Crystal D (PPAI 112326, Gold), PPAI 100’s No. 75 supplier, has announced a significant expansion of its product offerings after 30 years of specializing in crystal.

The company has introduced “80 new ways to wow” with the addition of designs made of stone, wood and acrylic.

“Our customers have expressed that they want to work with us on orders with a wider range of materials, textures, features and price points, and we are excited to show them what we can do,” says Bridget Dahlgren, executive vice president of marketing and sales at Crystal D.

Vantage Apparel (PPAI 113235, Platinum), PPAI 100’s No. 14 supplier, has announced that Cutter & Buck (PPAI 196156, Platinum), PPAI 100’s No. 37 supplier, is now fully integrated with Vantage.

• Effective immediately, distributors using Vantage Webstores can merchandise their online stores with the entire Cutter & Buck catalog, including both the Retail CB line and the Clique collection.
• Every style is available for print-on-demand decoration by Vantage with no minimums, allowing distributors and their customers to place one-piece orders with the same ease and efficiency as bulk programs.

“Vantage’s webstore solution is designed to simplify how distributors sell branded merchandise – faster, easier and with more flexibility,” says Rob Watson, CEO of Vantage Apparel. “By adding Cutter & Buck to the mix, we’re delivering the industry’s largest apparel assortment on one platform – decorated on-demand and ready to order with just a click.”

As an official contract decoration partner, Vantage offers distributors free inbound freight from Cutter & Buck to any of its three U.S. facilities: Avenel, New Jersey; St. Louis; and Santa Ana, California.

“We know our customers are looking for premium brands that elevate their programs and they want simplicity in how they deliver that experience,” says Joel Freet, CEO of Cutter & Buck. “By partnering with Vantage, we’re making it easier than ever for companies to bring Cutter & Buck into their corporate apparel, employee recognition and client gifting initiatives with the same quality, style and service they expect from us.”

Cotton Heritage (PPAI 254025, Gold) and Apliiq have announced a strategic partnership to enable rapid U.S.-based print-on-demand fulfillment for apparel brands.

Under the partnership, Apliiq’s technology-driven POD platform and bi-coastal production network will integrate with Cotton Heritage’s premium, in-stock blanks, consolidating procurement, decoration, quality control and shipping within the U.S.

“With de minimis ending, brands need a U.S.-first fulfillment strategy they can count on,” says Ian Gruber, CEO of Apliiq. “By pairing Cotton Heritage’s quality garments with Apliiq’s on-demand manufacturing and nationwide logistics, we’re giving merchants speed, predictability and control over their margins.”

“Cotton Heritage has always focused on quality and availability,” adds Nik Sachdeva, head of internal strategy for Cotton Heritage. “Together with Apliiq, we’re making it simple for growing brands to produce closer to their customers and ship quickly – without customs surprises.”

Canadian Solutions for Business (PPAI 822117, Standard-Base) welcomes four new leaders:

• Joshua Shaw, director of sales recruiting
• Nick Bogias, director of onboarding
• Sarkis Barkanian, director of vendor relations
• Yana Lopes, marketing and social media coordinator

Since 2012, Shaw has worked with distributors across Canada, helping resellers by aligning clients with the right products and leveraging leadership experience with both hard goods and apparel.

Bogias is a seasoned business leader with executive roles at PepsiCo, Bell Canada, Virgin Mobile and Good Things Promotional Products and Apparel.

Barkanian previously managed enterprise accounts at Staples Promotional Products Canada and collaborated with vendors in the automotive sector to develop custom merchandise programs.

Lopes earned her diploma in advertising and marketing communications from Sheridan College and now leads CSB’s digital communications.

“At CSB, our growth is driven by people, including the talented leaders, associates and vendor partners who make this business possible,” says Larry Zavadil, founder and CEO of CSB and American Solutions for Business. “Welcoming Josh, Nick, Sarkis and Yana is another step forward in building a strong foundation in Canada.”

Eversole Run (PPAI 199242, Silver) announced that it has donated over $200,000 worth of new men’s and ladies’ polo shirts to Goodwill Columbus.

“Giving back to our community is part of who we are, and we’re honored to support a great organization making a real difference,” the company said in a press release.

OEKO-TEX, which consists of several third-party certifications that ensure products undergo testing for potentially harmful chemicals, announced in its Annual Report that it has issued over 57,000 certificates in the 2024/2025 financial year.

• This 8% increase on the previous year reflects the industry’s confidence in transparent and reliable standards.

“This report is not only an account of our activities, but also a testament to collective achievement,” says Dr Alfred J. Beerli, CEO of OEKO-TEX. “The progress made in 2024/2025 reflects the shared efforts of testing institutes, license holders, partner organizations and stakeholders from industry and civil society. Their input has been essential in adapting OEKO-TEX tools to current and future needs. We invite all stakeholders to read the report, join the dialogue and help shape the next steps together.”