Fitness and cosplay intersect in a growing roster of licensing deals pairing characters with workout wear. Many of the pieces emulate superhero garb, which can be inspirational for someone pursuing better fitness, whether by weightlifting or doing yoga or aerobics, while others simply integrate cute, fan-favorite characters to add some fun to a trip to […]
Turning Your TV Into Art
This year has brought the rise of the “art TV,” a thin flat-screen TV with a library of high-res digital art that turns the device into an ever-changing framed piece of art, or something resembling it, when idle. While any device can show art or photographs, characteristics such as a thin silhouette, frame-like border, subtle […]
Cozy and Collaborative
Cozy coloring books are one of the trends driving increased sales in the activity book segment within the publishing industry this year. These appeal to all ages, including a significant readership of adults who are looking for mindful activities and appreciate the cute drawings. Unlike the detailed, sophisticated illustrations in the adult or advanced coloring […]
Brands Extend From Feet to Fragrance
Several licensing and collaboration agreements pairing athletic footwear brands with fragrances have resulted in new or expanded product ranges of late. Brands with roots in sneakers have been extending into fragrances for decades, with varying levels of success, as a natural part of their evolution into sportswear and active lifestyle brands. Some examples of recent […]
Celebrities Collaborate on Adaptive Fashion They Would Wear
By Karen Raugust on September 24, 2026 in Demographic groups, Diversity/Inclusion, Fashion, Licensing
Mainstream fashion, lifestyle, and home goods labels, retailers, and specialist brands have increasingly been creating adaptive products to serve consumers who have disabilities due to medical conditions or age. Over time, celebrity collaborations in this space have also grown, albeit slowly, driven by actors, athletes, and others who have been diagnosed with a disability themselves […]
Getting More Bang for the Buck
A handful of dollar stores and their international equivalents are using licensing and collaborations to stand out in an increasingly crowded market in which they face growing competition from a variety of different types of low-cost retailers. Many of these chains have raised their prices above the $1 mark, or similar milestones, which puts them […]
Licensed Mahjong Sets Are Multiplying
Licensing and collaboration deals involving mahjong sets are proliferating as the pastime continues to gain popularity beyond its home region of Asia, including in the U.S. market. The properties dipping their toes into the category are expanding beyond the art, lifestyle, and fashion labels that first gained a foothold and remain common partners. Meanwhile, the […]
Augmenting Appliance Sales Through New Licensing Deals
A number of brand-extension licenses in the consumer appliance sector have been forged or changed hands in the last year and a half, in different parts of the world: This month, Kenmore & Brands licensed Curtis International to manufacture, distribute, and market Kenmore-branded refrigerators, small kitchen appliances, commercial appliances, and other appliance categories in North […]
A Push for Designer Baby Strollers
The recent announcement that luxury stroller maker Bugaboo is partnering with designer Stella McCartney is a reminder of the importance of fashion collaborations in this slice of the baby products industry: Dutch marketer Bugaboo’s new multiyear license with McCartney includes strollers made from recycled and biological materials, with the first products launching this month. The […]
Cute Characters Cheer On Korean Baseball
Cross-licensing programs pairing characters and sports properties have been on the upswing globally, with more teams and leagues and more character IPs getting involved. In South Korea, such initiatives are regular features of the pro baseball season each year. Merchandise almost always depicts the characters wearing the uniforms of the respective teams. The product assortment […]