Miscellaneous Apparel and Accessory Stores

A few of the items that are categorized within this industry are uniforms and work clothing; costumes and wigs; sports apparel; customized clothing and apparel; custom tailoring, including custom shirts; designer apparel; formal wear; leather garments; square dance apparel; costumes, masquerade or theatrical; marine apparel; and military goods and regalia.

According to a 2009 Dun & Bradstreet report, the industry was made up of 38,246 establishments that employed 128,389 people and generated more than $8.2 billion in revenues. Small companies--employing fewer than five people--accounted for more than 82 percent of the industry's establishments and 52 percent of its revenues. The states with the most firms included California, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, and Michigan. The largest sectors within the industry included sports apparel, uniforms, designer apparel, and customized clothing.

Four leading companies in industry sales reflect the diverse products represented in this classification. Ventura, California-based Lost Arrow Inc., best known as the parent holding company of Patagonia, focuses on clothing and active wear for outdoor sports and activities. In addition to Patagonia, Lost Arrow subsidiaries include Water Girl, a clothing and swimwear manufacturer for women, and Lotus Designs, which specializes in clothing and accessories for water sports enthusiasts. Life Uniform of Tampa, Florida, is a leading supplier of high-quality uniforms and scrubs for the medical industry. The company operates retail outlets in major malls across the United States and sells its uniforms via its Web site. Crazy Shirts Inc., a Waikiki-based T-shirt company that emerged with the 1960s surfing boom, has 35 unique shops located primarily in Hawaii, California, and Florida. Norcostco Inc., headquartered in Minneapolis, supplies costumes, theatrical makeup, and wigs, as well as stage lighting, lamps, dimming systems, and automated lighting, and it also manufactures stage drops and draperies, rigging systems, fog machines and atmospheric effects, intercoms, paint and painting supplies, platforms, special effects, and stage hardware.

Cintas Uniforms of Cincinnati, Ohio, supplies corporate identity uniform programs, first aid and safety products, and other specialized services to 800,000 businesses worldwide. The company has 400 facilities across North America, including 11 manufacturing plants and eight distribution centers, and employs more than 30,000 people. In the late 2000s, Cintas was the largest uniform company in the United States, with big-name clients that included Delta Airlines, DHL, McDonald's, and Starbucks.

In this industry, large companies typically own distribution centers, where merchandise is sent by manufacturers, held for a short time, then shipped to outlets or stores. Manufacturers' sales representatives and the retailers' merchandise buyers link the manufacturer and retailer. Small retailers generally do not own distribution centers. They tend to purchase inventory from distributors representing several manufacturers, including items solicited through distributor catalogs. Unlike other stores in the fashion industry, establishments dealing in miscellaneous apparel and accessories traditionally have relied on catalogs and the Internet, and less on television and magazines, for advertising and customer sales.