CustomInk

CustomInk
Type of business Private
Type of site
 Online Custom Apparel and Accessories, eCommerce
Founded 2000, McLean, VA[1]
Headquarters Fairfax, VA
No. of locations Charlottesville, VA; Reno, NV; Flower Mound, Texas; Boston, MA; and Chicago, IL
Area served United States, Canada
Founder(s)
  • Marc Katz
  • Dave Christensen
  • Mike Driscoll
Industry Customized Apparel and Accessories
Products T-shirts, Apparel, Accessories
Services Screen Printing, Digital Printing, Embroidery
Revenue ~US$300 million
Employees 1500+
Slogan(s) T-Shirts Unite!, Design T-shirts Online
Website www.customink.com

CustomInk is an American-based online retail company that makes custom apparel such as T-shirts and sweatshirts. Customers can upload their own art, or use the site's design tools to create a design and order the customized product. CustomInk is headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia with additional offices in Reno, Dallas, and Charlottesville. As of 2015, CustomInk has expanded to Boston and Chicago to accommodate their Booster and Pear projects launched in 2014 and 2015.[2]

History

CustomInk was launched in 1999 by former college classmates, Marc Katz, Dave Christensen, and Mike Driscoll.[3] CustomInk was officially founded in March 2000. Since then, CustomInk has sold more than 60 million custom T-shirts.

Services

CustomInk sells custom apparel for groups and occasions.[4] The website allows people to design and order custom apparel and accessories.[4] Customers can choose from a variety of design ideas, clipart, fonts and colors, or upload their own images to be printed on items including apparel, bags, drink ware and office supplies. CustomInk review each design and email the customer a picture proof of how the design will print, and offers screen printing, digital printing, and embroidery services.

Company culture and employment

In 2015, the Washington Post listed the best 150 workplaces in the D.C. area, and CustomInk ranked #38 in the Top Midsize Workplaces category.[5] In 2015, Fortune named CustomInk #29 in the "100 Best Workplaces for Millennials.[6]

CustomInk was also ranked 62nd in Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For" in 2015. For the past five years, CustomInk has received a CARE Award from Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS), recognizing the company for its commitment to providing family-friendly policies, programs and services.

In 2014, Fortune Magazine and Great Place to Work ranked CustomInk #1 on their list of the 20 best retailers to work for.[7]

CustomInk was recognized as one of the Washingtonian Magazine's "Great Places to Work" in 2005,[8] 2007,[9] and 2009, and 2013.[10]

Inc Magazine placed CustomInk in their list of 500|5000 fastest growing companies in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. Prior to that, CustomInk ranked in the Inc. 500 list in 2005 and 2006.[11]

Growth

In November 2013 CustomInk received $40 million from Revolution Growth, the investment fund run by Steve Case, Ted Leonsis, and Donn Davis.[12] The investment reportedly helped promote the growth of two new projects - Booster and Pear.[13] Booster is a fundraising platform that allows individuals or groups to sell custom apparel for a charity, cause, or project, while collecting donations online.

Pear is an online sponsorship and grassroots fundraising platform that connects local organizations with national brands through social engagements.[14] Social engagements are set by brands and can include liking a brand's Facebook page, watching a YouTube video, or a custom metric the brand chooses. Once a community hits those engagement metrics, the brand will provide the community with their fundraising needs.[15] The company started as Apparel Media Group in 2009, and had raised $1.8 million by the end of 2011. There are over 300 kinds of groups and organizations that can use Pear: events, college groups, professional organizations and clubs can raise money for things like food, beverages, t-shirts or a cash donation.[16]

In 2014, CustomInk’s revenue exceeded $200 million. CustomInk’s product catalog has grown to include T-shirts, hats, hoodies, bags, drink ware, stickers, and other products. On February 4, 2016, CustomInk announced the acquisition of a Los Angeles company called Represent.com that helps celebrities and influencers such as Ronda Rousey, Susan Sarandon and Channing Tatum sell limited-run T-shirts and merchandise to fans and followers.[17][18][19]

References

  1. ↑ Heath, Thomas (October 17, 2010). "Harvard graduate left Wall Street to start CustomInk T-shirt design business". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C.: Washington Post Media. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  2. ↑ Levine, Adam (February 10, 2014). "CustomInk Opens New Office in Reno, NV". Customink.com. Customink.com. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  3. ↑ "CustomInk, LLC Company Information". Hoovers.
  4. 1 2 Chapman, Lizette (November 13, 2013). "Ted Leonsis Aims for 'Warren Buffet Play' and $1 Billion Company With CustomInk Deal". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  5. ↑ "Top Workplaces 2015". Washington Post. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  6. ↑ johnciacia (22 June 2015). "CustomInk". Fortune. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  7. ↑ Fortune - best retailers 2014
  8. ↑ Washingtonian - Great Places to Work 2005
  9. ↑ Washingtonian - Great Places to Work 2007
  10. ↑ Washingtonian - Great Places to Work 2009
  11. ↑ "CustomInk - Awards & Media". customink.com. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  12. ↑ Lawler, Ryan. "CustomInk Nabs $40 Million In Funding From Revolution Growth, Adds Ted Leonsis To Its Board". TechCrunch. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  13. ↑ Lawler, Ryan. "CustomInk Nabs $40 Million In Funding From Revolution Growth, Adds Ted Leonsis To Its Board". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
  14. ↑ Rao, Leena. "Apparel Media Puts Ads On Your Clothes". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
  15. ↑ "#50onFire: The People and Companies Heating Up Marketing and Advertising in Chicago". Chicago Inno. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
  16. ↑ "Raising the bar on raising funds: Pear is changing the fundraising game". Built In Chicago. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
  17. ↑ "Washington-area T-shirt seller goes Hollywood". Washington Post. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  18. ↑ "CustomInk buys L.A.-based T-shirt firm with large roster of celebrity investors, customers". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  19. ↑ "CustomInk Acquires Represent, A Custom Merchandise Marketplace for Influencers". TechCrunch. Retrieved 5 February 2016.

Further reading

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