Delaware State University (DSU) has made a significant stride in collegiate branding and entrepreneurship.
The university has become the first HBCU to launch its own private label clothing line and merchandise brand. This groundbreaking initiative began in late September 2024.
To bring this vision to life, DSU partnered with Everything Collegiate, LLC, a Black-owned business based in Atlanta, Georgia. The company, led by Terance Harmon, has over two decades of experience in the collegiate merchandise industry and holds more than 85 brand licenses.
Select DSU apparel and items are now available on major online platforms such as Amazon Marketplace and Walmart.com, expanding the university’s reach and brand visibility.
This initiative offers several benefits for DSU. First, it allows the university to have greater control over the design, quality, and variety of products available to students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the community. Second, a portion of all sales from the private label will go directly toward funding student scholarships. The first round of scholarships from these sales is set to be awarded in spring 2025. Third, DSU will offer exclusive, limited-edition items that will only be available directly from the university.
In the future, DSU plans to incorporate student and alumni design ideas into future merchandise, creating opportunities for creative involvement and creating a stronger sense of community. The university also aims to gradually expand its private brand inventory in additional retail spaces and online platforms.
“We are not competing with our campus stores or partners who sell merchandise with our brand. We value their contributions and the royalties they generate,” said Dr. Dawn Mosley, Senior Associate Vice President of Marketing and Communications. “It’s simply smart business to establish our own revenue stream from custom products. This also creates an exciting opportunity for our students and alumni to share their unique design ideas, which can further support scholarships for our students.”
This initiative not only sets a new standard for HBCUs in terms of brand ownership and revenue generation but also creates a tangible connection between the apparel students wear and the support for their academic journey. As DSU leads the way, it opens doors for other HBCUs to explore similar opportunities in the future.
The first round of student scholarships from initial product sales will be awarded in spring 2025.
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The post Delaware State University Makes History with First HBCU Private Label Clothing Line appeared first on SHOPPE BLACK.
