kate spade's story is one of simplicity, like the bags it sells. Begun by designer Kate Spade and her husband, Andy, in 1993, signature kate spade bags were an instant success because of their uncomplicated design. Since then, the manufacturer has expanded into stationery, various functional bags (think diaper bags), and licensing -- with lines of homewares (sheets, tabletop items, and wallpaper), as well as beauty products, eyewear, and shoes. Women's items are sold under the kate spade name while men's products carry the jack spade moniker. The company, which is owned by Liz Claiborne, distributes its products in Asia and sells them in the US through about 50 of its own shops and in upscale department stores.

Cohen & Wilks International (CWI) has matured right along with its clientele; as they have grown up from boys to men, so has the company shed its youth and come into its own. Founded in 1974, Cohen & Wilks International (formerly CWI Ltd) is a leading manufacturer and supplier of childrenswear and menswear to many major retailers in the UK. The company is able to produce apparel in virtually any quantity or physical size requested by its customers. The majority of CWI's manufacturing is done by third-party suppliers and trading partners located in Asia.

Founded in 1949, Frazier Industrial is owned by CEO William Mascharka. Frazier Industrial Company makes structural, as opposed to roll-formed, steel storage racks in about a dozen mini-mills in the US, Canada, and Mexico that can adapt production to demand and receive just-in-time delivery of raw materials. Customers use Frazier Industrial's storage racks in warehouses, factories, farms, and other industrial and commercial facilities. Among the company's storage products is the Glide 'N Pick pallet cart that automatically rolls out for greater ease in retrieving items.

Eight in One was founded in 1888. Consumer products company Spectrum Brands owns Eight in One. Eight in One Pet Products researches, develops, and manufactures pet products domestically and internationally. Products include dog, cat, and bird foods, vitamins and supplements, beds, toys, and shampoos, as well as food and products for more unusual pets such as hedgehogs, chinchillas, and other small animals. The company markets its 1,200 pet products under brand names such as 8-1, Dingo, Nature's Miracle, One Earth, and Kookamunga Catnip.

Owned by John Anderson, Topa has about 40 businesses involved in auto dealerships, beer distribution, insurance, real estate, and more. Topa's beverage operations include Ace Beverage, Mission Beverages, and Paradise Beverages; the firm dominates the Hawaiian beer market. Brands sold include all major US brews and leading US imports, including Guinness, Heineken, and Anheuser-Busch InBev products. Anderson started in 1956 as a distributor of Hamm's beer. UCLA's Anderson School of Business, to which Anderson donated $15 million, is named for him.

Kao Brands Company, a subsidiary of Japan's Kao Corporation, was established in 1882 as a maker of coconut oil soap. The company, pronounced "cow," now formulates and manufactures a wide range of personal care products for men and women. Its brand names include Jergens, Cur�l, Bior�, John Frieda, Guhl, and Ban. Kao Brands' Jergens body wash became popular when liquid soap hit the market. Kao Brands, which sells its products in more than 50 countries, was bought by the American Brands Company in 1970 and the Kao Corporation in 1988.

The Alberto Culver Company is a $1.5 billion manufacturer and marketer, focused on beauty and personal care with an additional portfolio of household products. The company is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ACV. Alberto Culver is the fourth largest manufacturer of hair care products in the United States and the second largest in the UK. Its leading hair care brands include TRESemmé, Alberto VO5, and Nexxus. Soft & Beautiful, Just For Me, Motions and TCB brands make the company the second-largest producer of hair care products for women of color in the world. The company also competes in the skin care category with its St. Ives, Soft & Beautiful Skin and Noxzema brands. In the household category the company created and markets such well-known brands as Mrs. Dash and Static Guard. The company was founded in 1955 by Leonard Lavin. He and his wife Bernice guided the company's growth until 1994 when they turned it over to a second family generation. Mr. Lavin remains a director of today's Alberto Culver and his daughter, Carol Lavin Bernick, is the company's Executive Chairman.

The Forever Group, doing business as Forever Natural, wants men, women, and children to lather and smear on its balms, lotions, and potions, but it doesn't want them to put on any airs in the doing. The company is a distributor of Burt's Bees products -- and sometimes refers to itself as Burt's Bees Canada -- including those concerning bath and body care, hair care, hand and foot care, men's grooming, lip color and cosmetics, baby skin care, facial care, travel kits, and natural remedies. Forever Natural also distributes Urban Spa bath products to supermarkets and health food stores across Canada.

Women the world over know ESCADA for its bright fabrics, elaborate stitching, hand-beaded work, and tailored looks. The firm designs and sells upscale women's apparel (including evening wear, casual wear, and shoes), accessories, and fragrances in about 410 company-owned and franchised stores in some 60 countries. Apparel, handbags, shoes, and belts are designed in-house; eyewear, jewelry, watches, and scarves are licensed. It sold its Escada Beaut cosmetics division to Wella AG but remains a licensee. Unable to secure financing amid falling sales and earnings, the company in August 2009 filed for bankruptcy protection and is being sold.

Founded in 1992 by company owners Jean Hurteau, Guy Hurteau, and France Mnard, Fruits of Passion began with the production of four products (body lotion, bath foam, glycerin soap, and bath oil) with many scent variations for each. Fruits of Passion, the fruits of their passion are becoming more plentiful and visible with each year of the company's success. Fruits & Passion makes, distributes, and retails bath and body products, hair care items, baby care products, home fragrance, sun care, and aromatherapy. Its product lines are sold through more than 165 boutiques in Canada, France, Taiwan, Korea, Switzerland, Hong Kong, and Kuwait, in addition to sales through third-party retailers.

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