What Gilky Gmbh does

GILKY Sports GmbH is a Berlin-based, founder-owned German sportswear company founded in 2021 that designs and produces custom teamwear, fan merchandise, and corporate apparel, primarily for football clubs and amateur-to-lower-tier professional sports organizations in Germany and the EU. The company operates as a brand-led design house rather than a manufacturer: it owns the creative, product development, and finishing processes in-house at its 'Creative Quarter' hosted at partner Clinton's Berlin facility, and outsources production across a network of nine European facilities selected for specialization and quality. Its product portfolio spans three core lines (Teamsport, Merchandising, and Corporate Fashion), supplemented by Veredelungstechniken (textile finishing services including digital, screen, and sublimation printing, flex printing, embroidery, patches, and 3D silicone logos), a D2C Limited Drops sub-brand, and the GILKY College League grassroots school football initiative.

The business makes money through a mix of B2B exclusive equipment-supply agreements with sports clubs (kit, training wear, and fan merchandise), custom corporate apparel contracts, transactional consumer e-commerce at gilky.eu (T-shirts at approximately €23.99–€25.99 with paid customization add-ons such as names +€3.00, numbers +€5.00, initials +€1.50), and textile finishing services on customer-provided garments. Named customers include VSG Altglienicke, Viktoria Aschaffenburg, Tennis Borussia Berlin, the European League of Football, FC Viktoria Berlin, Golfhub, SFC Veritas, SG Eichkamp-Rupenhorn, and VFC Plauen. Distribution is via direct sales and partnership agreements with clubs, an owned e-commerce storefront shipping within Germany (€4.90) and the EU (€9.90), and direct fan-merchandise channels for partner clubs. The company is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, revenue, or external investors in the source material.

GILKY's go-to-market combines event-driven sponsorship marketing (club exclusivity deals that generate brand visibility and recurring kit demand), enterprise field sales with personalized consultation and concept development, and a top-of-funnel community/grassroots strategy via the GILKY College League backed by the Berlin Senate. The company reports lifetime output of more than 50,000 individually developed products and 150 exclusive club jersey designs, and claims marketing reach above 7 million people; it does not disclose headcount beyond the firmographic 1–10 range. The managing director is Şirin Krug (also referenced as Sirin Ilkyaz), supported by a creative director. There is no evidence of AI/ML capability, patents, or external capital in the input data.

Name

Gilky Gmbh

Legal name

GILKY Sports GmbH

Website

https://gilky.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

GILKY Sports GmbH is a Berlin-based, founder-owned German sportswear company founded in 2021 that designs and produces custom teamwear, fan merchandise, and corporate apparel for football clubs, amateur sports teams, and businesses across Germany and the EU.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Sportswear and Team Apparel Manufacturing

NAICS

Sporting and Athletic Goods Manufacturing (339920), Apparel Manufacturing (315)

SIC

Sporting & Athletic Goods, Nec (3949), Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Team & Promotional Apparel Cut & Sew (Screenprint/Embroidery-Ready) (IMAOAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Team Sports & On-Field Performance Apparel (CRAAAEAE), Sportswear Customization & Printing Retail (CRAMACAK)

Keywords

• Custom sportswear manufacturing
• Team apparel design
• Corporate apparel solutions
• Textile finishing services
• Fan merchandise production

Headquarters

HQ city

Hoppegarten

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Teamwear & Sportswear Sales: Sale of sportswear products including team jerseys, training wear, and merchandise directly to sports clubs and teams through sponsorship/exclusivity agreements.
2. Custom Merchandise & Personalization: Custom-designed merchandise with club logos, player names, numbers, sponsors; additional charges for individual personalization options.
3. Consumer E-commerce: Direct-to-consumer sales of branded sportswear through online shop; limited drops collection with customization options for individual consumers.
4. Corporate Fashion: Custom corporate apparel solutions for businesses and organizations.
5. Textile Finishing Services: Finishing services including digital printing, screen printing, sublimation, flex printing, embroidery, and patches applied to customer-provided or company textiles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

GILKY designs and produces custom sportswear, teamwear, corporate fashion, and merchandise solutions, including individually designed team jerseys, training wear, fan merchandise, and corporate apparel. Products are manufactured across nine European production facilities, with finishing technologies such as digital, screen, sublimation, and flex printing, as well as embroidery and 3D silicone logos. Customers include sports clubs, corporate clients, and individual consumers purchasing through the D2C online shop.

Product overview

GILKY is a Berlin-based sportswear brand founded in 2021, operating under the 'HERE TO PERFORM' motto. The company offers a comprehensive 360-degree sportswear and merchandise portfolio consisting of three core product lines: Teamsport (custom team uniforms and sports apparel), Merchandising (fan merchandise and fan shop management), and Corporate Fashion (custom corporate apparel). The product ecosystem is complemented by Veredelungstechniken (textile finishing services including digital printing, screen printing, sublimation, flex printing, embroidery, and patches) and Textilpflege (textile care guidance). GILKY produces over 50,000 products from individual development and manufacturing across 9 European production facilities, with over 150 exclusively designed club jerseys. The company also operates GILKY Limited Drops as a sub-brand for limited edition merchandise collections, including the GILKY National Collection. Additionally, GILKY has launched the GILKY College League, a school football initiative for Berlin secondary schools promoting youth sports.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Teamsport Custom-designed team sports apparel and uniforms for football and other team sports, including individualized club jerseys, training wear, and performance-focused clothing supplied under exclusive outfitter agreements.
• Merchandising Custom fan and team merchandise solutions for sports clubs and organizations, including exclusive collections, personalized merchandise items with logos, names, and numbers, and fan shop management from concept to delivery.
• Corporate Fashion Custom corporate apparel and workwear for businesses and organizations, including company event clothing, staff uniforms, and corporate identity garments produced to brand specification.
• Veredelungstechniken (Textile Finishing) Textile finishing and decoration services applied to customer-provided or company textiles, including digital printing, screen printing, sublimation printing, flex printing, embroidery, embroidered badges, woven patches, and 3D silicone logos for customizing sportswear with club identities.
• GILKY Limited Drops Limited edition sportswear collections and merchandise drops sold direct-to-consumer via the GILKY online shop, including country-themed collections such as the GILKY National Collection with customization options.
• GERMANY 2026 Merch Shirt Premium oversized fit T-shirt from the GILKY National Collection featuring Germany-inspired 2026 artwork with front and back graphic prints, made from 100% cotton, with optional customization add-ons for names, numbers, and initials.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reached >7 million people through partnerships and marketing activities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Tennis Borussia Berlin (TeBe)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 July 2025GILKY becomes official equipment supplier from 2025/26 season. Partnership emphasizes shared values of identity, diversity, and authenticity. Collection created in close coordination with club, carrying DNA of both brands. TeBe known for connecting football that unites culturally, socially, and sportingly.
• Viktoria AschaffenburgcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 February 2024GILKY becomes exclusive equipment supplier for the entire club starting 2024/25 season, entering Regionalliga Bayern. Partnership includes co-designed exclusive collection reflecting club's unique character and regional identity. Club founded 1901 with professional team and youth squads.
• VSG AltglienickecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 September 2023GILKY partnership since 2023/24 Regionalliga Nordost season. Players wore GILKY-logoed jerseys from season opener. Partnership symbolizes shared mission beyond the pitch - promoting sport and community. Club is established name in Berlin football.
• European League of Football (ELF)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 August 2023Partnership announced for 2023 season. ELF is the European American Football league. GILKY provides equipment and merchandise for the league.
• Clinton (Creative Partner)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinton hosts GILKY's 'Creative Quarter' at their European headquarters in Berlin. Facility provides space for design, development, and shipping operations. Location described as 'as large as 4 football fields'. Strategic partnership for creative operations.
• GILKY College League / Berlin SenateminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool football format initiative for Berlin secondary schools, supported by Berlin Senate administration (Bereich Schulfußball). GILKY provides equipment and organizational support. Motto: 'For your FOOTure'. Emphasizes teamwork, individuality, and equal opportunities.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Puma: German-headquartered global sportswear giant with extensive football team sports division. While vastly larger, Puma serves overlapping customers (clubs, federations, fans) and competes for the same sponsorship and kit contracts.
• Nike: Global sportswear leader with a strong team sports division. Defines the upper competitive benchmark GILKY would need to displace to access top-tier club and federation contracts.
• Adidas: Global sportswear leader with dominant football team sports portfolio. Competes with GILKY for club-level contracts at higher tiers and represents the long-term competitive ceiling for any teamwear specialist.

Direct peers

• Uhlsport: German football equipment and apparel brand with goalkeeper and teamwear lines. Comparable German-centric football market focus and team-customization offering.
• Hummel: Danish/German team sports apparel brand with deep football heritage and sponsorship of European football clubs. Overlaps with GILKY in teamwear, customization, and club partnership approach.
• Erima: German team sports apparel manufacturer focused on team kits and clubwear for amateur and professional sports. Directly comparable in product portfolio, customer type, and German market presence.
• Capelli Sport: US-headquartered team sports apparel brand with a strong European football presence and exclusive club partnerships across multiple tiers. Closely mirrors GILKY's exclusive-outfitter, multi-finishing-technology model.
• Macron: Italian team sports apparel brand with a strong European football outfitter portfolio serving clubs across multiple tiers. Comparable in custom teamwear manufacturing and club partnership business model.
• Joma: Spanish team sports apparel brand with broad European and Latin American football sponsorship footprint. Comparable as a non-incumbent specialist competing against global giants for club and federation contracts.
• Jako: German team sports apparel brand specializing in football kits, training wear, and team equipment. Operates with an almost identical target customer (amateur and semi-professional football clubs) and a comparable direct-to-club sales model across Germany and Europe.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/gilky_de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gilky

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 Gilky Gmbh