Founded in 1877 by a sea captain named Helly Hansen, the eponymous company returned to Nordic ownership in late 2006 when Bahrain-based Investcorp sold the Norwegian outdoor-wear supplier to Sweden's Altor Equity Partners. The company is the British arm of Helly Hansen, a Norwegian maker of waterproof apparel for outdoor sports and work. The firm's foul-weather offerings feature three layers of apparel to keep the wearer warm and dry. The base layer uses polypropylene yarn that wicks moisture away from the body. The company makes clothing for men, women, and children.

These exclamations and more can be found on any one of the company's heady Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps labels. Sold primarily through natural foods retailers, Dr. Bronner's liquid and bar soaps (made of vegetable oil) rely on low prices and word-of-mouth for advertising. Devoted customers use the soaps for everything from bug repellant to pet shampoo. The company focuses on soap, lip balms, and lotions, as well as ALPSNACK hemp-nut nutrition bars. Founded by master soap maker, world peace visionary, and "Pope of Soap" Dr. Emmanuel Bronner, the company is still family owned and operated by his descendants.

LPC Group PLC company, through several subsidiaries, makes sanitary paper products, such as toilet tissue, paper towels, napkins, facial tissue, and recycled paper products. Its units include LPC (UK), Kamns Paper Mill, LPC AFH Division, and Swedish Tissue AB. A portion of products are sold under the firm's own-brands, while others are made for external parties' own-name labels. The group's products are manufactured at its own paper mills and recycling facilities and sold in more than 25 countries. Its Swedish Tissue division has been producing paper products for more than two centuries.

Alexandra plc company makes and sells apparel, shoes, and accessories for the workplace, including the catering, medical, hospitality, transportation, and security industries. Products may be purchased through about half a dozen retail outlets in the UK, as well as by mail order and online. Alexandra also offers a bespoke service (about 50% of sales) that tailors uniforms for large corporations. While more than 90% of its sales originate in the UK and Ireland, Alexandra also does business in Holland, France, and several other countries in Europe and overseas. Alexandra sources more than 95% of its garments overseas in countries, such as Morocco, India, and in the Far East.

The firm now ships more than 50 million bottles of wine a year through two businesses, Laithwaites (formerly Bordeaux Direct) and the "Sunday Times" wine club. Both operations sell wine online. Founder Tony Laithwaite first entered the wine business by importing French wines and selling them from a rented railway arch in 1969. When the "Sunday Times" in 1973 published an expos on some of the dirty tricks of the British wine trade, Laithwaite wrote to distance himself from the bad press. The letter drew 2,000 reader responses and prompted the newspaper to establish a wine club with Laithwaite's help.

M. Hidary & Co., Inc. company, founded in 1948 by Max and Moe Hidary, operates under The Hidary Group, an investor group that has holdings in consumer products, real estate, technology, and financial services. M. Hidary & Co., Inc. company makes apparel for men and children under numerous brand names, including Bon Bebe, Russell, Everlast, Amy Byer, Maui & Sons, and Pacific Trail. M. Hidary also makes licensed items under a dozen agreements for Marvel Entertainment and Disney, as well as apparel under private label. It sells its products through big box chains (Wal-Mart, Target), specialty stores (Sports Authority), national retailers (Sears), and catalogs (Global Sports Interactive).

Raani Corporation is a private label manufacturer and contract packaging firm that offers blending and filling services, research and development, and regulatory guidance to the personal care product industry. The company specializes in the production of hair care (including the ethnic hair care niche), skin care, over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, household products, toiletries and bath care, baby care, and cosmetics. Raani's deodorants and assorted toiletries are sold by well known retailers including Kmart. CEO and president Rashid Chaudary started the business out of a garage in 1983.

PZ Cussons is no washout at washing up. Its focus is making and distributing body and hand soaps. It also produces detergents, surface cleaners, over-the-counter medicines, skin and hair care products, men's toiletries, and other household products. While the company sells some internationally recognized brands, the majority of its products are branded and marketed for regional markets. In addition to its personal care and soap and detergent product lines, PZ Cussons has added household electrical appliances and food products to its products portfolio. In 2002 the firm changed its name from Paterson Zochonis to PZ Cussons. The family of co-founder George Zochonis still owns about 30% of the company.

Redbarn Pet Products was started by two friends who believed there was a better alternative to feeding your dog dry food. They felt that the natural proteins found in fresh meat were important to a dog’s health and well-being and set out to develop a food that was meat based, preserved naturally and convenient to use. The result was the Redbarn Premium Food for Dogs in the roll format. With the aid of food nutritionists, the food was perfected and now includes Beef, Chicken & Liver and Wheat Free Lamb & Rice flavors. With the success of the food under their belt, the next step was to complete the line by adding an assortment of premium quality treats. The result is a full selection of natural body parts and a range of exciting and unique treats. The Redbarn team has since grown to include food scientists who work solely at developing new, wholesome products for your dog to enjoy.

SC Direct subsidiary sells women's wigs and wiglets mostly through catalogs such as Paula Young but also through its Web site: WigShop.com. A similar catalog, Especially Yours, targets African-American women. Its Daxbourne International unit sells similar products in the UK through catalogs and a few stores. Its Heart of Gold division offers synthetic and human hair wigs to women experiencing hair loss due to chemotherapy and medical treatments. Specialty Catalog also offers continuing education through its Western Schools division. Specialty Catalog was sold to EdgeStone Capital Partners in 2005.

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