Fresh Produce Sportswear is feeling just beachy. The company designs, makes, and markets women's and children's casual apparel and swimwear, as well as related accessories. Its collections are sold in department stores such as Nordstrom, Walt Disney resorts and stores, and through more than 800 specialty boutiques and resorts worldwide. In addition, Fresh Produce operates company-owned and outlet stores throughout the US. Company founders and husband-and-wife team Thom and Mary Ellen Vernon got their start in the fashion industry by designing and selling high-end screenprinted T-shirts and custom jewelry at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Fresh Produce was born out of that first endeavor.

The business was founded in 1950 as Samuel Aaron International. The Aaron Group supplies rocks to those who dig bling. The diamond and gemstone jewelry manufacturer fills two niches -- it makes moderate to low- end jewelry (sold to mass merchandisers and department stores, including Macy's and Belk), jewelry chains, television retailers, catalogs, and Web sites) and midrange to high-end jewelry. Retail customers range from Wal-Mart to QVC to Helzberg Diamonds and Zales. It also is a major exporter, through its Thailand division (Thai-link Trading Co.), to Asian, Australian, European, and South American markets. The firm has operations in Costa Rica (Samuel Aaron Costa Rica) and India (Sai India).

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.

Cats, dogs, hamsters, birds, and the little fish too, can all play in rambunctious style thanks to the folks at Armitages Pet Products. The company makes more than 2,000 pet accessories, food, and treats under brands such as Good Girl and Good Boy (cat and dog toys, treats, collars, bowls), Rotastak (hamster houses and runners), and Gussie (goldfish products). Armitages, which was founded more than 200 years ago and holds a Royal Warrant, operates through five manufacturing facilities throughout the UK that produce more than 85% of the company's pet provisions. Armitages exports its products to more than 60 international markets.

Koza's was founded in 1965. Koza's can make that group into a team with personalized hats and T-shirts. The company manufactures various promotional products, such as badge holders, bottle openers, cups and mugs, duffel bags, flashlights, hats, luggage tags, mouse pads, shirts, stress squeeze toys, trophies and safety awards, and umbrellas. It provides product customization with art and graphics, embroidery, and screen-printing capabilities.

Polka Dog Designs, LLC company, founded in 2000, sells its products through select specialty retailers nationwide. The plan at Polka Dog Designs is to have dogs everywhere dancing with joy and wagging their tails in expectation of culinary delights. The company (which does business as polkadogbakery) is a boutique for dogs, serving a variety of gourmet dog treats; it's also a wholesaler. Its menu includes morsels such as Treatza Pizza, Tuna Yelper, Queso Fundido, Liver's Lane, and Power Barks, as well as After Dinner Mints. polkadogbakery also sells a variety of pet supplies and apparel including lunchboxes, harnesses and leads, toys, beds, collars, and food and water bowls.

SoftSheen/Carson Products is keeping the shine on its ethnic beauty. The company is one of the world's leading makers of ethnic hair care and beauty products, including shampoos, conditioners, gels, hair straighteners, relaxers, and shaving products. Its brands include Let's Jam, Baby Love, Optimum Care, Dark and Lovely, Magic Shave, and Weave Care. Founded in 1964 by Edward and Bettiann Gardner, SoftSheen was the largest African-American-owned beauty products company in the country until its acquisition in 1998 by L'Oréal USA, a division of French cosmetics giant L'Oréal. Carson was a subsidiary of L'Oréal USA before being merged with SoftSheen in 2000.

Natural Health Trends Corp. was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Natural Health Trends Corp., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an international direct selling and e-commerce company. The company sells personal care and wellness products under the NHT Global brand primarily to independent distributor networks. It offers Skindulgence, a skin care system that include nonsurgical facelift, as well as a spa collection for hands, feet, and all-over body; Alura, an intimacy enhancing cream for women; Premium Noni Juice, a reconstituted morinda citrifolia fruit juice; La Vie, an energy-boosting dietary supplement; Triotein, a lactose-free whey protein powder that provides amino acid substrates; Cluster Concentrate, a product for increased cell hydration; and TriFusion Max, a beverage with a blend of exotic fruits and berries. The company has operations in North America, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, South Korea, Japan, Italy, and Slovenia.

Natori is a risk taker, intimate apparel maker, and, after more than 30 years in the lingerie business, still a ground-breaker. The company makes four branded collections: Josie Natori Collection, Josie, Cruz, and Josie Natori Couture. Its Natori lines are sophisticated, using silks and fine fabrics. Its Josie brand is playful, while Cruz is more relaxed; both are more loung-erie than lingerie. Natori's accessories include handbags and scarves. It distributes its under-wares across the US through major high-end department stores, such as Saks, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom, and Macy's. Former child prodigy pianist Josie Natori and her husband, Ken, own and operate the company.

Hartz Mountain offers a mountain of products for pets of all sizes. The company makes and markets more than 1,500 pet-care products, including nutritional items for small pets, birds, and fish; over-the-counter animal health products; and toys and accessories for dogs, cats, and birds. The company also caters to ferrets, chinchillas, hamsters, and rabbits. German immigrant Max Stern founded Hartz in 1926. His family operated the company for more than 75 years under the Hartz Group umbrella along with the family's real estate operations. Investment group J.W. Childs and Hartz management bought the company in 2000, then sold Hartz to the Sumitomo Corporation in 2004 for about $364 million.

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