Gildan

Best-in-class leadership is the common thread for a successful trade show program and client experience.

Client

Gildan

Solution

Industry

Project brief

For more than 10 years, Derse has proudly partnered with Gildan, providing custom exhibit solutions and ongoing support for their trade show and marketing needs through our Pittsburgh division.

Strategies

Purposeful Creative
Program Management

FAMILY OF BRANDS

Gildan is the parent company for several sub-brands that we have supported various exhibiting strategies for, including Gildan, Comfort Colors, American Apparel, Anvil, and more—each exhibiting together under a house of brands as well as separate booths for individual brands at a single event. Together, we’ve developed a strong working relationship built on strategic design, operational efficiency, and clear communication, helping Gildan elevate its brand presence and realize its marketing objectives.

DESIGN & ENGINEERING

With cost savings and efficiencies top of mind, Derse designed, engineered, and fabricated a new custom modular exhibit solution to support Gildan’s family of brands. The modular and flexible design allows for easy graphic updates and cost-effective modifications, keeping the exhibit current with Gildan’s acquisitions, product extensions, and featured products. This system has delivered operational savings, demonstrating Derse’s commitment to both innovation and cost-efficiency.

BRANDING CONSISTENCY & QUALITY CONTROL

We have an in-depth understanding of Gildan’s brand, the importance of the details, and the specific care required for handling their product and merchandise. We precisely match Gildan’s product colors with the intended exhibit graphic materials including Sintra, vinyl, and fabric. This attention to detail, backed by Derse’s established quality control processes, has fostered a partnership where Gildan, from early on in our partnership, can trust that we have it all covered.

PRODUCT STORAGE & FUFILLMENT

We designated an area in our warehouse—the “Gildan Store”—dedicated to supporting Gildan’s product fulfillment operations. This space houses racks of apparel, mannequins, literature, hang tags, and steaming equipment, all of which facilitates seamless trade show and open house setups. By having this dedicated space, Derse ensures the products needed for Gildan’s show schedule are readily accessible, organized, and handled with care.

COST SAVINGS & EFFICIENCIES

Leading up to Gildan’s trade shows, we implemented processes that continuously reduce costs for Gildan:

Exhibit components leave our warehouse partially assembled while taking into consideration truck space. This maximizes transportation budgets by optimizing the truck load and reduces onsite installation time.
We also use rolling cases compared to traditional wooden crates for certain exhibit properties to expedite material handling both in our warehouse and on the show floor which saves time and money during installation.

FOUNDATION OF SUCCESS FOR THE FUTURE

Derse and Gildan’s long-standing relationship demonstrates how collaboration and passion for success can drive growth, efficiencies, and sustained success for robust trade show programs. Through strategic design, brand continuity, a dedicated product area, and a commitment to quality, Derse remains a trusted partner in supporting Gildan’s exhibit program.