Charles River Apparel Earns EcoVadis Bronze Medal

Sharon, MA – Charles River Apparel is ramping up its commitment to environmental responsibility, earning a Bronze medal from EcoVadis after its first assessment by the business sustainability platform.

EcoVadis, which has been gaining popularity in the promo world, evaluates companies across four key pillars: environmental impact, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. Charles River Apparel noted that it performed particularly well in the sustainable procurement pillar, ranking in the top 9% of companies within its industry – and highlighting its strong practices around supply chain responsibility and transparency.

“This recognition from EcoVadis means a lot to us – not just because of where we ranked, but because of what it reflects,” said Jason Lipsett, president of Charles River Apparel. “It affirms that the actions we’ve made are creating real impact. We’re proud of this progress and focused on continuing to go further.”

As part of its commitment, Charles River Apparel said it’s ensuring that all new styles moving forward will incorporate environmentally conscious materials, such as recycled polyester and organic cotton, without compromising the quality, durability or performance. The supplier is also focused on reducing its carbon footprint through initiatives that include participating in the UPS carbon-neutral shipping program, which offsets emissions associated with product delivery.

Charles River Apparel’s environmental responsibility extends to partnerships with charitable organizations. The supplier will sponsor and participate in the Charles River Watershed Association’s annual Earth Day Cleanup again this year, with employees volunteering to help remove litter, manage invasive species and restore green spaces to a portion of the Charles River – the company’s namesake.

On a national level, Charles River Apparel supports American Rivers, a nonprofit working to make every river clean and healthy for people and wildlife across the United States. The company contributed $25,000 toward nationwide river conservation, restoration and advocacy. The initiatives are part of the supplier’s broader Charles River Cares program, which focuses on four areas: environmental conservation, disaster relief, homelessness and poverty, and cancer and wellness.

Charles River Apparel plans to continue participation in EcoVadis assessments annually, with the aim of increasing its ranking as it moves further along its sustainability journey.

Vantage Apparel Celebrates 20 Years of Vansport Innovation and Style

Avenel, NJ – Vantage Apparel celebrates 20 years of its Vansport line. Performance wear has become a staple in both the corporate and casual apparel markets, and no collection embodies this evolution better than Vansport by Vantage Apparel. Originally introduced as a moisture-wicking polo line, Vansport has expanded over the last two decades to include a full range of performance-driven styles designed for versatility, comfort, and durability.



"Performance wear was trending—its permanence after twenty years speaks for itself," said Ira Neaman, President of Vantage Apparel on the inspiration behind launching and the continued success of the Vansport line.

Since its inception, Vansport has expanded beyond its signature moisture-wicking polos to include a comprehensive collection performance-driven styles, including ¼ zips, full zips, and woven shirts. What sets the line apart is its commitment to advanced features like moisture-wicking, UV protection, and spandex-enhanced flexibility, ensuring all-day comfort.

Designed to appeal to all generations and lifestyles, the Vansport line seamlessly blends business and casual wear—a polo perfect for the golf course can be just as easily layered under a ¼ zip for the office or paired with jeans for weekend errands.

Vansport’s journey began with styles like the men’s and ladies’ cotton/poly blend polo, the polo with collar-edge trim detail, and the cotton/poly blend mock turtleneck. The collection has since evolved to include Vansport Pro, introduced in 2015 as a premium performance line featuring sublimated polos with moisture-wicking, spandex, UV protection, and antimicrobial properties.

Whats the inspiration behind the name Vansport? According to Ira Neaman, “Van” comes from Vantage, and every sport benefits from performance.” This philosophy has been at the heart of the line for 20 years, delivering garments that move you, wherever the day takes you. Beyond performance, Vansport is known for its longevity—garments maintain their color vibrancy even after 50 washes—and sustainability, utilizing high-quality conventional and recycled yarns.

S&S Activewear Taps Kendall Whitley to Lead Sales Expansion Efforts in the Team Sales Channel

Bolingbrook, IL – S&S Activewear is keen to expand its sales in the teams/sports vertical and has enlisted Kendall Whitley to spearhead the effort.

“Kendall's impressive track record and deep industry relationships make him the ideal leader to strengthen our team sales division,” said Toby Whitmoyer, S&S Activewear’s chief commercial officer. “His ability to build strategic partnerships and drive growth aligns perfectly with our vision for bolstering our team channel presence.”

Whitley, who reports to Whitmoyer, boasts what S&S Activewear described as nearly four decades of experience in the sporting goods industry. His resume includes time as team sports director for Adidas’ West region and team sports director for Converse. At the outset of his career, he founded Gameday Sports. Most recently, Whitley was vice president of athletics for Nations Best Sports. There, he oversaw all business aspects for 125 dealers in the NBS Athletic Division. During his tenure, Whitley established strategic partnerships with 170 key manufacturers and brands and developed sales tools, business education resources and social media strategies, according to S&S Activewear.

At S&S Activewear, Whitley’s charge is to develop and implement strategic sales initiatives to drive growth. “The sporting goods industry has been my playing field for years now, and this role with S&S is a natural fit as the company expands its work in the team channel,” Whitley said. “I look forward to partnering with such a dynamic organization.”

Whitley emphasized that S&S will not be selling direct into the team sales channel, but through S&S accounts including distributors, decorators and team dealers.

“Our goal is to provide our great mix of brands and resources in the school market, which includes rec sports, club and travel teams, and youth sports through current and future S&S accounts that want to grow their athletics market business,” Whitley said.



S&S Activewear has been busy adding personnel at the top of late, including five leadership additions since November; these include Pablo Mercado as chief financial officer and Eric Levin as general manager of the Prime Line hard goods division.

5 Books Every Small Business Owner Should Read

Jason Hennessey • Entrepreneur Leadership Network Contributor • CEO at Hennessey Digital

Here are five encouraging books for business owners trying to grow their companies.

While there are many "small business 101" courses online, few capture the nuances and complexity of running a small business from scratch. You might learn the essentials (like how to file for an LLC or how to manage your books) but miss the most critical component: how to master the mindset of a successful business owner.

This is where books make up for where online courses and blogs leave off, diving deep into the psychology of starting a venture of your own, the positioning to attract customers, how to price your services and more.

Here's some essential reading for any current (or aspiring) small business owner looking to enter entrepreneurship with confidence and focus.

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