In May, Next Level Apparel (PPAI 272027, S3) announced it will move its production closer to the North American market by partnering with Grupo M, a textile manufacturer based in the Dominican Republic. It has also partnered with forensic science company Oritain to verify the origin of products and raw materials. The positive moves come as some pieces in its inventory were found to contain cotton tracing to the prohibited Xinjiang region of China. Next Level quarantined that inventory.
The company was founded in 2003 to fill an industry gap for blank premium poly/cotton T-shirts that are designed to be easily sublimated. As interest in the products increased, Next Level Apparel has launched six distinct apparel collections ranging from fleece to USA-made to eco-friendly over the past 10 years. In January 2023, it announced the acquisition of Stedman, a European manufacturer of blank apparel.
