Brand History - Nutmeg Mills

The Beginning of an Era

Nutmeg Mills was founded in the early 1980s by Martin and Richard Jacobson. With their bold, striking fonts and illustrations, the two brothers brought new life to the sports merchandising sector of all major US sports leagues. The T-shirts, sweatshirts, or other pieces were a way for fans to support their team in everyday life, even off the field.

Martin and Richard initially worked for their father's company, with whom they opened stores along the East Coast, until they eventually sold the company in the late 1970s. They invested the proceeds in a women's and youth sportswear business in Tampa, Florida. Shortly thereafter, the investment turned into the purchase of the entire business, and the brothers began to use the premises for their own vision. This was to be named after the nickname of their home state of Connecticut - the Nutmeg State.

Success Through Licenses

The Jacobson brothers showed their entrepreneurial skills early on. At the age of 15, Richard, with his brother and some friends, bought a license for $20 to sell sports pennants outside Yale University games.

In the 1980s, the brothers once again demonstrated their talent. At that time, college sports pieces were not as accessible as they are today, even though college spirit had always played a big role in the USA. Richard and Martin recognized this potential and contacted the Collegiate Licensing Company, writing a letter to the University of Florida to arrange a collaboration - UF agreed, and the story of Nutmeg Mills began.

Nutmeg Mills experienced rapid growth, and universities and colleges like UF, Florida State, and Michigan began selling their apparel and equipment. In its second year of operation, Nutmeg Mills was the largest royalty payer to colleges nationwide. After the initial success, it wasn't long before they made it into the professional leagues.

From College Sports to the Big Leagues

In 1981, the NBA became the first professional sports partner, and Nutmeg Mills was one of the first companies to enter into a partnership with the league. As a tactic to promote their products, Nutmeg Mills also provided the official equipment for the statistics crew who sat courtside at every NBA game. Licensing agreements with the MLB and NHL soon followed, and a few years later, the NFL was also convinced.

After years of success, the brothers felt it was the right time to sell the company to VF Corporation in January 1994, where it was later integrated into another division of the company.

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