Type of business | Private |
---|---|
Type of site | Online Custom Apparel and Accessories, eCommerce |
Available in | English |
Founded | 2000McLean, Virginia [1] | , in
Headquarters | Fairfax, Virginia |
No. of locations | 42 (February 2022) |
Area served | United States, Canada, Worldwide |
Founder(s) |
|
CEO | Marc Katz |
Industry | Customized Apparel and Accessories |
Products | T-shirts, Apparel, Accessories |
Services | Custom Apparel, Swag, Promotional Products, Fundraising Campaigns, Uniforms and Corporate Gifts |
Revenue | ~US$500 million |
Employees | 800+ |
URL |
customink |
Custom Ink is an American online retail company headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, that makes custom clothing and other items such as T-shirts, sweatshirts, bags, and tech accessories. [2] [3]
Custom Ink (first launched as CustomInk) was founded in 2000 by Marc Katz, the company’s CEO and Chairman, and several of his college friends. [4] [5] [6] [7] It began as a t-shirt design company with funding from family and friends, and consisted of a 10-person team. [8] BT Wolfenshohn was the company’s first lead investor. [9] CustomInk reported $1 million in sales its first year and $3 million in 2002. [10] The company’s first profit was reported in 2003 with gross revenue of $7 million. [11]
In 2005, Inc. Magazine ranked Custom Ink the 55th fastest growing business in the U.S. [12] The company reported $61 million in sales in 2009. [13]
In November 2013, Custom Ink received $40 million from Revolution Growth, the investment fund run by Steve Case, Ted Leonsis, and Donn Davis. [14] The investment reportedly helped the growth of two new projects: Booster and Pear. [14] Booster [15] (later Custom Ink Fundraising) was launched by Moss (previously founder of BuyWithMe) who rejoined Custom Ink after being one of the original CustomInk founding members. [16]
In 2019, Custom Ink's investors sold their shares for an undisclosed amount. [17]
On January 3, 2023, Custom Ink fired most of its production staff, including 206 workers in Charlottesville, Virginia, and another 132 in Reno, Nevada. Workers got a small severance package if they signed a non-disclosure agreement that instructed them not to write disparaging comments, or else they would receive nothing. [18] [19] [20] [21][ excessive citations]
On February 4, 2016, Custom Ink acquired the Los Angeles company Represent.com, which helps celebrities sell limited-run T-shirts and merchandise to fans and followers. [22] [23] [24] In 2019, CustomInk purchased Sidestep, a website and mobile app that strictly sells concert merchandise. The acquisition was done through CustomInk's subsidiary Represent. [25]
In November 2021, the company purchased New York City-based giveaway startup Swag.com for an undisclosed amount. [26] [27] Swag.com is an online design and ordering company for corporate swag and gifting. [28] Two months later, in January 2022, the company acquired Printfection, a swag management platform. [3]
By April 2024, Custom Ink has 42 showroom locations across 15 states and Washington DC.
In 2014, Fortune and Great Place to Work ranked Custom Ink as one of their Top 100 places to work. [29]
Type of business | Private |
---|---|
Type of site | Online Custom Apparel and Accessories, eCommerce |
Available in | English |
Founded | 2000McLean, Virginia [1] | , in
Headquarters | Fairfax, Virginia |
No. of locations | 42 (February 2022) |
Area served | United States, Canada, Worldwide |
Founder(s) |
|
CEO | Marc Katz |
Industry | Customized Apparel and Accessories |
Products | T-shirts, Apparel, Accessories |
Services | Custom Apparel, Swag, Promotional Products, Fundraising Campaigns, Uniforms and Corporate Gifts |
Revenue | ~US$500 million |
Employees | 800+ |
URL |
customink |
Custom Ink is an American online retail company headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, that makes custom clothing and other items such as T-shirts, sweatshirts, bags, and tech accessories. [2] [3]
Custom Ink (first launched as CustomInk) was founded in 2000 by Marc Katz, the company’s CEO and Chairman, and several of his college friends. [4] [5] [6] [7] It began as a t-shirt design company with funding from family and friends, and consisted of a 10-person team. [8] BT Wolfenshohn was the company’s first lead investor. [9] CustomInk reported $1 million in sales its first year and $3 million in 2002. [10] The company’s first profit was reported in 2003 with gross revenue of $7 million. [11]
In 2005, Inc. Magazine ranked Custom Ink the 55th fastest growing business in the U.S. [12] The company reported $61 million in sales in 2009. [13]
In November 2013, Custom Ink received $40 million from Revolution Growth, the investment fund run by Steve Case, Ted Leonsis, and Donn Davis. [14] The investment reportedly helped the growth of two new projects: Booster and Pear. [14] Booster [15] (later Custom Ink Fundraising) was launched by Moss (previously founder of BuyWithMe) who rejoined Custom Ink after being one of the original CustomInk founding members. [16]
In 2019, Custom Ink's investors sold their shares for an undisclosed amount. [17]
On January 3, 2023, Custom Ink fired most of its production staff, including 206 workers in Charlottesville, Virginia, and another 132 in Reno, Nevada. Workers got a small severance package if they signed a non-disclosure agreement that instructed them not to write disparaging comments, or else they would receive nothing. [18] [19] [20] [21][ excessive citations]
On February 4, 2016, Custom Ink acquired the Los Angeles company Represent.com, which helps celebrities sell limited-run T-shirts and merchandise to fans and followers. [22] [23] [24] In 2019, CustomInk purchased Sidestep, a website and mobile app that strictly sells concert merchandise. The acquisition was done through CustomInk's subsidiary Represent. [25]
In November 2021, the company purchased New York City-based giveaway startup Swag.com for an undisclosed amount. [26] [27] Swag.com is an online design and ordering company for corporate swag and gifting. [28] Two months later, in January 2022, the company acquired Printfection, a swag management platform. [3]
By April 2024, Custom Ink has 42 showroom locations across 15 states and Washington DC.
In 2014, Fortune and Great Place to Work ranked Custom Ink as one of their Top 100 places to work. [29]