upcycling operations and Kindwill organization initiatives.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Gift clothing and accessories - three for the price of two |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
THIStm product offering
Product offeringCore offering
THIStm sells upcycled THIS™ brand gift clothing and accessories directly to consumers via thistm.com and licensed Hippiemart/Trance Portal outlets, sourcing apparel from donations and processing it through its own recycling machinery. The company layers a B2B licensing program on top, franchising the Hippiemart/Trance Portal concept, MODS accommodations, and Kindwill charitable organization to operators, and supports the brand with original music and video content and a "Three for the price of two" pricing model.
Product overview
THIStm operates as a multi-faceted retail and charitable platform built around the THIS™ brand. The core offering consists of gift clothing and accessories sold through a circular economy model, upcycling donated items. The business is structured around three main initiatives: THIS™ Brand (the product line), Kindwill Organization (charitable programs including donations, upcycling, employment, accommodations, and volunteering), and Hippiemart (the retail concept combining Social Media Portals/Trance Portals with physical venues). Products are sold via the Gift Box Card concept (three for the price of two) both online and through licensed physical outlets. The company also creates original music and video content as advertainment and offers a licensing program for entrepreneurs to open their own Hippiemart/Trance Portal locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Kindwill: A charitable organization concept focused on upcycling donated clothing and accessories, providing accommodations, volunteering, employment, and donations.
- Hippiemart
- GitXome
- GiftBoxCard
Quantifiable outcome
- Three items for the price of two pricing model
Companies that use THIStm
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
THIStm technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
THIStm partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Giveback InternationalminorGiveback International is referenced as a donation partner (www.giveback.international). The company directs supporters to this organization for giving back and charitable participation.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
THIStm competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Etsy: Marketplace for handmade, vintage, and unique goods. Comparable as a consumer-facing circular/specialty-goods commerce platform that monetizes pre-owned and artisan items via community features.
- Patagonia: Established sustainable apparel incumbent with deep circular-economy and charitable-giving brand identity. Comparable as a leading sustainable apparel brand, though at vastly greater scale and operational maturity.
Direct peers
- The RealReal: Consignment platform for pre-owned luxury and apparel. Comparable in monetizing secondhand clothing through a curated retail experience, though focused on luxury tier rather than mass-market upcycling.
- Buffalo Exchange: Physical-store-based secondhand apparel buy-sell-trade retailer. Comparable as a brick-and-mortar upcycled/secondhand clothing operation monetizing donated inventory, similar to THIStm's intended Hippiemart outlet model.
- Depop: Social-first peer-to-peer fashion resale marketplace targeting Gen Z. Comparable on circular fashion plus social/community commerce, the combination that THIStm attempts via Trance Portals.
- Poshmark: Peer-to-peer fashion resale marketplace. Comparable business model focused on recirculating secondhand apparel and accessories, with stronger social-network engagement features overlapping THIStm's GitXome concept.
- ThredUp: Largest U.S. apparel resale platform operating online resale of secondhand clothing. Directly comparable as a circular-economy apparel brand monetizing donated/used garments at scale, but with vastly more execution maturity.
- Mad Engine: Licensed apparel company (acquired Neff, referenced in THIStm's data). Comparable as an apparel brand with licensing/brand-acquisition DNA, providing a real benchmark for the apparel M&A multiple THIStm's founder cites.
- Vestiaire Collective: Global C2C/B2C resale platform for pre-owned luxury fashion. Comparable circular-fashion commerce model with charitable/sustainability positioning overlapping the Kindwill narrative.
Emerging players
- Rent the Runway: Fashion rental and circular-apparel subscription business. Adjacent circular-fashion model sharing sustainability and access-over-ownership consumer narrative with THIStm.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat2 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
THIStm social profiles
Digital presenceTHIStm financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
THIStm leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
THIStm funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
THIStm 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 THIStm
What does THIStm do?
THIStm sells upcycled THIS™ brand gift clothing and accessories directly to consumers via thistm.com and licensed Hippiemart/Trance Portal outlets, sourcing apparel from donations and processing it through its own recycling machinery. The company layers a B2B licensing program on top, franchising the Hippiemart/Trance Portal concept, MODS accommodations, and Kindwill charitable organization to operators, and supports the brand with original music and video content and a "Three for the price of two" pricing model.
Is THIStm a public or private company?
THIStm is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was THIStm founded?
THIStm was founded in 1989. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is THIStm based?
THIStm is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does THIStm make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Upcycled Clothing Sales are the primary driver. The others are licensing Fees, food & Beverage and donations.
Who are THIStm's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Etsy and Patagonia. Direct peers are The RealReal, Buffalo Exchange, Depop, Poshmark, ThredUp, Mad Engine and Vestiaire Collective. Rent the Runway is listed as an emerging player.
Does THIStm have an API?
No public API is recorded for THIStm.
What industry is THIStm in?
THIStm's product category is Upcycled Apparel and Circular-Economy Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAOADAJ, Sustainable / Ethical Apparel & Accessories Wholesale, with a secondary code of MPAIAAAF, Recorded Music Retail & D2C Merch Bundles. Its NAICS code is 459510 and its SIC code is 5600.