Who Owns Champion?

• Parent Company: Authentic Brands Group
• Ownership Type: Wholly owned
• Acquisition Year: 2024
• Company Type: Privately Held

• Founded: 1919
• Founders: Feinbloom brothers
• Acquired by Authentic Brands Group: 2024

• Founded: 2007
• Headquarters: New York City, New York, USA
• Company Type: Privately Held
• Revenue: approximately $700 million (estimated FY2024, licensing revenue)
• Employees: Approximately 3,000

Visit Authentic Brands Group website

• Headquarters: Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
• Manufacturing / Operations: Global manufacturing network, Asia (primary production), Americas, Europe

Champion operates under Authentic Brands Group's comprehensive Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) framework, which integrates sustainability practices into apparel manufacturing, supply chain management, and brand operations. Authentic Brands Group has established multiple sustainability certifications and ethical standards that guide all business operations across its portfolio of brands.

Environmental Sustainability: Authentic Brands Group maintains comprehensive environmental certifications including the Responsible Down Standard (RDS), Responsible Wool Standard (RWS), and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. These standards ensure that Champion's products meet strict environmental criteria for materials sourcing, animal welfare, and sustainable forestry practices throughout the supply chain.

Textile Exchange Membership: Champion benefits from Authentic Brands Group's membership in the Textile Exchange, a nonprofit community of industry leaders focused on sustainable textile practices. This membership provides access to preferred fiber standards, sustainable methodology guidance, and industry collaboration opportunities to reduce negative environmental impact across the textile supply chain.

Sustainable Apparel Coalition: Authentic Brands Group is a member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), which provides the Higg Index tools for measuring and improving brand sustainability initiatives. Champion participates in these comprehensive sustainability assessment tools, including the Higg Facility Environmental Module, Higg Brand & Retail Module, and Higg Materials Sustainability Index.

Responsible Sourcing: Champion maintains strict responsible sourcing practices through Authentic Brands Group's supply chain standards. The company implements ethical sourcing programs that ensure fair labor practices, safe working conditions, and environmental compliance throughout its global manufacturing network, particularly in Asia where primary production occurs.

Animal Welfare Standards: Champion adheres to comprehensive animal welfare standards through the Responsible Down Standard and Responsible Wool Standard certifications. These standards ensure that all down and wool materials used in Champion products are sourced from farms that meet strict animal welfare criteria and are certified through independent third-party audits.

Supply Chain Transparency: Champion operates under Authentic Brands Group's commitment to supply chain transparency and ethical business practices. The company maintains comprehensive traceability systems for materials sourcing and manufacturing processes, ensuring compliance with international labor standards and environmental regulations.

Global Reporting Standards: Authentic Brands Group adheres to Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards and Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) guidelines for sustainability reporting. Champion's sustainability performance is measured and reported using these globally recognized standards to ensure transparency and accountability.

Circular Economy Initiatives: Champion participates in Authentic Brands Group's circular economy initiatives and sustainable materials programs. The company focuses on reducing waste, increasing recycled content, and developing more sustainable product designs that align with circular economy principles in the fashion industry.

Champion has received recognition both as a historic athletic apparel brand and through Authentic Brands Group's broader corporate achievements in sustainability and brand management. The brand's cultural significance and athletic heritage have been acknowledged by fashion industry organizations and cultural institutions.

Athletic Heritage Recognition: Champion has been recognized for its significant role in athletic apparel history and sportswear innovation. The brand's contributions to athletic clothing design and its influence on casual sportswear trends have been acknowledged by fashion industry publications and cultural organizations for shaping modern athletic fashion.

Cultural Impact Recognition: Champion's influence on popular culture, particularly in hip-hop and streetwear fashion, has been recognized by cultural institutions and fashion historians. The brand's crossover from athletic performance wear to mainstream fashion has been acknowledged for its lasting impact on American fashion culture.

Sustainability Certification Recognition: Through Authentic Brands Group's comprehensive certification programs, Champion has received recognition for meeting strict environmental and ethical standards. The brand's adherence to Responsible Down Standard, Responsible Wool Standard, and Forest Stewardship Council certifications has been acknowledged by sustainability organizations.

Brand Management Excellence: Authentic Brands Group has received recognition for its brand management expertise and portfolio optimization strategies. The company's approach to revitalizing heritage brands like Champion has been acknowledged by business organizations and brand management publications.

Textile Industry Leadership: Champion's participation in the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and Textile Exchange has contributed to industry recognition for sustainability leadership. The brand's commitment to sustainable textile practices has been acknowledged by environmental organizations and industry associations.

Historical Significance: Champion's founding in 1919 and its century-long operation have been recognized as a significant achievement in American business history. The brand's longevity and adaptation to changing fashion trends have been acknowledged by business historians and retail industry organizations.

Product Innovation Recognition: Champion's innovations in athletic apparel, particularly the development of modern hoodies and sweatshirts, have been recognized by fashion industry organizations. The brand's contributions to athletic clothing design and comfort technology have been acknowledged for advancing sportswear functionality.

Global Brand Recognition: Champion's expansion from an American athletic brand to a global sportswear label has been recognized as a significant achievement in international brand development. The brand's global reach and cultural adaptation have been acknowledged by international business organizations.

Champion has maintained a relatively clean operational record with no major product recalls, though the brand has faced business challenges related to declining sales performance and strategic business decisions. The most significant recent developments involve the brand's sale from HanesBrands to Authentic Brands Group and related business restructuring.

Sales Performance Decline: Champion faced significant sales performance challenges in recent years, with quarterly sales declining 26% year over year globally and 35% year over year in the U.S. market as of May 2024. These declining sales figures contributed to HanesBrands' decision to sell the brand and reflected increased competition from athletic apparel competitors like Nike, Adidas, and Lululemon.

Target Partnership Discontinuation: In 2018, Champion discontinued its popular C9 line with Target, which had been a significant retail partnership. The discontinuation was part of Target's broader strategy to overhaul exclusive brands, but it represented a loss of market presence and distribution channels for Champion. HanesBrands reported an 18% year-over-year profit decline in the quarter following the C9 line discontinuation.

Business Restructuring Costs: HanesBrands implemented a performance plan for Champion that involved significant financial charges, including $59 million of inventory write-downs and $29 million of charges related to professional fees, supply chain segmentation, store closures, severance, and other costs. These restructuring costs reflected the brand's operational challenges and the need for strategic realignment.

Competition from Fast Fashion: Champion has faced challenges from fast fashion brands that offer similar athletic-inspired apparel at lower price points. These competitors have pressured Champion to balance its heritage quality with competitive pricing while maintaining its market position.

Supply Chain Disruptions: Champion has experienced supply chain disruptions similar to other apparel brands, including shipping delays, raw material shortages, and manufacturing capacity constraints during global events. These disruptions have occasionally affected product availability and delivery timelines.

Trademark and Brand Protection Issues: As a well-known brand, Champion has faced challenges with counterfeit products and unauthorized use of its trademarks, particularly in international markets. The company has invested in brand protection measures and legal actions to combat counterfeiting.

Environmental Impact Scrutiny: Champion, like other apparel manufacturers, has faced scrutiny regarding the environmental impact of its production processes and materials. The company has responded by implementing sustainability initiatives and seeking more environmentally friendly materials and production methods.