Two household names in the branded apparel world are teaming up.

Counselor Top 40 supplier S&S Activewear (asi/84358) announced June 9 that it will become the exclusive provider of Hanesbrands (asi/59528) in the promotional products/screen-printing channel – a vertical the firms term printwear.

“We’re incredibly proud to deepen our relationship with Hanes, a brand that represents both heritage and reliability,” said Frank Myers, CEO of S&S Activewear and a member of Counselor’s Power 50 list of promo’s most influential people. “We’re in a better position than ever to bring more of Hanes’s trusted styles to more customers, more efficiently, while continuing to raise the bar on service.”

As part of the partnership, S&S Activewear will carry the full range of Hanes styles, including the durable and trending Beefy-T. S&S will offer what executives said is deeper inventory positions and enhanced availability across its national distribution network. Customers can also expect faster shipping and delivery windows for Hanes styles, as well as what the companies described as seamless ordering through the S&S website and service platform.

“This is more than an agreement – it’s an evolution of one of the industry’s most enduring relationships,” said Mike Faircloth, Hanesbrands’ president of global operations. “Hanes has been a foundational brand in printwear for decades. With S&S as our exclusive distributor, we’re doubling down on that legacy while positioning ourselves to lead in the next chapter of the market.”

“We believe strong partnerships with manufacturers like Hanes are what drive value and progress for the industry and our customers.” Frank Myers, S&S Activewear (asi/84358)

Hanesbrands products won’t be immediately disappearing from the shelves of other suppliers. The partnership with S&S becomes fully operational on Dec. 31, 2025. “Customers may continue to purchase Hanes products from other distributors through the transition period,” the firms said in a statement.

S&S Activewear has made big moves in promo in the last 10 months. The firm recently integrated Counselor Top 40 supplier alphabroder (asi/34063), which it acquired last year. S&S also relaunched Prime Line as a standalone hard goods division. S&S has drawn attention for its use of advanced mobile robotics and automation in its distribution centers.

“As we continue to grow, our focus remains on supporting the industry’s most trusted brands,” said Myers. “We believe strong partnerships with manufacturers like Hanes are what drive value and progress for the industry and our customers.”

Based on estimated 2023 North American promotional product revenue of about $2.1 billion, S&S Activewear ranked second on Counselor’s most recent list of the largest suppliers in the industry.