Pendleton Woolen Mills to Enter Swim Category in Licensing Deal with Li & Fung
New collection of women’s and men’s swimwear to launch in December 2024
Li & Fung Limited (“Li & Fung”), the world’s leading supply chain solutions partner for consumer brands and retailers, today announced a licensing and distribution agreement with Pendleton Woolen Mills, the global lifestyle brand headquartered in Portland, Oregon. Pendleton has signed with Li & Fung to launch the brand’s new line of swim and beachwear, featuring men’s and women’s styles sporting iconic Pendleton patterns and colors. The new line will be available to shop in Pendleton retail stores and catalogs, and at pendleton-usa.com starting in December 2024, and will also be available for wholesale distribution to retailers nationwide.
By drawing on Li & Fung’s global expertise and leadership in swimwear, Pendleton will offer customers a new category of apparel featuring sustainable materials and the brand’s trademark durability and classic American style. The collection will debut a range of items perfect for an active outdoor lifestyle: women’s reversible one-piece suits, strappy maxi dresses, and dolman sleeve kimonos and matching shorts, men’s trunks in 6” and 7” inseams, and unisex hooded rash guards. All styles will be available in multiple colorways, including classic Pendleton patterns such as Century Harding, Fire Legend, Highland Peak, Nehalem, and Wildland Heroes, among other designs. Sizes will range from XS-XXL, and items will be retailed at price points starting at $74.50.
The entry into swimwear adds to Pendleton’s portfolio of licensed products. Beloved by consumers for quality products including blankets, wool shirts, and outerwear, the launch of a swim and beachwear collection will expand Pendleton’s warm weather offerings. The collection is a fitting call-back to Pendleton’s popularity within California surf culture, dating back to The Pendletones, the original band name for the Beach Boys. Inspired by the surf uniform of the day -- Pendleton shirts worn over tee shirts with khakis -- the band would define surf music while wearing Pendleton plaid shirts on the covers of 45s and LPs throughout the early 1960s.
“We're excited to partner with Li & Fung on our new swim and beachwear collection,” said Bob Christnacht, EVP of Sales and Marketing at Pendleton. “Li & Fung will help us expertly navigate the waters of this new category as we broaden our offering. Pendleton has a rich connection to surf culture, and we cannot wait to bring a new way of experiencing Pendleton products to the market.”
The partnership with Pendleton also marks the continued expansion of Li & Fung’s licensing division. Building on a decades-durable reputation as a leading private label and branded partner in swimwear, Li & Fung is now rapidly growing a robust portfolio of licensing partners, spanning national brands across varying price points and categories.
“As long-time fans of the brand, we’re honored to partner with Pendleton in pioneering the next chapter of its rich history,” said Mel Limoncelli, Senior Vice President and Divisional Head, Li & Fung Brands and Private Label. “At Li & Fung, we excel in weaving a brand’s DNA into market-leading collections, ensuring each category we develop is an authentic extension of our partners. This new collection will honor Pendleton’s heritage with sustainable styles, ageless fits, and the Pacific Northwest aesthetic that has defined the brand’s iconic legacy.”
About Li & Fung Limited
Li & Fung, the Hong Kong-headquartered multinational group, is the world’s leading supply chain solutions partner. It specializes in responsibly managing complex global supply chains, helping leading retailers and brands worldwide optimize costs, improve speed to market, and reduce supply chain risks. For more information, please visit www.lifung.com
About Pendleton Woolen Mills
Pendleton Woolen Mills is a heritage, lifestyle brand and the leader in wool blankets, apparel and accessories, tracing its weaving roots in Oregon to 1863. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, Pendleton weaves its iconic designs in two of America's remaining woolen mills located in Pendleton, Oregon and Washougal, Washington. With six generations of family ownership, Pendleton is focused on their "Warranted to Be a Pendleton" legacy, creating quality lifestyle products with timeless classic styling. Pendleton products are available at Pendleton stores across the US, select retailers worldwide, and on pendleton-usa.com.
