Designers and labels from the world of fashion have long been key players in licensed home textiles. A recent burst of licensing and collaboration deals have involved companies known for their expertise in specific sectors of the fashion industry, such as innerwear, headwear, and footwear.
These niches may not, at first glance, seem to be an obvious fit with home textiles. The connection typically rests on the licensors’ brand image, with attributes such as comfort or performance carrying over into the licensee’s product line. In addition, most of the IP owners have been expanding beyond their core category to a broader lifestyle positioning, or have plans to do so, with the leap into soft goods for the home being part of this strategy.
Some examples arising over the last year or so:
- Stetson paired with HiEnd Accents, in a deal announced in April, for a western-themed collection of top-of-bed textiles. The range, which marks Stetson’s first entry into home goods, features prints such as Stetson hats, longhorn cattle, and bucking broncos. Materials include linen, jacquard, stonewashed cotton, and matelassé, with colors inspired by elements of western life, like saddles and denim. The foundation of Stetson’s business is licensing, with agreements in place for its core hat category as well as western apparel and accessories, fragrances, and Airsteam RVs. Other home goods categories are expected to follow.
- Hanes signed Designer’s Linen as its global home textiles licensee, with the agreement revealed in March. The range is comprised of utility bedding, sheets, comforters, towels, crib textiles, and mattresses, all focused on comfort in keeping with Hanes’ positioning. While Hanes, which celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2026, remains known for its core underwear and socks, it has also expanded into casual apparel categories. Gildan Activewear purchased HanesBrands in December.
- Minnetonka Moccasin is working with Allied Home for a collection of bedding tied to its brand, in a deal announced last September. The emphasis is on comfort, a key attribute of Minnetonka’s products. The blankets, comforters, pillows, throws, and sheets emulate the characteristics of the moccasins, integrating fabrics such as faux suedes, sherpa linings, and other soft and cozy fabrics and utilizing bright colors and details such as stitching akin to that used for classic moccasin seams.
- In another venture for Allied Home, Fruit of the Loom said in March 2025 that it had partnered with the company for a Fruit of the Loom Home Collection consisting of utility and fashion bed and bath items including sheets, pillows, comforter sets, throws, toppers, towels, mattress pads, protectors, shower curtains, and bath rugs. Consistent with Fruit of the Loom’s brand, the products are billed as soft, high-quality, and affordable. Fruit of the Loom has a number of licensees for its core categories in global markets and a few category partners, such as for socks. Meanwhile, it has done select collaborations with the likes of Zara (for t-shirts, sweatshirts, shorts, and sweatpants). Its corporate sibling brands, including Spalding and Russell, are also players in brand-extension licensing.
Other home textiles deals involving brands in the footwear, innerwear, and headwear spaces have popped up over time. To name just one example, Reebok paired with Taram Textiles in 2023 for a home collection in the U.S. and Canada, encompassing bed and bath products inspired by the performance positioning of the brand. But the pace has definitely picked up in recent months.
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