NC State Licensing
We started with a simple vision in mind: give consumers an upcycling option for their sentimental clothing. Soon after, we discovered that the university system creates an enormous amount of surplus branded apparel each year. In the spring of 2018, departments at NC State reached out to Reborn to take boxes of surplus event t-shirts and admissions polos off their hands.
We knew we needed university approval, so we went through the licensing process and became official partners of NC State University.
With this partnership, we are able to create products branded with the State logo and sell them to retail partners. First, we placed our products in Wolfpack Outfitters, the University Bookstore at NC State. Then, we reached out to local fan store, The Red and White Shop, and our products will be online and in-store in this great shop in just a couple of weeks.
Process
This fresh part of our business – transforming thousands of surplus branded apparel – still comes from the individual concept of wanting to get your clothing out of the back of your closet and back to being used. It turns out that the universities have closets too, and they create problems of storage space, eventual dumping, and the devaluation of a brand.
We take what [in its current form] has no value and add value to it. We’re doing it again and again, for larger brands and larger quantities, all while still maintaining our high quality standards. Dedicated seamstresses under the management of Emma Wang, graduate of NC State College of Textiles FTD program, manufacture our products from beginning to end in our cut-and-sew facility in Raleigh, NC.
New Partnerships
We’re excited to show you a preview of products we have made for various departments and organizations from East Carolina University and University of North Carolina-Wilmington. We don’t sell all of our products to retailers under licensing agreements; we also make products specifically for giveaways and premium incentives. To inquire about upcycling your own surplus apparel or textile waste, see our For Business page for more information.
