Creative Images

What Creative Images does

Creative Images, legally C I Promotions Ltd, is a UK-based promotional merchandise and branded apparel company founded in 1991 and headquartered in Ower, Romsey, Southampton, Hampshire, with 62 employees. The company operates a vertically oriented branded products business spanning five primary lines: (1) embroidered and printed clothing and workwear (T-shirts, polos, hoodies, fleeces, high-visibility and PPE); (2) promotional merchandise and gifts (pens, keyrings, bags, drinkware, eco-friendly items); (3) print and signage (business stationery, banners, exhibition displays, vehicle signwriting); (4) sports and teamwear distributed via authorized reseller agreements with Under Armour, adidas, Mizuno, Canterbury, Umbro, VX3, Samurai, Stanno, Surridge, and QT Teamwear; and (5) Promat gym mats, a UK-manufactured ISO 9001:2015 / ISO 4001:2015 certified line (formerly Kay-Metzeler) covering judo, crash, and gymnastics mats. Its technology foundation is a WordPress-based e-commerce platform with a dedicated clothing subdomain and a B2B trade portal; online payments are processed via WorldPay with payment instrument data stored by NatWest Bank.

The business runs a dual-channel go-to-market: a wholesale trade portal for registered business customers with trade pricing and personalized sales support, alongside a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront accessible globally, plus phone/email inside sales for quote-based enterprise orders. Revenue is generated almost entirely through one-time product sales — branded apparel, customized merchandise, print/signage, and gym mats — with no disclosed recurring or subscription revenue stream. Pricing is largely quote-based, with published unit prices only on a subset of catalog SKUs (notably Promat gym mats ranging from £57.95 to £482.99). The customer base spans sports clubs, educational institutions (Imperial College London, University of Southampton, Solent University, Bournemouth University), enterprise corporates (Shell, BP, John Deere, DeLonghi, Paris Smith, Peter Cooper Motor Group), government and military (Hampshire County Council, Royal Navy, Royal Marines), fitness (Anytime Fitness), and non-profits (Scouts).

Strategically, the company has expanded its workwear and outerwear brand portfolio in 2024-2025 (Helly Hansen, ORN, Hoggs of Fife, ProGarm, Fristads, StormTech, Ogio), added vehicle signwriting as a service category, and launched a dedicated apparel DTC subdomain alongside its trade portal. Ownership remains private under the C I Promotions Ltd legal entity, with no disclosed venture capital, private equity, or institutional investors, and no M&A, funding rounds, or leadership transitions in the input data.

Name

Creative Images

Legal name

C I Promotions Ltd

Website

https://creativeimages.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Creative Images (C I Promotions Ltd) is a UK promotional merchandise and branded apparel company, founded in 1991, offering embroidered clothing, workwear, sports teamwear, promotional gifts, print and signage, and Promat gym mats to sports clubs, businesses, government, education, and military clients via trade and e-commerce channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Promotional Products & Branded Merchandise

NAICS

Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (33992), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159), Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (31599)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Team Sports Equipment & Uniforms Retail (CRAMABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sportswear Customization & Printing Retail (CRAMACAK), Sports, Concert & Venue Gift Shops (CRALAJAH), Sports & Outdoor Accessories Manufacturing (Performance Gloves/Headwear) (IMAOAFAI)

Keywords

• Promotional products
• Branded merchandise
• Custom apparel
• Embroidery printing
• Sports teamwear

Headquarters

HQ city

Ower, Romsey, Southampton, Hampshire

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Branded Apparel Sales: Sale of embroidered and printed clothing including workwear, sportswear, teamwear, and promotional clothing items. Revenue generated through direct product sales with customization options.
2. Branded Merchandise & Promotional Products: Sale of promotional items including pens, keyrings, bags, drinkware, and other branded merchandise. One-time product sales with branding customization.
3. Print & Signage Services: Business stationery printing, banners, flags, exhibition displays, vehicle signwriting, and point-of-sale display products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Creative Images is a UK promotional products company that supplies branded clothing, workwear, sports teamwear, promotional merchandise, printed signage, and Promat gym mats, with in-house embroidery and printing customization applied across all product lines. The company serves sports clubs, businesses, educational institutions, government bodies, and the military through a dedicated trade portal for wholesale customers and a 24/7 e-commerce storefront for direct purchases. It is an authorized reseller of major teamwear brands including Under Armour, adidas, Mizuno, Canterbury, Umbro, VX3, Samurai, Stanno, Surridge, and QT Teamwear.

Product overview

Creative Images is a promotional products company established in 1991 offering a comprehensive portfolio of branded merchandise and customization services. The core offerings include: (1) Clothing & Workwear with embroidery and printing services across T-shirts, polo shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, jackets, and safety workwear; (2) Promotional Merchandise & Gifts including pens, bags, drinkware, and eco-friendly items; (3) Print & Signage covering business stationery, promotional materials, banners, flags, and vehicle signwriting; (4) Sports & Teamwear distributed through multiple branded partnerships including Under Armour, adidas, Mizuno, Canterbury, Umbro, VX3, Samurai, Stanno, Surridge, and QT Teamwear for various sports; and (5) Promat Gym Mats (formerly Kay-Metzeler), a UK-manufactured product line certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 4001:2015, serving martial arts, gymnastics, and sports facilities. All products can be customized with client logos and branding through embroidery, printing, or vehicle signwriting services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Creative Images Clothing: Dedicated clothing subdomain offering t-shirts, polo shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, workwear, sportswear, and other apparel categories.
• Promat

Products and services

• Clothing & Workwear Embroidered and printed clothing including T-shirts, polo shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, fleeces, softshell, jackets, workwear, high-vis safetywear, and PPE products, sold to businesses, sports clubs, schools, and other organizations.
• Promotional Merchandise & Gifts Branded promotional items including pens, keyrings, coasters, diaries, calendars, stress relief products, eco-friendly items, lanyards, umbrellas, bags, badges, drinkware, USB flash drives, and similar merchandise for businesses and event organizers.
• Print & Signage Business stationery (business cards, letterheads), promotional print (flyers, posters, brochures), banners, flags, roller banners, exhibition displays, signs, and vehicle signwriting for businesses and organizations.
• Sports & Teamwear Sports teamwear from multiple authorized brands for football, rugby, cricket, netball, rowing, hockey, and athletics, available as stock playing kits, training wear, and bespoke made-to-order options with embroidery and printing customization.
• Promat Gym Mats UK-manufactured gym mats, judo mats, and crash mats (Promat line, formerly Kay-Metzeler) serving martial arts clubs, gymnastics, fitness facilities, and sports clubs, certified to ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 4001:2015.
• Vehicle Signwriting Mobile advertising solutions including vehicle wraps, vehicle magnets, and full body signwriting for cars and vans for businesses seeking branded fleet marketing.
• Embroidery & Print Customization Services Custom embroidery and printing services applied to clothing, workwear, and merchandise with client logos and branding, supporting the core apparel and merchandise offering.

Named customers15 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

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Under ArmourcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCreative Images is an authorized reseller of Under Armour teamwear products. They offer the full range of Under Armour sports apparel for clubs and organizations with embroidery and printing customization options.
• adidascoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized adidas teamwear reseller offering stock playing kits and training products as well as adidas miTeam custom made kit options.
• MizunocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Mizuno teamwear stockist offering products across multiple sports including rugby, football, cricket, netball, rowing, hockey, and athletics.
• CanterburycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial Canterbury teamwear reseller offering stock and made-to-order products for teams at every level from local clubs to international.
• UmbrocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Umbro teamwear distributor providing football and rugby kits with official training wear and personalized options.
• SamuraicoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSamurai teamwear reseller offering sportswear for rugby, netball, hockey, cricket, and leisurewear with contemporary high-performance apparel.
• VX3coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVX3 teamwear stockist offering products in diverse ranges including Fortis, Opus, Primus collections plus bespoke teamwear options.
• StannocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStanno teamwear reseller offering football and training gear for clubs and teams at competitive prices.
• Surridge SportscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized Surridge Sports distributor for teamwear products including playing kits and training gear.
• QT TeamwearcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorQT Teamwear stockist offering high-quality products without top brand price tags, with stock products allowing quick turnaround.
• Promat (Kay-Metzeler)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPromat gym mats distributor, formerly Kay-Metzeler brand. Products include gym mats, judo mats, crash mats, and martial arts mats manufactured in UK to ISO standards.
• WorldPaycoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processing partner for secure online transactions. All online payments are processed through WorldPay ensuring safe and secure transactions for customers.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Brand Addition: UK-headquartered promotional merchandise and branded products business serving corporate clients across multiple sectors, with overlapping product range including clothing, gifts, and signage.
• The Pen Warehouse: UK promotional products retailer focused on branded pens, stationery, and gift items — directly overlapping Creative Images' promotional office merchandise line.
• Cube International: UK-based promotional merchandise company providing branded products, clothing and corporate gifts to enterprise customers across industries — a comparable mid-market UK promotional products peer.
• Hawk Group (Branded Products): UK promotional merchandise supplier offering branded clothing, gifts, and print services to corporate clients — closely comparable to Creative Images' full-service positioning.
• Kukri Sports: UK teamwear and sportswear specialist offering custom kit, training wear and team apparel to clubs and institutions — directly comparable to Creative Images' sports teamwear and customization offering.
• Surridge Sports: Teamwear manufacturer and supplier that Creative Images already distributes; comparable as both a peer and a brand supplier in custom team kits and sportswear.
• Premier Group: UK-based corporate clothing, workwear and promotional products supplier with embroidery and print capabilities — overlapping Creative Images' clothing, workwear, and customization categories.

Broad incumbents

• 4imprint: One of the largest promotional products distributors in the UK/US, offering a broad catalogue of branded merchandise directly comparable to Creative Images' promotional merchandise and corporate gift categories.

Regional players

• Baudouin Promotional Products: European promotional products distributor serving continental markets — comparable offering to Creative Images but operating in different geographies without direct UK overlap.

Emerging players

• Tough Prints: Smaller-scale UK custom print and embroidery service provider focused on workwear and teamwear — a niche emerging player competing in Creative Images' customization services segment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/creativeimagesuk

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 Creative Images