THE LICENSING INDUSTRY’S THOUGHT LEADER

LICENSEGLOBAL.COM NOVEMBER 2022

THE LEADING

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For 2022, License Global lists more than 200 manufacturers
worldwide, across several categories, which have made an impact
in 2021 and will continue to make their mark in 2023.
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EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
VICE PRESIDENT, CONTENT AND STRATEGY
Amanda Cioletti amanda.cioletti@informa.com
SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR

the List?
Patricia DeLuca patricia.deluca@informa.com
CONTENT DIRECTOR, EMEA
Ben Roberts ben.roberts@informa.com
CONTENT EDITOR
Jane Neal jane.neal@informa.com
The Leading Licensees report is now live! This year, License
BRANDED CONTENT EDITOR
Mish Back mish.back@informa.com Global has compiled a list of more than 200 manufacturers across all
DIGITAL EDITOR, U.K. AND EMEA categories to represent the breadth of the business.
Ian Hart ian.hart@informa.com Licensees are an essential part of any licensing program. They are
DIGITAL EDITORS
McKenna Morgan mckenna.morgan@informa.com
the companies that handle design, distribution and manufacturing,
Barbara Smith barbara.smith@informa.com ensure that licensors’ products are on display at retailers and make it
ART DEPARTMENT into the hands of consumers worldwide.
ART DIRECTOR How did License Global compile the list? In July, we announced
Carey Sweeten carey.sweeten@informa.com
that nominations were open for our annual report via our e-newslet-
ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT
VICE PRESIDENT, SALES ter, website and social media. Licensors, licensees, retailers and sup-
Howard Gelb howard.gelb@informa.com porting services submitted companies every day for five weeks.
EUROPEAN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND ACCOUNT DIRECTOR License Global reviewed the nominees and determined who made it
Matthieu Battini matthieu.battini@informa.com
into this year’s report.
ACCOUNT MANAGERS
Cassius Anderson cassius.anderson@informa.com While there are many companies new to the report – which we
Kelli Couchee kelli.couchee@informa.com
marked with NEW! – some companies were legacies and picked
Sarala Govindan sarala.govindan@informa.com
Greg McDonald greg.mcdonald@informa.com up from License Global’s Leading Licensees reports for North
Allie Mintz allie.mintz@informa.com
Christie Ramsey christie.ramsey@informa.com
America and Europe in 2021.
Raquel Villazon raquel.villazon@informa.com We also spoke to a few execs whose company made the list to find
MARKETING DEPARTMENT out what makes for a successful collaboration. Read on to find out
MARKETING DIRECTOR
Mathilde LeBorgne mathilde.leborgne@informa.com
which companies we talked to!
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SENIOR MARKETING EXECUTIVE missions for our next report in November 2023.
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WWW.LICENSEGLOBAL.COM NOVEMBER 2022 3

 NEW! 8th Wonder NEW! Barrado Barry & Jason Games and
www.8thwonder.co.uk www.barradopeluches.com Entertainment
Categories: Toys Categories: Collectibles and www.barryandjason.com
toy plush Categories: Games
ABG Accessories
www.abgnyc.com
Categories: Headwear
Bioworld, Jennifer Staley
Accutime Watch Corp Bioworld is a global manufacturer of apparel What are the main challenges you
www.accutimewatch.com and accessories that has been at the forefront of are currently facing as a business?
the licensing industry for more than 20 years. Everyone has felt the challenges related to
Categories: Watches
It is a collection of brand experts, product pio- supply chain interruption and sourcing over
neers, omni-channel merchants and content the last couple of years. The Bioworld team has
Accessory Innovations managed through these challenges by being
creators, producing branded products from the
www.accessoryinnovations.com agile. We also have the best sourcing team in
likes of Disney, “Minecraft,” “Naruto,” Sanrio,
Categories: Children’s bags and headwear AC/DC and Led Zeppelin. the industry – domestically, internationally and
Jennifer Staley, senior vice president, licens- especially the Bioworld team in China.
NEW! adidas ing, Bioworld, explains the importance of evolv- We look at sustainability not as a challenge
www.adidas.com ing a business and how collaboration can create but as an opportunity. We have sustainable
Categories: Apparel and accessories greater opportunities for a business. product options in all apparel and accessory
categories. We have an internal team ensuring
Aykroyd & Sons that our long-term green goals are achieved, and
creating sustainable multi-use products is part
www.aykroyds.shop
of that mission.
Categories: Apparel
What are the main opportunities
NEW! Alex and Ani within licensing and apparel
www.alexandani.com manufacturing?
Categories: Women’s jewelry Greater collaboration! We have amazing licen-
sor partners and the more we collaborate, the
NEW! American Traveler better the results. Video collaboration has been
www.americantravelerinc.com great, but in-person collaboration regarding
product development and marketing is much
Categories: Luggage, duffels and backpacks
more creative, productive and fun! We have
some exciting new projects launching in 2023
Amscan License Global: How would that we’re working on that are the result of close
www.amscan.com
you describe the modern partner collaboration.
Categories: Party goods manufacturing and licensing
process in the North American How do you approach the
NEW! Asmus Toys fashion, apparel and accessory licensing process, and what
www.asmustoys.com space today? elements make a marketable
Categories: Toys, collectibles Jennifer Staley: The best way to describe the licensed product?
manufacturing and licensing process is “com- Innovation has always been at the heart of
and action figures
pressed.” Overall expectations are high, and product development at Bioworld. When our
designers create physical items that perfectly
NEW! Aurimoda lead times are short, so it’s more important
capture the personalit y of the brand, you
www.aurimoda.com.mx than ever to continue to evolve and modernize
the business. Efficiencies and short lead pro- know you’ll have a best seller. Fans appreci-
Categories: Apparel ate and seek out our products because of the
duction are very important to meet consumer
expectations. Our Dallas-based distribution quality and attention to detail that goes into
Aurora center is dedicated to direct-to-consumer order every item.
www.auroragift.com fulfi llment. Consumers expect instant gratifi- Beyond design innovation, we also care about
Categories: Plush cation, and we’ve streamlined our processes to product functionality. Research and develop-
deliver apparel, accessories and home goods to ment go into every item to ensure our products
NEW! Bark fans around the world. are second to none.
www.barkbox.com
Categories: Dog supplies and toys

4 NOVEMBER 2022 WWW.LICENSEGLOBAL.COM

 Brought to you by

THE
LEADING
LICENSEES
NEW! Basic Fun! NEW! Besame Cosmetics Blueprint Collections
www.basicfun.com www.besamecosmetics.com www.blueprintcollections.co.uk
Categories: Toys Categories: Cosmetics Categories: Stationery, bags and gifts

NEW! Best Accessory Group

NEW! Blue Sky the Color
NEW! Beast Kingdom www.bag-ny.com of Imagination
www.beast-kingdom.com Categories: Health and beauty,
www.bluesky.com
Categories: Toys and collectibles Categories: Planners,
electronics and accessories
calendars and notebooks

Bendon Publishing Bioworld NEW! Bonkers Toys

www.bendonpub.com www.bioworldmerch.com www.bonkerstoys.com
Categories: Publishing Categories: Apparel and accessories Categories: Toys

Clark Taylor, CandyRific

With offices throughout the U.S. and Hong
Kong, CandyRific creates and manufactures
novelty confectionery with unique features in
its overseas facilities and distributes it through a
national broker network. CandyRific has distribu-
tion with most of the major retailers in the U.S.
and distributors in almost every major market in
the world.
Clark Taylor, senior vice president, sales and
marketing, CandyRific, explains to License Global
how the company has had to adapt to meet retailer
turnaround time demands and discusses the chal-
lenges around when to bring a license to market.
License Global: How would
you describe the modern
manufacturing and
licensing process in
the U.S. for food and
beverage, within
confectionery
and associated
products?
Clark Taylor: Working with
the licensing community has
become much smoother over these
past few years. The online portals
for submitting visuals and sculpts for
approvals have enabled our teams to
reach a new level of communication
to speed up these processes. The new
shorter timelines that retailers demand
launches on our licensed sculptures and
packaging is forcing these faster turn-
around times.
What are the main challenges
that you face as a business at this
current time?
As the sales side of the business applies to
licenses, it is obtaining the sign-off to move into
brand-new platforms. Licensors are very cautious
when we bring them new concepts that have been
untested in the retail arena.
What are the main opportunities
for brand extension in the
confectionery market?
There are many new kids’ licenses that are
emerging from overseas markets. While these
are exciting and on our radar, it is always chal-
lenging to figure out the timing of when to bring
these to U.S. consumers.
CandyRific does a fantastic job with our
current demographic of kids in the 3- to
7-year-old category. One of our desires is
to find licenses and platforms that will
help us with offerings to these same kids
and parents as their children move into
their adolescent years.
How do you approach the licensing
process, and what elements make
a marketable licensed product?
We work with our marketing team and sales
agents worldwide to review new licenses and
characters to determine what is a great fit
with our current platform. A large part of our
process is how these brands are perceived by
their current consumers, especially parents. We
are very conscious of the play value and confi-
dence our toys and licenses bring to the families.
These parents count on us to “get it right” with
our licenses and support their family’s values
and expectations.
How were you impacted by the
pandemic, especially concerning
movies that may have altered
release dates during the
pandemic?
The challenges with promoting entertainment
licenses during COVID were very difficult. The
entertainment industry has always benefited
from the excitement of the theatrical release
and being one of the fi rst to get the latest and
greatest. When people stopped going to movies
and moved to home entertainment, the retailers
and the manufacturers had to create a new game
plan to move our promotions and offerings into
home entertainment solutions. During these
past few years, you have seen more involvement
with online offers and a pullback to more ever-
green properties.
What do you see for the future of
licensees, and has COVID brought
about any noticeable trends in the
food and beverage market?
Consumers and retailers will continue to demand
and expect licensed solutions for their needs.
Licenses are a known entity that have built
awareness and comfort in consumers’ every-
day lives. Consumers are looking for that “good
feeling” and a simple, easy solution to fulfi lling
their needs.

WWW.LICENSEGLOBAL.COM NOVEMBER 2022 5

Boss Fight Studio NEW! Clandy International NEW! CreateOn
www.bossfightstudio.com Licensing Company www.createon.com
Categories: Toys, action figures www.clandy.net Categories: Toys
and adult collectibles Categories: Apparel, accessories
and pet supplies
NEW! The Créme Shop
NEW! Brandlite www.thecremeshop.com
www.dcilluminated.com Categories: Cosmetics
Clementoni
Categories: Illuminated collectibles
www.clementoni.com NEW! Cricut
Categories: Educational toys
NEW! Bravado www.cricut.com
www.bravado.com Categories: Arts and crafts,
Categories: Apparel and accessories C-Life Group hardware and home décor
www.c-lifegroup.com
Build-a-Bear Workshop Categories: Apparel Crocs
www.buildabear.com www.crocs.com
Categories: Experiential retail NEW! Colorbaby Categories: Footwear
www.colorbaby.es
CandyRific Categories: Cosmetics and toys NEW! Crunch Pak
www.candyrific.com www.crunchpak.com
Categories: Toys and games, ColourPop Categories: Food and beverage
novelties and confectionery www.colourpop.com
Categories: Cosmetics Cudlie Accessories
NEW! Cartamundi www.cudlieny.com
www.cartamundi.com Categories: Infant and toddler
NEW! Complex Apparel
Categories: Board games and playing cards apparel and accessories
www.DungeonForward.com
Categories: Headwear
NEW! Casely Danilo
www.getcasely.com www.danilo.com
Categories: Fashion and tech accessories
Concept One Accessories Categories: Cards and gifts
www.concept1.com
Casetify Categories: Accessories, Danone
www.casetify.com luggage and handbags www.danone.com
Categories: Phone accessories Categories: Food and beverage
Converse
NEW! Cath Kidston www.converse.com NEW! Daydreamer
www.cathkidston.com Categories: Footwear www.daydreamerla.com
Categories: Apparel Categories: Women’s apparel
NEW! Cottage Door Press
Centric Brands www.cottagedoorpress.com Difuzed
www.centricbrands.com Categories: Children’s books www.difuzed.com
Categories: Apparel and accessories Categories: Apparel and accessories
for men, women and children Coty
www.coty.com Dark Horse Comics
NEW! Chalk Line Apparel Categories: Health and beauty
www.darkhorse.com
www.chalk-line.com Categories: Publishing
Categories: Apparel
NEW! Craftie Fox NEW! Dennicci
www.storypod.com
NEW! Character Options www.dennicci.co.uk
www.character-online.com Categories: Educational children’s toys
Categories: Baby apparel
Categories: Toys
Crayola NEW! Diakakis Imports
Character World www.crayola.com www.diakakisimports.gr
www.characterworld.com Categories: Arts and crafts, Categories: Accessories, arts and crafts,
Categories: Home textiles apparel, health and beauty back to school, toys, gifts and travel

6 NOVEMBER 2022 WWW.LICENSEGLOBAL.COM

 Guido Vingiani, Clementoni
Clementoni is an Italian licensee specializing
in producing educational toys, puzzles and board
games. With heritage at its core, Clementoni’s
story goes back to the 1960s and focuses on how
play can shape our personalities.
Guido Vingiani, managing director, Clemen-
toni, speaks about how the opportunities created
by the pandemic, in terms of rediscovering the
pleasure of staying at home and using toys and
games as “tools” to spend quality time together,
may be here to stay, but how that trend change
could bring increased challenges in terms of the
meaningfulness of data.
License Global: How would you
describe the modern manufacturing
and licensing process in the
European toy space today?
Guido Vingiani: Licenses have always been a
driver for growth for all toy companies looking
to improve their brand awareness, especially in
those markets where the competitive position-
ing is not so strong and market share is low. In a
world where a plethora of stimuli bombard kids,
the affective link with their beloved fictional
characters is even more crucial. Consequently,
intercepting a trend before its apex success is now
more important than ever, given the rotation of
the trend is sometimes faster than the regular
production process. This makes the “licensing
cycle” more hectic than ever, difficult to predict
and presents a multitude of potential stakehold-
ers to deal with. To be successful in this sce-
nario, licensors and licensees must act as part-
ners, operating from a shared view of the market
and the final consumer.
Can you describe some of the main
challenges you face as a business?
On the one hand, we have an increasingly selec-
tive consumer; on the other, we face the chal-
lenges this era imposes on us. The first chal-
lenge is the need for licensors and licensees to
pay attention to the issues of our times: eco-sus-
tainability, inclusion, healthy use of digital tech-
nologies, etc. Consumers will take into consider-
ation the stance of companies on these urgencies.
Then, for industrial players like Clementoni,
there is another challenge: the current eco-
nomic situation. Inflation, logistical constraints,
the availability of raw materials and energy and
8 NOVEMBER 2022
their rising cost put us in a position where taking
excessive risks (even in the licensing field) is
more difficult and inadvisable than ever. Licens-
ees are now squeezed between the increasing
weight of these costs and striving to present an
affordable and reasonable price for consumers.
In this scenario, justifying a higher price point
due to the impact of royalties is not as easy as it
used to be.
What are the main opportunities
within licensing and toy
manufacturing?
I believe one of the biggest changes is how liquid
the age grading has become. We used to think
of toys as a world belonging strictly to children,
and the reality is that children delve deeper every
day into their parents’ icons and worlds. Adults
are experiencing new entertainment habits akin
to their children. Sure, we still have our comfort
zone in infant toys, but out of that, there is a
world championed by construction kits, plushes
and board games, to name a few, where the line
between a kid and an adult product gets thinner.
Also, with the birth rate suffering yearly, kidults
are likely to become market demand’s “new”
engine. Hence, both in the licensing area and in
products, the need to be ready with a wide and
congenial offer for multiple targets.
How do you approach the licensing
process, and what elements make
a marketable licensed product?
A license should fit a product as if it was born in
it. It should look natural. This is
the main rule. And this, in other
words, means that there must be
a strong alignment between the
property’s values and the prod-
uct’s proposition to ensure that
the offer is credible in the eyes of
the customer to justify a premium
price possibly. Aside from that, it
would be best if you had a pre-
liminary strategy on a license for
your business for the company
and the individual product lines.
The target for licensed products
and the balance between licensed
and unlicensed products must
be clear, as well as the prior-
ity among the various properties in the catalog.
Licensed products could be an awareness boost
in a market where your brand lacks them, a way
to unlock distribution doors or serve as a deeper
enabler to get closer to new audiences and con-
sumers. If your strategy is coherent with your
brand and the license fits your product naturally,
the market will react positively.
What do you see for the future of
manufacturing – regarding both
challenge and opportunity – over
the next few years?
Considering the elements we mentioned earlier,
our job is poised to become more challenging
every year.
New media and the increasingly hectic fruition
of entertainment by all age grades will force us
to be as informed, curious and hungry as ever if
we want to navigate this new world. And in this
scenario, data and market research are likely less
useful. Rather, it is necessary to focus on contin-
uous and close contact with the fi nal consumer
and a stable presence on their media. We believe
the pandemic emphasized trends already started
years ago, although it changed how people per-
ceive their time forever, and entertainment is
an integral part of this. The rediscovery of the
pleasure of staying at home and a different inter-
pretation of toys and games as “tools” to spend
quality time with friends and family are here to
stay for years to come. This is a great opportu-
nity for those armed with the correct mindset. A
smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.
WWW.LICENSEGLOBAL.COM
 NEW! Dolci Preziosi
www.dolcipreziosi.es
Categories: Candy
Nick Dierickx, Erve
Fashion-forward licensed apparel manufac-
turer, Erve, is making waves at retail across
its gaming, entertainment and brand-driven
licensed goods portfolio. Working with count-
less brands beloved around the globe, London-
and Belgium-based Erve focuses on creating
unique ranges to fit the identity of each license
and the taste of multigenerational consumers.
Speaking with Nick Dierickx, head, licensing,
EMEA, Erve, we dive into the perfect storm of
increased speed, higher demand, increasing cost
and fast-paced opportunity dictating today’s
manufacturing landscape.
License Global: How would you
describe European fashion’s
modern manufacturing and
licensing process?
Nick Dierickx: It’s all about speed. Licensing is
increasingly growing towards an environment
where something can trend and become old-
fashioned overnight. We must adapt to this sit-
uation and take more risks than five years ago.
And speed-to-market goes hand in hand with
this faster trend.
What are the main challenges
you face regularly?
Inf lation is, of course, disrupting the whole
market. With everything getting increasingly
expensive every day, in an industry where every
cent makes a huge difference, it’s the biggest
challenge we face. Also, where is the world going
in the next one to three years? No one knows,
so we must consider uncertainty when plan-
10 NOVEMBER 2022
NEW! Dragon Glassware Dreamtex
www.dragonglassware.com www.dreamtexltd.com
Categories: Tableware, barware, Categories: Bedding
drinkware and home décor
Dreamwear
www.dreamwear.com
Categories: Intimate apparel
ning. Of course, everyone in the industry has Dulcop
the same challenge. www.dulcop.com
Categories: Health and beauty
What has changed in the retail
and licensing landscape over the Dynacraft BSC
last few years? www.dynacraftwheels.com
We noticed that design and how your product Categories: Bicycles and electric bicycles
looks are becoming increasingly important for
any retailer. People tend to change their clothes NEW! Ecell Global
shopping in a world where everything is more www.ecellglobal.com
expensive. More mass-driven retailers need to Categories: Manufacturing and online
see a higher level of design to ensure these con- retailer of licensed mobile phone cases and skins
sumers can also find their tastes in their shops.
Edco Eindhoven
How do you approach the www.edco.nl
licensing process? Categories: Health and beauty, home
The best audience to check is your own family
décor, automotive, toys and stationery
and friends. What are their kids watching or
playing (or your own, of course)? What are they
talking about to each other? Unfortunately, Egmont Publishing
there’s no golden formula to make a brand a www.egmont.com
licensing success. At Erve, we value a good Categories: Publishing
brand story, a creative style guide and a long-
term plan. In the end, it’s always a guess when NEW! Encatex
you make a very early signing. You win some, www.cartoons.com.uy
and you lose some. And you learn to play the Categories: Home textiles, dinnerware,
game more and more with each passing day. BTS, toys, party goods, sporting goods
What do you see for the future of NEW! Epic Art Collections
manufacturing – concerning both www.epicartcollections.com
challenge and opportunity – over Categories: Apparel, art and NFTs
the next few years?
We come from a world where movie releases NEW! Erve
were the driving power behind a license. Nowa- www.erve.com
days, the world is getting more and more digital, Categories: Apparel and accessories
thus faster. We also need a faster approach and
a more flexible setup. As I said, something can
become hype overnight. It would be best if you
Exquisite Gaming
www.exgpro.com
always kept your eyes open, which is far more
Categories: Gaming and entertainment
challenging than some years ago.
Furthermore, I see a more comprehensive port-
folio being built. It’s not all about character enter-
NEW! F.lli Carillo
tainment anymore; you also have anime, gaming www.fratellicarillo.it
and, of course, the brands. I also believe NFT col- Categories: Home textiles
lections and integrations can refreshingly change
the licensing industry, but it will take time. NEW! Factory Entertainment
www.factoryent.com
Categories: Collectibles
WWW.LICENSEGLOBAL.COM
 Brought to you by

THE
LEADING
LICENSEES
Fanatics NEW! Goodie Two Sleeves NEW! IG Design Group
www.fanatics.com www.shopgoodie.com www.thedesigngroup.com
Categories: Sports apparel Categories: Apparel Categories: Stationery and partyware

Fanattik NEW! The Great NEW! Immersive Everywhere

www.fanattik.co.uk Branding Company www.immersiveeverywhere.com
Categories: Gifts and collectibles www.greatbranding.com Categories: Location-based experiences
Categories: Apparel
Fashion U.K. Innovative Designs
www.fashions-uk.com Ground Up www.innovativenyc.com
Categories: Apparel www.groundupintl.com Categories: Activities,
Categories: Footwear crafts, stationery and toys
NEW! Finisterre
www.finisterre.com NEW! GWD Concept NEW! Inter Parfums
Categories: Swimwear www.displate.com www.interparfumsinc.com
Categories: Collectibles and wall décor Categories: Health and beauty
Finsbury Food Group
www.finsburyfoods.co.uk Hallmark
Categories: Food and beverage
NEW! Iron Studios
www.hallmark.com www.ironstudios.com
Categories: Gifting, homewares, Categories: Collectibles
Fisher-Price special occasion and stationery
www.fisher-price.com
Categories: Baby gear, toys and games
NEW! ItemLab
NEW! Hanna Andersson www.itemlab.de
www.hannaandersson.com
NEW! Fizz Creations Categories: Collectibles
Categories: Children’s apparel
www.fizzcreations.com
Categories: Gifts and gaming
Happy Socks
NEW! Jada Toys
www.jadatoys.com
www.happysocks.com
NEW! Floral Street Categories: Socks
Categories: Toys
www.floralstreet.com
Categories: Health and beauty
Happy Threads
NEW! Jade City Foods
www.happy-threads.com www.jadecityfoods.com
Funko Categories: Children’s apparel
Categories: Food and beverage
www.funko.com
Categories: Collectibles
Hasbro Jakala
www.hasbro.com www.jakala.com
NEW! For Bare Feet Categories: Toys and games Categories: Promotions and
www.forbarefeet.com loyalty programs
Categories: Apparel and accessories
NEW! Homesick
www.homesick.com Jakks Pacific/Disguise
NEW! Fruit of the Loom www.jakks.com
Categories: Home décor, home
www.fruit.com
fragrance and candles Categories: Toys and games
Categories: Apparel

NEW! G Fuel Huffy NEW! Jam’n Products

www.huffybikes.com www.jamnproducts.com
www.gfuel.com
Categories: Food and beverage Categories: Bicycles Categories: RC vehicles

NEW! Global Source Hybrid Apparel Jazwares

www.globalsource.co.za www.hybridapparel.com www.jazwares.com
Categories: Apparel Categories: Apparel Categories: Toys

NEW! Golden Bear IDW Publishing NEW! Jelly Belly Candy Company
www.goldenbearstore.com www.idwpublishing.com www.jellybelly.com
Categories: Apparel Categories: Publishing Categories: Food and beverage

WWW.LICENSEGLOBAL.COM NOVEMBER 2022 11

 Leonel Sudatti, Iron Studios
Brazilian collectible statue manufacturer and
licensee, Iron Studios, freezes the world’s favorite
characters in time, replicating movie, comic and
gaming moments in intricate detail for collectors
worldwide. From “Mortal Kombat” to D.C. Comics
and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” there is a
world of characters and scenes to fit any mantel.
Speaking with Leonel Sudatti, regional director,
EMEA, Iron Studios, we highlight the issues facing
manufacturers, the increased pressure on consumer
spending and the factors to consider when expand-
ing product portfolios.
License Global: How would
you describe today’s modern
manufacturing and licensing
process for European collectibles?
Leonel Sudatti: We know that few companies
manufacture their products in Europe, and most
produce them in Asia. The same applies to Iron
Studios. We have a team locally in the factory
that ensures the high quality of our products
and the best likeness possible when we repro-
duce actor sculptures. It is important to remem-
ber that the licensors have a crucial role in these
approvals, so we always give our best to ensure a
high-quality product for our customers.
What are the main challenges
that you face?
There are several challenges in the collectibles
space. For instance, this is a market that is not
often audited. Sometimes, gathering information
about how many specialized stores exist in a spe-
cific region can be challenging as to what sales
they generate. Information like this is essential
when you want to expand to a particular region
or even when you try to look for the best retailer
to build a partnership with.
Most services and prices are in dollars; with
this in mind, we need to consider the current
exchange rate. Having the dollar equal to the euro
makes the entire chain more expensive, from the
costs of the basic goods, the work in the factory,
the shipping and of course, the cost to the end
consumer – the current scenario forces most
companies to raise their prices.
Also, considering that our factory is in Asia, we
always need to look at how much we are spending
on bringing the goods to Europe – this is a topic
that needs to be optimized to the fullest, espe-
12 NOVEMBER 2022
cially now that the shipping
and container costs have
increased so much.
What are the main
opportunities
within licensing
and collectible
manufacturing, and
what are the new
demographics you
want to target?
What we see as the main
opportunities starts with
exploring different IPs for
our portfolio. Iron Studios
sees itself as a company for
all. We aim to be on every-
one’s shelves; to do this, we
must explore the “hidden
geekiness” everyone has.
A good example is our
Elvis Presley statue, a product
for a different audience. This change in percep- What do you see for the future
tion can help us achieve many more customers of manufacturing, and has
and a broader audience. the pandemic brought about
any noticeable trends in the
How do you approach the licensing collectibles market?
process, and what elements make COVID was a very interesting situation for us.
a marketable licensed product? What we could understand was that our cus-
The licensing process has many stages. We tomer base wasn’t directly affected by this situa-
start by understanding how strong the IP is tion since most of them kept their jobs and went
in our region by doing market research with to the home office – with this happening, they
our current customers and distributors and were spending more time at home closer to their
gathering information about how they per- collection, and we saw an increase in sales during
ceive the IP and the sales performance they this period. Yet, from that moment to today, the
would expect. situation has changed quite a lot.
Once we have t h is in for mation, we ca n In Europe, we are currently in a very tough
prepare a case study to present to the licen- economic situation; with this, even collectors
sor and start the negotiations – such as the will face decisions regarding their budget and
MOQs, pricings, royalties, contract duration prioritize necessary goods. We believe the col-
and all the other details necessar y to move lectibles market will face this situation shortly,
forward with the contract to explore a new IP. where people will be more conservative in their
T he ele me nt s t h a t m a ke a m a r ke t a ble buying options.
licensed product are directly connected to We believe that the future of the licensee
the experience they provide to the customer. industry will be challenging in the shortcom-
The product should communicate a stor y, a ing months, but at the same time, full of oppor-
memory or a significant moment that the cus- tunities and new emerging audiences. Histori-
tomer will perceive as nostalgic and want to cally, after every economic recession comes a
have close to him at any moment – that is what period of expansion, and every company should
we always aim to achieve with our products. be prepared to grab the opportunity.
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The Jel Sert Company NEW! Kingdom & Co. Majesty Brands
www.jelsert.com www.kingdomandco.co.za www.majestybrands.com
Categories: Food and beverage Categories: Sporting goods Categories: Apparel

Jerry Leigh NEW! Kith NEW! Marque Makers

www.jerryleigh.com www.kith.com www.marquemakers.com.hk
Categories: Apparel, accessories, footwear Categories: Sporting goods
Categories: Apparel,
accessories and costumes
Komar MasterPieces
www.komarbrands.com www.masterpiecesinc.com
NEW! Johnson & Johnson Categories: Nightwear and underwear
www.jnj.com; www.band-aid.com Categories: Toys and games,
Categories: Health and beauty baby products and housewares
LEGO
www.lego.com
NEW! Josmo Shoes Categories: Toys and games
Mattel
www.josmo.com www.mattel.com
Categories: Footwear Categories: Toys and games
NEW! Leolandia
www.leolandia.it
NEW! Joumma Bags Categories: Location-based experiences McFarlane Toys
www.joumma.com www.mcfarlane.com
Categories: Accessories, NEW! Leomil Categories: Collectibles,
luggage and handbags www.leomil.com novelties, toys and publishing
Categories: Footwear
Just Funky NEW! MC Group
www.justfunky.com
NEW! Life Like Touring www.mcgroup.biz
www.lifeliketouring.com Categories: Back to school and toys
Categories: Beverageware,
Categories: Location-based experiences
home décor and impulse
NEW! Mediatonic
NEW! Little Lion Entertainment www.mediatonicgames.com
NEW! Just Play www.littlelionentertainment.com Categories: Video games
www.justplayproducts.com Categories: Location-based experiences
Categories: Toys NEW! Melissa and Doug
NEW! Loungefly www.melissaanddoug.com
NEW! Just Toys International www.loungefly.com Categories: Arts and crafts, puzzles and toys
www.justtoysintl.com Categories: Apparel and accessories
Categories: Toys NEW! Merlin Entertainment
NEW! The Loyal Subjects www.merlinentertainments.biz
Kangaru Toys www.theloyalsubjects.com Categories: Location-based experiences
www.kangarutoys.com Categories: Collectibles
Categories: Toys, stationery, MJC
activity kits and arts and crafts
NEW! Luigi Zaini www.gomjc.com
www.zainispa.com
Categories: Apparel and accessories
Categories: Candy
NEW! Kennedy Publishing
www.kennedypublishing.co.uk Monogram International
NEW! M.V. Sports & Leisure
Categories: Children’s magazines www.monogramdirect.com
www.mvsports.com
Categories: Toys, sports and leisure Categories: Giftware, toys and collectibles
NEW! The Kersheh Group
www.thekershehgroup.com MAC Cosmetics NEW! Moonpig
Categories: Outerwear, www.maccosmetics.com www.moonpig.com
sleepwear and underwear Categories: Beauty and cosmetics Categories: Cards

KidRobot Mad Engine Moose Toys

www.kidrobot.com www.madengine.com www.moosetoys.com
Categories: Collectibles Categories: Apparel and accessories Categories: Toys

14 NOVEMBER 2022 WWW.LICENSEGLOBAL.COM

 Brought to you by

THE
LEADING
LICENSEES
NECA Penguin Random House Ravensburger
www.necaonline.com www.penguinrandomhouse.com www.ravensburger.org/uk
Categories: Toys and games and novelites Categories: Publishing Categories: Games

New Era Cap NEW! Phat Mojo NEW! Redan Publishing

www.neweracap.com www.phatmojo.com www.redan.co.uk
Categories: Accessories and hats Categories: Toys and video games Categories: Children’s magazines

NEW! The Noble Collection Phoenix International Publications Retro Brands

www.noblecollection.com www.pikidsmedia.com www.originalretrobrand.com
Categories: Collectibles Categories: Publishing Categories: Apparel

NEW! Numskull Designs Pin Club NEW! Riot Games

www.numskull.com www.pin-club.com www.riotgames.com
Categories: Housewares and home décor Categories: Pins, accessories and collectibles Categories: Video games

The Op Games Playmates Toys Ripple Junction

www.theop.games www.playmatestoys.com www.ripplejunction.com
Categories: Gifts, board games and puzzles Categories: Toys Categories: Apparel and accessories

Open Road Brands Poetic Brands NEW! Rubies

www.openroadbrands.com www.poeticbrands.com www.rubies.com
Categories: Home décor Categories: Apparel and accessories Categories: Costumes

NEW! OppoSuits Posh Paws Sakar

www.opposuits.com www.iworldnyc.com/poshpaws www.sakar.com
Categories: Apparel Categories: Pet accessories Categories: Publishing, children’s
books, puzzles, toys and collectibles
NEW! Outright Games Primitive Skate
www.outrightgames.com www.primitiveskate.com Scholastic
Categories: Video games and publishing Categories: Skateboard and apparel items www.scholastic.co.uk
Categories: Publishing
NEW! Pacific Cycle PUMA
www.pacific-cycle.com and www.puma.com NEW! Showagent
www.kidtraxtoys.com Categories: Apparel and accessories www.showagent.dk
Categories: Bicycles Categories: Live entertainment
NEW! Pyramid America
Paladone Products www.pyramidamerica.com NEW! Signables
www.paladone.com Categories: Drinkware, stationery, wall www.signables.com
Categories: Acccessories, drinkware, gifts, décor, home décor, novelty, storage and gifting Categories: Collectibles
games, health and beauty and homeware
Pyramid International Silver Buffalo
Panini www.pyramidinternational.com www.silver-buffalo.com
www.panini.com Categories: Apparel, accessories,
Categories: Housewares, home décor,
Categories: Trading cards and publishing posters, stationery and wall art hydration, impulse and stationery

Park Agencies NEW! Rainbow Designs NEW! Skinnydip

www.parkagencies.co.uk www.rainbowdesigns.co.uk www.skinnydiplondon.com
Categories: Apparel and accessories Categories: Plush Categories: Phone accessories

Path Entertainment Group Random House Children’s Books NEW! SkyBrands

www.pathents.com www.rhcbooks.com www.skybrands.net
Category: Location-based experiences Categories: Publishing Categories: Home textile and apparel

WWW.LICENSEGLOBAL.COM NOVEMBER 2022 15

 NEW! Smiffys Surreal Entertainment NEW! theory11
www.smiffys.com www.surreal-entertainment.com www.theory11.com
Categories: Costumes Categories: Home décor and drinkware Categories: Playing cards

TDP Textiles Thermos

Spin Master www.tdptextiles.com www.thermos.com
www.spinmaster.com Categories: Apparel Categories: Homewares
Categories: Toys and games

SPOONTIQUES
www.spoontiques.com
Categories: Home and garden
décor, hydration and gifting Valentin Ortiz, Stor
Working across significant licenses such as ings but also to work on the introduction of new
SportLife Brands “CoComelon,” “Spider-Man,” “Minecraft,” “PAW ranges for kids’ tableware and the release of 15
www.sportlifebrands.com Patrol” and, well, the list goes on, Spain’s Stor is a products. Regarding sourcing, we need to find
Categories: Men’s, ladies’ and European licensee focusing on tableware, drink- the most accurate transit dates from freighters;
children’s underwear, intimates, ware and kitchen accessories. however, this is not entirely in our hands. We
Valentin Ortiz, chief executive officer, Stor, have, however, improved the production capaci-
sleepwear and loungewear
dove into the modern manufacturing landscape, ties of certain key items at maximum production
its challenges and opportunities and the key strat- rates. Sustainability-wise, we have achieved FSC,
NEW! SportPet Designs egies licensees must adopt to adapt. Good Grace and VC Green certificates and are
www.sportpet.com also a Products of Change member. All polybags
Categories: Pet apparel and accessories have been removed in place of paper ones, and
we are implementing the change on blistering
NEW! Spread Group from PVC to PET.
www.spreadgroup.com
Categories: Apparel and lifestyle What are the main opportunities
within home and accessory
Squishmallows manufacturing?
Finding and working on gifting with specialist
www.squishmallows.com
home retailers is an exciting opportunity. We have
Categories: Plush
worked hard to develop special gift, seasonal and
home lines, and the next step is to train buyers to
NEW! Story House Egmont buy these products.
www.storyhouseegmont.co.uk
Categories: Children’s magazines How do you approach the licensing
License Global: How would you describe process, and what elements make a
Sunstaches today’s modern manufacturing and marketable licensed product?
www.sunstaches.com licensing process in the European It’s a balance between price and quality. We have
Categories: Eyeware
consumer product space? realized in the last year that the market is demand-
Valentin Ortiz: Investing in our factory in Spain is ing what we call silver products. Bronze is a promo-
the strongest move for 2023 and 2024, particularly tional product and gold is high-end. Across licens-
Stor investment in new tooling and production facili- ing, there has been a step up from promo items to
www.storline.com ties. Many retailers and customers have asked us to higher-quality products with a higher price. The
Categories: Accessories, food and increase our European production. So, we have made important part is to work on silver options.
beverage, drinkware and tableware additional efforts to produce some of our top-selling
items in Spain and increase our assortment, avoiding What do you see for the future of
Super Impulse the latest situations in Asia. manufacturing – concerning both
www.superimpulse.com challenge and opportunity – over
What are the main challenges you the next few years?
Categories: Toys and novelties
face today? Stability. We foresee a time in which the licens-
Businesswise, to manage the growth achieved ing industry is going to keep stable despite the
Super7 in 2022. Not only due to the increase in list- current difficulties in the economy.
www.super7.com
Categories: Toys and collectibles

16 NOVEMBER 2022 WWW.LICENSEGLOBAL.COM


The Topps Company
www.topps.com
Categories: Collectibles
Threadless
www.threadless.com
Categories: Apparel, accessories,
home décor and footwear
NEW! Titan Entertainment
www.titanbooks.com
Categories: Books and merchandise
Trevor George, Trevco
Global print-on-demand licensee, Trevco, has
more than 300 different product types and works
with more than 1,200 brands, including over 500
colleges and universities. In 2016, the company
pivoted to be direct-to-consumer-fi rst and has
gone on to become one of the largest sellers on
Amazon in the U.S.
Here, Trevor George, chief operating officer,
Trevco, talks about the consumer’s changing
needs and how he feels the future of apparel
licensing is likely to mean closer relationships
between the licensor and the licensee.
License Global: How would
you describe the modern
manufacturing and licensing
process in the North American
fashion, apparel and accessory
space today?
Trevor George: A lot has happened over the years,
mostly due to pressure outside of the licensee. For
example, Amazon Prime has pushed consumers to
expect two-day delivery. Layer this in with Ama-
zon’s Multi-Channel Fulfilment or Amazon Ware-
housing & Distribution. Most licensees or manu-
facturers should be able to deliver quickly. Gone
WWW.LICENSEGLOBAL.COM
THE
LEADING
LICENSEES
TOMY
www.us.tomy.com
Categories: Toys
Tonies
www.tonies.com
Categories: Audio toys
Trends International
www.shoptrends.com
Categories: Posters, stationery and accessories
are the days of a licensee fulfilling – or printing, in
our case – from one location in the U.S.
Supply chain became the key word during
COVID, and we can’t forget that. Being bi-coastal
and using some flex distribution method is smart.
Today, Trevco is the only vertically integrated
global print-on-demand licensee with owned
manufacturing facilities bi-coastal in the U.S
and the U.K.
What are the main challenges you
face as a business?
Inconsistency is the biggest issue. Pre-COVID,
predicting sell-through and, therefore, how much
inventory to purchase was much easier. Today,
it is too volatile, causing licensees to be in over-
stocked positions with a lack of liquidity.
The supply chain starts with knowing how
much to order and how long your supply chain
will take. If those things fluctuate rapidly, there
can be major issues for licensees. It gets even
tougher because licensees, in many cases, are
planning against a timely, relevant moment like
a movie or an event. If you miss an on-shelf date,
goodbye to that inventory. Thankfully for print-
on-demand, those issues don’t exist.
What are the main opportunities
within licensing and apparel
manufacturing?
Apparel has become too basic thanks to print-on-
demand. Lovely technology, but very limited. The
key in the future, and you see the headlines, is how
decorating capabilities will evolve to create truly
desirable products. I also think figuring out ways
to become fully vertical will allow you to pass the
cost savings to the consumer and increase sell-
through. Pricing is too high for most POD prod-
Brought to you by
Trevco
www.trevcoinc.com
Categories: Print on-demand for apparel,
accessories, drinkware and non-medical face masks
Uncanny Brands
www.uncannybrandswholesale.com
Categories: Plush, electronics and collectibles
NEW! Under Armour
www.underarmour.com
Categories: Apparel, accessories, footwear
ucts, and the margin is eroding. Only those with
scale can figure out both R&D into new print capa-
bilities and a fast, cost-effective supply chain.
How do you approach the
licensing process, and what
elements make a marketable
licensed product?
Since we deal mostly in e-commerce, many data tools
can tell us if a license is popular, how popular or will
be popular. There are then equal numbers of tools to
determine what type of apparel and design will likely
resonate. The question, then, is, how do you get it
to pop up? We spend most of our time, energy and
resources on proprietary technology to help products
rise to the top of social networks or search engines.
What do you see for the future of
manufacturing – regarding both
challenge and opportunity – over
the next few years?
I think the future of the licensee industry, as it
relates to apparel and fashion, is a closer partner-
ship between the licensor and the licensee. The
retail landscape is changing. Brick and mortar is
well managed and has been for years, but e-com-
merce is still a black hole. Creating too much com-
petition online for the same products will lead to
price dilution and fewer royalties for the licensor.
Sometimes this gets clouded with guarantees,
and the effect happens downstream years later
and then takes years to clean up once the licen-
sor realizes it.
This idea of more specific licensing related to
e-commerce will be important as the channel
grows over the next few years. It will also remain
important as licensors take back ownership of
their DTC websites.
NOVEMBER 2022 17
Unique Vintage Zak Designs NEW! Zen Monkey Studios
www.unique-vintage.com www.zak.com www.zenmonkeystudios.com
Categories: Apparel, accessories and more Categories: Drinkware, dinnerware, ceramics Categories: Accessories
and glass, food storage, straws and accessories
NEW! United Smile
www.unitedsmile.net
Categories: Toys
Jeff Watson, Watson Apparel Press
NEW! University Games Jeff Watson, chief executive office, co-owner, Walmart and Target, where the customer buys
www.universitygames.com Watson Apparel Press, talks to License Global more generic products due to the rise of infla-
Categories: Board games about the benefits of offering quality apparel at tion. Our challenge remains to convert the mall
a good price point and discusses the importance customer when the economy is tight because we
NEW! Urban Outfitters of staying on top of current market trends in are not an essential product.
www.urbanoutfitters.com order to keep customers engaged.
Categories: Apparel, accessories, What are the main opportunities
health, beauty and home décor within licensing and apparel
manufacturing? What new
Vans challenges or opportunities
www.vans.com get added to the mix when
Categories: Apparel and footwear considering your additional
position as a retailer through All-
Star Elite?
NEW! Visi-One
The biggest opportunity is that our stores
www.catalog.visioneusa.net
are a kind of a hodgepodge of America. Our
Categories: Apparel and home textiles licensed streetwear products co-exist in a
mall shop in a way never seen before. We have
The Wand Company KISS jackets, WWE jerseys, Nickelodeon tees
www.thewandcompany.com and Aaliyah shoes, for example. Our biggest
Categories: Electronics challenge is to continue to innovate quickly,
stay on top of trends, and provide fresh prod-
NEW! Watson Apparel Press License Global: How would you ucts to the evolving customer.
www.allstarelite.com describe the modern manufacturing
Categories: Apparel and licensing process in the North How do you approach the
American fashion, apparel and licensing process, and what
NEW! Well Played Toys accessory space today? elements make a marketable
Jeff Watson: North American manufacturing is licensed product?
www.wellplayedtoys.com
better than ever, in my opinion. Due to our man- Some brands stand the test of time, like Coca-
Categories: Toys
ufacturing relationship with China, we can go to Cola or Harley Davidson, but then there are
market quickly in nearly every type of apparel newer, emerging categories like anime or gaming.
Whitehouse Leisure and accessory category. As far as licensing goes, We opt to provide a mix of evergreen and new
www.whitehouseleisure.co.uk this is relatively new to us, but a successful part- licenses in our stores to keep customers engaged.
Categories: Plush nership is based on licensors’ mutual desire to
get product to market quickly. We work on a What do you see for the future of
Winning Moves specific timetable and cater to a specific type manufacturing – regarding both
www.winningmoves.co.uk of customer that requires us to get product into challenge and opportunity – over
Categories: Games our stores quickly. We rely on speedy approvals the next few years?
and creative flexibility from licensors – both of The biggest challenge I see is an emphasis on fast
NEW! World Tech Toys which has not always been granted. fashion at the expense of quality goods. Every day,
www.worldtechtoys.com more prominent companies are more interested in
Categories: RC cars, RC What are the main challenges a quick payout from fast fashion than cultivating
facing your business today? their brand through working with talented artists
helicopters, playsets and toys
Inflation is the biggest concern. More than ever and sourcing higher-end goods. This is how we’ve
before, mall customer has a limited budget. You managed to stay ahead of the curve – by offering
WOW! Stuff can see this in the biggest retailers’ reports like quality apparel and a good price point.
www.wowstuff.com
Categories: Apparel, accessories, tech and toys

18 NOVEMBER 2022 WWW.LICENSEGLOBAL.COM

 Brought to you by

THE
LEADING
LICENSEES
NEW! ZiMAD NEW! Zing Toys NEW! Zuru
www.zimad.com www.zing.toys www.zuru.toys
Categories: Mobile games Categories: Toys, RC toys and outdoor toys Categories: Toys

Richard North, WOW! Stuff

WOW! Stuff has partnered with properties like
“Jurassic World,” “Peppa Pig,” “Friends,” “Love,
Diana,” Popular Science and many more for pop-
culture gifts and toys, both physical and in the
metaverse. They also are purpose-driven with a
focus on sustainability.
Richard North, chief executive officer, co-
founder, WOW! Stuff, shares with License Global
how he launched a company that is shaping the
kidult category with licensees.
License Global: What is it about
product innovation that you love
so much, and what do you think
gives a product the “wow” factor?
Richard North: Nothing seems to motivate me
more than seeing our business create new, excit-
ing, innovative products that I think kids will
love and react with a WOW! I guess it’s a hang-
over from being a kid at Christmas and being
excited by unwrapping (unboxing in today’s
speak) that toy you wanted most. My team is
like-minded, and we want kids to experience
that “WOW!” moment with our products.
What do you see for the future
of manufacturing – regarding
both challenge and opportunity
– over the next few years?
More often than not, licensees find they’re good
at a certain business area: their specialism. Some
are excellent at sourcing the lowest-priced items
and do significant volumes on products such
as stationery, mugs, T-shirts and the like. Then
there are the big toy companies who are superb
at mass production of action figures and playsets.
There are plush and bedding specialists and inno-
vation specialists like us who work cross-category
but remain in a segment such as toys. Innovation
is easy to adopt as every licensor wants that in
their brand, but few can deliver it.
Generalist licensees who deliver good items
will be squeezed out, and fewer deals will be done
but with bigger specialists. Consolidation and
collaboration of licensees will also come as the
bigger toy companies look to invest in smaller,
more innovative businesses so they can combine
big-company logistics, manufacturing scale and
distribution with fabulous innovation. We’ve
gone down the collaboration route and although
we sell to more than 25 countries, the dynamics
of a large toy company selling our innovation in
the territories are a win for both parties.
WOW! Stuff was recently shortlisted
in several categories, Innovation
and Sustainable Licensed Products,
at the Licensing Awards. What
can you tell us about those lines?
The “Jurassic World” Real FX Baby Blue typifies
one of our licensor collabs at its best. When you
receive such great support from a licensor, from
the suits at the very top to the worker bees on the
front line, magic will happen. That’s essential with
a collab. You need a top-to-bottom buy-in, because
you will both be pushing boundaries that are nor-
mally considered too hot to handle. That requires
a boss, or several bosses, at the licensor to break
down barriers and accept new ways of working.

How would you describe today’s

modern manufacturing and licensing
process in the European toy space?
We love innovation, but it is often high-risk. By
its very nature, innovation is new, and new means
unproven. More and more licensors see the value
of having an incredibly innovative halo toy in
their brand, but some might be a little optimistic
and want the innovation plus a peak royalty rate.
A halo line gets massive natural PR for the brand,
is usually high-priced and sells in good volume.
This drives success for the master toy licensee
and others. Those licensors that see it as a true
collab as opposed to a traditional manufacturing
license will have exceptional results.
Our “Jurassic World” Real FX Baby Blue is a
best seller everywhere; Walmart, Smyths Toys,
Bargain Max and Amazon. Our “Harry Potter”
Invisibility Cloak still does great numbers year
in and year out and continues to get great press.

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