What Way Out West does

Way Out West, Inc. is a Gardena, California-based ISO 9001:2015 certified contract sewing and apparel manufacturer founded in 1979, operating three adjacent facilities near Los Angeles International Airport and the Port of Los Angeles. The company serves as a B2B private-label manufacturer for Fortune 500 enterprises (including Honeywell, Tyco, Beckman Coulter, Mine Safety Appliances, Sperian, Allegro Industries, and RPB Safety), U.S. government and military sub-contractors, and startups, producing protective hoods, body armor, military ammunition bandoleers, reusable Tyvek and Tychem bags, baby slings and cloth diapers, airline cargo components, clean room apparel, athletic garments, and infectious disease PPE.

The company's technical capabilities are rooted in Six Sigma and lean manufacturing disciplines applied to contract sewing, with in-house competencies including heat-sealing, taped seams, die-cutting, and Radio Frequency bonding. It holds a licensed relationship with DuPont for sourcing Tychem, Tyvek, Kevlar, and Lycra materials, maintains Berry Amendment compliance for military work, and has developed proprietary machinery and processes for scalable bandoleer production. Workforce stability is unusually high for the sector, with 70% of employees having ten or more years of tenure and management averaging over thirty years of experience.

Way Out West operates on a project-based contract manufacturing model with quote-based volume breakdown pricing. The sales motion begins with a downloadable product questionnaire that prospects complete and email to the company, after which sales representatives assess capability fit and respond with estimates. The company delivers a 360-degree manufacturing solution spanning sample creation, pattern refinement, production, packaging, and shipping, marketed primarily through its website and direct sales engagement rather than paid digital channels. Products ship FOB Gardena, CA, with no disclosed use of resellers or intermediaries. The company is privately held with no external funding rounds, parent company, or public listing.

Name

Way Out West

Legal name

Way Out West, Inc.

Website

https://wayoutwestinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Way Out West, Inc. is a Gardena, California-based ISO 9001:2015 certified contract sewing and apparel manufacturer founded in 1979, serving Fortune 500 enterprises, government and military agencies, and startups with private-label protective equipment, military bandoleers, and specialty sewn products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contract Apparel and PPE Manufacturing

NAICS

Cut and Sew Apparel Contractors (31521), Cut and Sew Apparel Contractors (315210), Cut and Sew Apparel Manufacturing (except Contractors) (31525), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (315990)

SIC

Men's & Boys' Furnishgs, Work Clothg, & Allied Garments (2320), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)

akta.pro primary industry

Workwear, Uniforms & Safety Apparel Cut & Sew (IMAOAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workwear, Uniform & Protective Apparel Manufacturers (CRAAAAAH), Protective & Work Accessories Manufacturing (Safety Gloves/Hi-Vis Accessories) (IMAOAFAH)

Keywords

• Contract sewing services
• Private label apparel
• Personal protective equipment
• Apparel manufacturing
• Garment manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Gardena

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Contract Manufacturing Services: Way Out West generates revenue through contract sewing and private label manufacturing services. The company provides 360-degree manufacturing solutions from sample creation and pattern refinement through production, packaging, and shipping. Revenue is project-based with volume breakdown pricing structures.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Way Out West, Inc. is an ISO 9001:2015 certified Los Angeles-based contract sewing and manufacturing company providing 360-degree lean manufacturing solutions for private-label apparel and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The company manufactures protective hoods, body armor, military bandoleers, clean room apparel, reusable bags, baby products, and athletic apparel for Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and startups, sourcing licensed DuPont™ materials and operating from three facilities in Gardena, CA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Protective Hoods Protective hoods for clean rooms, pharmaceutical and chemical labs, including respirator hoods and welding hoods. Made with DuPont™ Tychem® and Tyvek® materials, featuring single or double bibs, carrying pouches, face seals, and adjustable felt-lined hood bands. Sourced by manufacturers, law enforcement, EMS agencies, pharmaceutical companies, and military sub-contractors.
• Body Armor Protective body armor garments for law enforcement, EMS agencies, and military sub-contractors, made with DuPont™ Kevlar® and other protective materials.
• Military Bandoleers Military ammunition bandoleers including C4 (Canada), M2, M3, M4, M8, and M249 models, produced using proprietary machinery with Berry Amendment compliant materials including 60%/40% poly/cotton and 100% polyester foliage green fabric per military specifications.
• Reusable Tyvek® and Tychem® Bags Custom reusable tear-free, lightweight, wipe-clean bags for grocery stores, large retail apparel chains, pharmaceutical companies, and promotional events, produced in Tyvek® and Tychem® materials with company logo, slogan, or artwork branding.
• Baby Slings and Pocket Cloth Diapers Baby slings and reusable pocket diapers for newborns and toddlers, including diaper inserts and diaper pail liners. Products are safe, comfortable, and machine washable.
• Airline Cargo Components Vinyl cargo doors, pouches, and straps for the airline industry, designed for durability and high-quality performance.
• Industrial and Clean Room Apparel Anti-static jackets, coveralls, and protective clothing for pharmaceutical, chemical, automotive, electronics industries and clean room environments, including supplied-air protective hoods.
• Athletic and Sports Apparel Sporting apparel and accessories including bike shorts, bike covers, and duffle bags, manufactured with materials like neoprene, nylon, Lycra®, and spandex.
• Ebola Personal Protective Equipment Personal protective hoods and equipment for healthcare workers treating patients with infectious diseases such as Ebola.
• Custom Sewing and Contract Manufacturing Services Full-service private label manufacturing including product sample consultation and refinement, light and industrial sewing, fabric and materials sourcing (including DuPont® Tychem® and Tyvek®), lean production, product assembly and sublimation, labor solutions, packaging design, assembly and shipping, heat-sealing, taped seams, die-cutting, and radio frequency bonding.

Quantifiable outcome

• ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturing
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Garment Contractors Association of Southern CaliforniaminorOthersLong-standing member of the Garment Contractors Association of Southern California, an industry trade organization for garment manufacturing contractors in the Southern California region.
• National Safety CouncilminorOthersProud member of the National Safety Council which seeks to reduce accidents and injuries in workplace environments through information, education and training. Relevant to their PPE manufacturing focus.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• UniFirst Corporation: Major North American uniform and workwear services company supplying industrial, service, and commercial customers. Comparable as a broader workwear/garment services incumbent with overlapping end-customer segments.
• MSA Safety Incorporated: Global manufacturer of safety products and PPE including protective hoods, respirators, and body protection. Both a Way Out West customer and a competitor in the broader PPE manufacturing market.
• Honeywell Safety Products: Global PPE manufacturer spanning respiratory, head, eye, and body protection. Both a Way Out West customer and a broad incumbent competitor in the protective apparel category.
• Cintas Corporation: Large US-based uniform rental and workplace services provider that also manufactures and sources workwear and PPE. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the workwear and PPE supply chain with overlapping customer base in industrial and safety customers.

Direct peers

• SanMar Corporation: One of the largest US suppliers of imprintable apparel and accessories, with significant domestic sourcing and B2B distribution. Comparable as a B2B apparel manufacturer/supplier serving enterprise and institutional customers at scale.
• alphabroder: Major US wholesale distributor of imprintable apparel and accessories. Comparable to Way Out West as a B2B apparel supply chain intermediary serving decorators, uniforms, and promotional products markets.
• TSC Apparel: US-based wholesale apparel supplier with domestic sourcing and quick-turn B2B distribution. Comparable as a domestic apparel supply chain peer serving enterprise and brand customers.
• Los Angeles Apparel: LA-based vertically integrated cut-and-sew apparel manufacturer operating a large domestic production facility. Highly comparable to Way Out West as a Southern California contract/private-label garment manufacturer with a focus on domestic production and quick turnaround.

Emerging players

• Radisson Uniforms: US-based manufacturer of corporate uniforms, workwear, and protective apparel. Comparable as a smaller specialty contract manufacturer in the workwear and protective apparel space.
• Tillamook Apparel / Pacific Sourcing Group: Specialized US-based apparel manufacturing and sourcing services firm supporting brand and retail customers. Comparable as a smaller-scope domestic apparel manufacturing partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wayoutwestinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/way-out-west-inc.

Compliance2 records

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 Way Out West