HOW S&S IS BUILDING ITS BUSINESS AROUND CUSTOMER GROWTH S&S stopped asking, “How do we fill a customer’s order?” and started asking, “How can we fuel their success?” Here’s what that shift means for customers and the industry. The branded merchandise industry has changed significantly over the past four decades. So have the businesses S&S serves. PPDs and Decorators today are navigating greater complexity and higher expectations. They don’t just need suppliers; they need true partners who can help them grow. To meet these changing needs, S&S has evolved alongside them. What began as an apparel distributor has grown into a partner that brings together a broad product portfolio, nationwide distribution, technology and business solutions designed to help customers compete and grow. That evolution is why S&S Activewear has rebranded to become S&S — a name and identity that better reflects the company’s expanded scope and services. “While our look may have changed, our customers remain at the heart of who we are,” S&S Chief Executive Officer Frank Myers said. “Our customers are ambitious about where they want to take their businesses, and our job is to help them get there.” That’s the idea behind S&S’s new brand and tagline: “Take Your Vision Further.” What’s Changed for Customers Behind the new identity are real changes in what S&S offers and how it operates. S&S rebuilt its sales organization around regionally focused teams for deeper, more local relationships. It invested more than $200 million in robotic fulfillment across a network that reaches 99% of the U.S. and Canada within two days. And it built S&S Business Solutions to make it easier for customers to do business with S&S — and with their own customers. The New S&S Experience When S&S brought the brand to life digitally in September, it put its customers at the center of the story, highlighting how the company’s evolution is showing up in their businesses. For Michelle Diaz, Co-Owner of Natural Tease Sportswear, that means having the product breadth, pricing and speed to confidently pursue new opportunities. “S&S products help me serve a wide range of customers, from resorts to construction workers to landscapers,” Diaz said. “Working with S&S gives us the confidence to go after larger accounts because we know we can count on competitive pricing and quick turnaround.” For Blake Burroughs, Founder and Chief Sales Officer at TopShelf Printers, it’s about having a partner alongside his business as it grows. “S&S is right beside us in every growth opportunity we see,” Burroughs said. “They listen to us as the customer and allow us to grow alongside them.” Those experiences are what “Take Your Vision Further” is intended to represent: understanding where customers want to go and continuing to build the capabilities that can help them get there. Next Stop: Las Vegas Since September, customers have experienced the new S&S primarily through the company’s website, digital channels, and communications. In January, S&S will bring the brand to life in person at The PPAI Expo 2027 in Las Vegas, giving customers the opportunity to experience firsthand what the new S&S is all about. And while S&S continues to evolve, what’s at the center hasn’t changed: listening to customers, understanding where they want to go — and helping them take their vision further. “Our customers are ambitious about where they want to take their businesses, and our job is to help them get there.” FRANK MYERS Chief Executive Officer, S&S MICHELLE DIAZ Co-Owner, Natural Tease Sportswear The New S&S at a Glance brands in North America – the industry’s largest inventory 80+ helps customers run faster, leaner and more profitably >99.9% order accuracy customers served in 2025 120K faster order processing through automation 4x SPONSORED CONTENT • NOVEMBER 2026 • 53
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzU4OQ==