Under the adidas umbrella since 2006, Reebok International Limited (UK) has been running with a new pack but is headed toward some of the same hurdles. It's the British subsidiary of Reebok International that faces some of the stiffest European competition. The company manufactures athletic footwear and activewear for men, women, and teens and serves as the center of European operations for its parent company. Its products include limited edition athletic shoes, men's and women's shirts and shorts, gloves, and sports-related items. It makes a G-Unit and (Allen) Iverson branded products. Reebok brand veteran Paul Harrington succeeded Paul Fireman as head of the company when adidas acquired Reebok.

Cosmetic Essence specializes in the formulation, manufacturing, and filling of personal care products. The company also offers packaging design and distribution services. Its product lines consist of color cosmetics, creams and lotions, perfumes, bath and hair care items, and household supplies. Customers include leading branded manufacturers and major retailers nationwide. Until 2009 Cosmetic Essence was owned by private investment firm Onex.

American Apparel, Inc. company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. American Apparel, Inc. engages in the manufacture, distribution, and retail of fashion basic apparel for women, men, children, and pets. The company primarily offers t-shirts, denim, sweaters, jackets, and other casual wear. As of May 31, 2009, it operated 270 retail stores in 19 countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Israel, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and the People's Republic of China. The company also operates a wholesale business that supplies t-shirts and other casual wear to distributors and screen printers. In addition, it has an online retail e-commerce Web site americanapparel.net.

Smead Manufacturing Company was founded in 1906 by Charles Smead. After his death, the company was purchased by an employee (P. A. Hoffman) whose granddaughter, Sharon Avent, is president and CEO. Smead Manufacturing wants to keep its customers organized. Accordingly, it makes a variety of paper-related and software products to organize and manage offices. Smead's first product, a bandless expandable file, is still among the more than 5,000 items it makes for retail sale in office supply stores nationwide (including Office Depot). Offerings range from hanging folders, labels, and binder covers to SmeadSoft software, which manages hard copy and computerized documents.

Bienestar International wants consumers to think about the well-being of the people who work for its manufacturers. Bienestar and its No Sweat Apparel brand broke into the market by emphasizing fair labor practices -- outsourcing its manufacturing to union shops that pay living wages and offer benefits to workers. The company offers plain and screen-printed T-shirts, hoodies, accessories, and shoes for men, women, and children. Products are retailed through Bienestar's e-commerce site and more than 150 specialty stores in the US, Canada, and Europe. It also wholesales its merchandise to schools, churches, and other groups. CEO Adam Neiman and his wife, VP Natalia Muina, each own about 40% of the firm.

Panoptx Inc. company manufactures performance eyewear -- a combination of protection goggles and sunglasses -- under the 7Eye brand name. Its target audience is sports enthusiasts from skiers to bikers whose eyes are routinely subject to intensified sun glare. The company's Web site offers a build-your-own feature, which allows customers to choose a variety of frame styles and lens colors suitable for the user's chosen sport. The eyewear, also available with prescription lenses, is sold through opticians and specialty stores such as Harley-Davidson throughout the US.

SCA Hygiene Products UK makes the stuff people reach for after muttering Geshundheit to each other. As one of Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget SCA's primary units and a big contributor to its parent's growing hygiene business, SCA Hygiene Products UK operates in Western Europe and has developed a strong regional presence. Its leading brands include Tena, Bodyform, Velvet, and Tork. The company's products portfolio includes toilet paper, napkins, hand-wiping products, incontinence items, baby diapers, and feminine hygiene products. While SCA develops its own brand, it has gradually expanded its business by developing retailers' private-label brands.

Kolmar Labs Group company (formerly known as Outsourcing Services Group) is a contract manufacturer of cosmetics and personal care products, as well as over-the-counter pharmaceuticals. It operates through two subsidiaries: Kolmar Laboratories, which makes cosmetics, bath and hair products, and OTC health products; and Acupac Packaging, a specialty manufacturer focused on single-use consumer products, such as moist towelettes, sample packs, and dissolvable thin films (for example, breath strips). Both companies assist clients with the entire product development process, from conceptualization and formulation to testing, packaging, and distribution.

K-Swiss Inc. was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Westlake Village, California. K-Swiss Inc. designs, develops and markets an array of athletic footwear for high performance sports use, fitness activities and casual wear under the K-Swiss brand. It also designs and manufactures footwear under the Royal Elastics and the Palladium brands. Royal Elastics, a wholly owned subsidiary, is a manufacturer of slip-on, laceless footwear. Palladium SAS (Palladium), a 57% owned subsidiary, is a designer, developer and marketer of footwear for adventurers for all terrains. In July 2008, the Company purchased a 57% equity interest in Palladium.

Kangol Limited licenses its signature hats, footwear, and accessories (bags, watches) to be sold throughout North America, Europe, and Asia/Pacific. In addition to nearly 10 standalone stores in China, Japan, and South Korea, Kangol sells its designs through such specialty and department stores as Selfridges, Nordstrom, and Harrods. Founded in 1938 to make military berets in England, the brand is today enjoying popularity with the hip-hop community. The Kangol brand is owned by sporting goods retailer Sports Direct International (SDI).

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