Honey, We Bought a Custom Merchandise Production Facility

Honey, We Bought a Custom Merchandise Production Facility

From Campus Stores to Club Fundraising, In-House Production Sets Us Apart and Changes the Game

About 18 months ago, we made a strategic move that’s reshaping how we serve campuses: we acquired our own custom merchandise production facility located stateside in California.

This isn’t just a warehouse with boxes of t-shirts. It’s a full-service production hub where we take high-quality soft goods (hoodies, t-shirts, hats, graduation stoles, pickleball sweat bands? You name it) and emblemize them using embroidery, heat transfer, and screen printing. And because we own the facility, every stitch, print, and shipment is under our control.

The result? Faster turnaround, better customization, and unmatched flexibility for every campus we serve. But that’s just the start.

From Idea to Shelf, Fast

When a campus needs a new hoodie or t-shirt design for a big game or wants to launch a limited-edition t-shirt for Homecoming, they can’t wait months for overseas production.

Owning our own facility means we can:

• Produce and deliver quickly — often in days, not weeks.
• Support low minimums — perfect for small runs and exclusive designs.
• Customize for each campus — unique designs that reflect each school’s identity.

It’s how we can take an idea from concept to store shelf faster than anyone relying on outside vendors.

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The Pop-Up Website Advantage

One of the most exciting capabilities our facility powers is our pop-up website program, a tool that’s changing the way clubs, teams, and departments get gear and raise money.

Here’s how it works:

1. Any campus group — from the Pickleball Club to the Biology Department, chooses merchandise to customize.
2. We create a free online pop-up store with their designs, ready to share with members and supporters.
3. People can browse, order, and reserve their order online with no upfront cost to the club.
4. Only when enough orders are committed do we produce the items, ship them directly, and send the club a check for a share of the proceeds.

In the past, clubs had to guess how much merchandise to order, tie up budget in inventory, and hope it sold. With our pop-up websites, there’s zero risk, zero upfront cost, and 100% upside.

It’s a fundraising tool, a recruitment tool, and a way to build pride and visibility for any group on campus.

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Owning the Supply Chain = Owning the Advantage One Campus at at Time

Most campus store operators outsource merchandise production. That means long lead times, higher costs, and limited customization.

We’re different. Because we control both the textbook supply and the merchandise production, we can:

• Offer better prices by cutting out middlemen.
• Guarantee quality control from start to finish.
• Deliver faster than industry norms.
• Provide unique fundraising solutions like our pop-up websites to any department or club.

Better for Campuses, Better for Students

This isn’t just about operational efficiency, it’s about creating opportunities:

• Campus stores get fresh, high-quality merchandise faster.
• Clubs and departments can raise money without risk.
• Students get unique, high-quality gear that actually reflects their campus identity.

It’s a win for everyone, and it’s only possible because we’ve created this capability in-house.

Final Thought: In an era when retail success is defined by speed, customization, and creativity, our in-house production facility gives us and our campus partners an unmatched edge. Whether it’s stocking a campus store or helping a club launch a zero-cost fundraiser, we can do it faster, better, and more profitably than anyone else.

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Study on,

Alan

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Alan Martin

VP Sales, Valore Campus