What Vital Industries does

Vital Industries, founded in 2005 by Brett and Crystal in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, operates as a screen printing studio and lifestyle goods retailer organized across three sub-brands: Vital Industries (core branded products), Vital Supply (retail storefront and curated marketplace), and Vital Custom (custom screen printing and embroidery services). The company's core capability is proprietary screen printing applied directly to glassware (pint, rocks, wine, shot, and can glasses), apparel (t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats), soy candles, and accessories, with a specialty 20K gold printing line for a premium Precious Metals sub-collection. Vital designs and prints its branded products in-house at its Northern Wisconsin studio, with most glassware advertised as top-rack dishwasher safe.

The company generates revenue through four primary streams: direct-to-consumer retail via a Shopify storefront and a physical Vital Supply retail location in Rhinelander; wholesale distribution through the Faire marketplace serving independent retailers; custom screen printing, embroidery, and contract decoration services for local businesses, events, and organizations in the Northwoods Wisconsin region; and the Vital Community Stores B2B2C fundraising channel where sports teams, nonprofits, schools, and clubs run branded online stores with Vital handling production, fulfillment, and shipping. Unit pricing spans roughly $1.50 for accessories to $60 for premium sweatshirts, with custom services quoted per project (typical 1–3 week production with a $50 rush option).

Marketing is conducted through organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest), an email newsletter, a content blog, and seasonal promotional events. The customer base is bifurcated: a primary long tail of gift and lifestyle consumers seeking themed products (bicycling, fishing, state pride, mixology, Wisconsin/regional iconography), and a secondary cohort of SMB and nonprofit buyers in Wisconsin purchasing custom merchandise and fundraising inventory. No external funding has been raised; the company remains founder-owned, and no headcount, revenue, or operating expense figures are disclosed in available materials.

Name

Vital Industries

Legal name

Vital Industries

Website

https://vital.industries

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vital Industries is a Rhinelander, Wisconsin-based screen printing studio and Shopify retailer producing glassware, apparel, candles, and accessories for direct-to-consumer gift buyers nationwide, and providing custom printing, wholesale, and fundraising store programs to local SMBs, nonprofits, and community groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rhinelander

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Direct Product Sales (B2C): Retail sales of screen-printed glassware, apparel, accessories, and home goods through the e-commerce storefront and retail location. Products include pint glasses, wine glasses, rocks glasses, shot glasses, candles, hats, t-shirts, stickers, and cards.
2. Wholesale Product Sales: Wholesale distribution through Faire marketplace allowing retailers to purchase Vital Industries products for resale. Products sold in bulk quantities at wholesale pricing.
3. Custom Printing Services: Custom screen printing, embroidery, patches, and vinyl services for local businesses, events, and organizations. Services include project consultations, design assistance, and contract decorator services. Production time 1-3 weeks with rush options available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Vital Industries designs, screen-prints, and sells themed glassware (pint, rocks, wine, shot, can glasses), apparel (t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, beanies), soy candles, jewelry, and accessories through its own Shopify e-commerce store, Vital Supply retail storefront, and Faire wholesale channel. The company also operates Vital Custom, offering custom screen printing, embroidery, patches, vinyl press, and monogram services to local businesses, organizations, and community groups in the Northwoods Wisconsin region, supported by a fundraising-focused Vital Community Stores program.

Product overview

Vital Industries is a screen printing studio and e-commerce retailer based in Northern Wisconsin, offering a portfolio of products organized into distinct collections. The core offerings include screen-printed glassware (pint glasses, rocks glasses, stemless wine glasses, shot glasses, can glasses) and apparel (t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, hats, beanies) featuring bold, modern designs inspired by bicycling, mountain biking, local Wisconsin themes (including the legendary Hodag cryptid), outdoor activities, and mixology. Themed collections include the Bicycle Collection, Mountain Bike Collection, State Love (customizable state silhouettes), Precious Metals/20K Gold (luxury gold-finished glassware), Tools Series (ski, camping, science, kitchen themes), and Hodag (local cryptid mascot). Beyond their own products, Vital Supply curates lifestyle goods from other USA makers. The company also offers custom printing and embroidery services, semi-custom/monogram customization, a Community Stores fundraising platform, custom pens, and wholesale distribution through Faire. All Vital Industries branded products are designed and printed in their Northern Wisconsin studio, with a focus on quality and everyday durability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vital Supply: Retail space featuring curated lifestyle goods that complement the Vital Industries brand, focusing on sustainability and quality construction.
• Vital Custom

Products and services

• Screen-Printed Glassware Collections Themed screen-printed glassware including pint glasses, rocks glasses, stemless wine glasses, shot glasses, and can glasses featuring bicycle, mountain bike, state silhouette, tools, and Hodag designs. Pint glasses from $12.00, rocks glasses from $12.00, stemless wine glasses from $12.50, shot glasses from $8.00, and can glasses from $12.00; sets of 6 typically $96.00. Top-rack dishwasher safe and printed in the USA. Targeted at gift buyers and lifestyle consumers.
• Apparel (T-shirts, Sweatshirts, Tank Tops) Screen-printed and embroidered apparel including t-shirts, sweatshirts, and tank tops featuring bicycling, mountain biking, Hodag, and outdoor recreation themes. T-shirts from $10.00-$28.00, sweatshirts from $12.00-$60.00, tank tops from $10.00-$25.00. Targeted at lifestyle consumers and gift buyers.
• Hats and Headwear Trucker caps, beanies, fitted caps, and snapback hats with embroidered, patch, and screen-printed designs featuring bicycle, fishing, and outdoor themes. Prices range from $25.00 to $42.00. Targeted at lifestyle consumers and gift buyers.
• Soy Candles Hand-poured 100% natural soy wax candles with screen-printed reusable containers featuring bicycle, antler, geometric mountain, beach house, camping tools, and garden tools themes. Prices from $28.00 to $36.00. Targeted at lifestyle consumers and gift buyers.
• Jewelry and Accessories Handcrafted jewelry including polymer clay earrings, beaded rings, brass keyholders, money clips, tie bars, and cuffs, plus hair clips and partner-brand leather accessories. Targeted at lifestyle consumers and gift buyers.
• Precious Metals / 20K Gold Collection Luxe glassware and dinner plates printed with 20K gold and 22K mirror gold finishes, including rocks glasses, pint glasses, stemless wine glasses, and dinner plates. Hand-wash recommended. 20K gold rocks glasses and stemless wine glasses from $15.00-$15.50, gold candles from $30.00, gold dinner plates from $10.00 (sale) to $40.00. Targeted at gift buyers and lifestyle consumers seeking premium products.
• Custom Screen Printing and Embroidery Services (Vital Custom) Custom printing services on glassware, apparel, tote bags, and accessories, including screen printing, embroidery, custom patches, and vinyl press graphics, with project consultations and design team assistance. Production time 1-3 weeks with rush options available; rush order fee of $50. Screen charges, setup fees, and small order fees may apply; payment in full required before printing. Targeted at local businesses, nonprofits, schools, sports teams, and clubs in Northwoods Wisconsin.
• Semi-Custom and Monogram Personalization Name-drop and monogram customization service allowing customers to combine selected artwork with custom text, names, or monograms on glassware and other products. Options include name-drop glassware sets and monogrammed glassware in heart, diamond, square, and round designs. Minimum quantities apply. Targeted at gift buyers and event gifting.
• Vital Community Stores Online fundraising and pop-up shop platform for sports teams, nonprofit organizations, school groups, and clubs. Vital handles order fulfillment, production, packing, and shipping while the partner organization runs sales and collects orders. Targeted at community groups, nonprofits, schools, and sports teams.
• Custom Pens Custom printed Sharpie S-Gel Pens available in Black, Blue, Red, Green, and Purple. One color design with maximum 1/2 inch height and 1 3/8 inch width. Targeted at businesses and organizations needing custom promotional pens.
• Vital Industries Wholesale Program Wholesale program for retail buyers with the full catalog available through the Faire marketplace. Offers free returns on first order and 60-day payment terms for eligible retailers. Direct orders can be placed via [email protected] or by calling 715.420.1860. Targeted at independent retailers and boutiques purchasing for resale.
• Vital Supply Curated Lifestyle Goods Curated lifestyle goods from USA makers that complement the Vital Industries brand, including books, cards, stickers, kitchen goods, candles, and accessories from partner brands such as Field Notes, Bittercube, and Kuhn Rikon. Shop Vital Supply section lists 521 products. Sold through the Vital Supply retail storefront and the Shopify e-commerce site.

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Northwoods Land TrustminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNorthwoods Land Trust is listed as one of the Vital Community Stores benefiting from the fundraising program. Vital hosts an online store for NWLT supporters to purchase merchandise.
• CAVOC (Cavalier Outdoor Ventures Club)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCAVOC 50th Anniversary Celebration mentioned as a community event. Vital likely supports this local organization through their community stores program.
• FairecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFaire is the primary wholesale marketplace platform for Vital Industries. All wholesale transactions and catalog viewing are handled through Faire, which provides 60-day payment terms and free returns on first orders for retailers.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Libbey: Libbey manufactures and sells glassware and tabletop products, including drinkware, making it a direct category benchmark for Vital's glassware line even though it does not offer Vital's decoration model.
• Corelle Brands: Corelle Brands markets glassware and tabletop brands such as Corelle and Pyrex, providing a broad incumbent comparison for Vital's glassware, dinnerware, and home-goods categories.
• Vistaprint: Vistaprint offers custom printing, signage, promotional merchandise, and apparel through an established e-commerce platform, giving it broad incumbent overlap with Vital's contract-printing and promotional-product activities.

Emerging players

• Paddywax: Paddywax designs and markets branded candles and home-fragrance products, overlapping Vital's hand-poured soy-candle collection but not its core printing business.
• Zazzle: Zazzle operates a broad personalized-products marketplace spanning gifts, apparel, and accessories, making it comparable to Vital's semi-custom and personalized product model, though more platform-led.

Direct peers

• Custom Ink: Custom Ink provides online custom apparel, promotional products, and group-order services, directly overlapping Vital's screen printing, embroidery, and custom-merch capabilities.
• Rush Order Tees: Rush Order Tees offers custom screen printing, embroidery, and other decoration for teams, businesses, and organizations, making it a close operating and customer-set comparison.
• Underground Printing: Underground Printing combines custom apparel and merchandise decoration for campus, team, and business customers; its screen-printing and embroidery model is comparable to Vital's contract services.
• Threadbird: Threadbird provides custom apparel decoration and merchandising services, including screen printing and embroidery, for brands and organizations.

Others

• Uncommon Goods: Uncommon Goods is a curated design and gift marketplace featuring distinctive and small-batch lifestyle products, making its gifting assortment and e-commerce model comparable to Vital Supply's curated offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/vitalindustries
• Instagraminstagram.com/vitalindustries
• Pinterestpinterest.com/vitalindustries
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vital-industries

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Vital Industries