Alternative Apparel founder on growth plans

Known for its soft, vintage-looking Ts, Alternative Apparel is close to reaching $100 million in sales.

Founder and Chief Creative Officer Greg Alterman discusses the company’s rapid growth and shares what’s next, including a move into retail.

How big is the company right now?

Greg Alterman

We’re about to reach the $100 million mark in sales and currently have roughly 180 employees at Alternative.

Where are you based?

Our headquarters are located in Atlanta, Georgia with our Design Lab and primary showroom located in Los Angeles and an additional showroom in New York.

How many employees do you have?

Approximately 180. Notably, we’ve brought on 83 new hires since 2009.

Over the last few years, how much have you grown?

We’re fortunate to have experienced rapid growth and expansion despite the recent economic downturn. We grew 550% in our first six years, and we continue to grow every day with new hires, new product segments and new ventures.

How much of your business is blanks versus selling wholesale to retail accounts?

Right now, our consumer sales make up about 5% of our volume with our wholesale/ASI/brand accounts comprising the other 95%.

What are your biggest categories?

Alternative began as a blank T-shirt company, so Ts are obviously huge for us. When our customers buy an Alternative tee, they know it’s not just any T-shirt; each piece is designed to fit flawlessly and have that signature vintage softness. The quality and care that go into each garment give the wearer a feeling confidence and being comfortable in their own skin—that’s what sets Alternative apart from the competition.

Over the years, we’ve been able to bring our commitment to comfort and craftsmanship to new categories. We’re starting to expand our outerwear and bottoms and have received a great response from our customers in those categories.

See Page 2 for Alternative’s expansion plans

Where can we find your products? Who are your biggest retailers?

Our entire product line is available on our e-commerce site at alternativeapparel.com, and we’re also available at prominent department and specialty stores such as Macy’s, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s and Urban Outfitters.

I read you’re expanding into accessories and more. Can you tell me about that?

We’re launching an all-new line of accessories for spring 2011, complete with handbags, travel bags and small accessories, such as belts and wallets.

From oversized totes and rugged weekenders to sleek holsters and cinched belts, each piece directly reflects Alternative’s core values—comfort, craftsmanship and authenticity—and is imprinted with custom-vintage, hand-crafted details.

We’re excited that our customers will finally be able to complement their favorite Alternative ensemble with just the right Alternative accessory.

What’s your involvement like in the action sports market?

Our customers have always loved to wear Alternative as sportswear, so for spring 2011, we’ve decided to expand upon that idea with a brand new line of varsity-style basics inspired by vintage athletic gear.

It’s called A Game and the collection features nostalgic football tees and tanks in sporty color combos and classic designs for a throwback to the authentic spirit of an athletic era past.

What’s next for the company?

As we continue to grow and expand, our goal is to extend our community and foster long-term relationships with our customers.

In order to do this, we are planning on launching our own retail stores in spring 2011. This will allow us to connect directly with customers and give them a more heightened shopping experience.