From our simple beginnings in 1994, Next Wave has grown into a full-service, family-owned branded apparel and merchandise provider serving clients wherever business takes them. We’ve been through some mergers and acquisitions, changed locations and names a few times, and witnessed incredible changes in the promotional product industry but our mission and values have remained the same.

What’s With the Name?

Next Wave has a lot of meaning to us. And hopefully to our clients who understand the meaning and experience it in their relationship with us.

Next denotes our commitment to moving forward and continuously improving. While our values and principles don’t change, we know it is critical to look ahead to what’s next. Whether it’s new technology to make doing business with us simpler or the product that’s trending in retail that will very quickly make its way into the branded merch space, our clients rely on us to be ahead of the curve as their trusted partner. We believe so much in the importance of forward momentum that even the words Next Wave are slanted forward in our logo!

Wave symbolizes our consistency and reliability, just like the never-ending ocean waves. It’s also a nod to the fact that we’re outdoors people and love a day at the beach or being on the water. So much so that we chose our brand colors to invoke the tranquility of the water at a South Pacific beach. Lastly, Wave represents our acknowledgement that there’s an ebb and flow to business and relationships, just as there’s ebb and flow in the ocean tides.

We’re proud of our name, and we work hard every day to embody the forward-thinking, dependable spirit it represents.

People. Place. Process.

Our longevity and success are built on 3 pillars that differentiate us. These pillars address the who, where, and how that makes us the company we are.

• The People pillar represents the strength of our team and the long-standing relationships we build with our clients, suppliers, and community. We believe great work starts with great people. Our staff include industry-certified professionals who participate in ongoing training and attend educational industry events so that we continually simplify the process, spark creativity, and deliver impactful solutions. We truly appreciate everyone who is interested in doing business with us but we’re selective in the customers and suppliers we choose to work with. We look for enduring relationships and we know from experience that relationships endure when there is mutual benefit, collaborative spirit, and common values.
• The Place pillar speaks to our locations as well as where our clients do business. We leverage our facilities with in-house production, warehousing, kitting, and fulfillment capabilities to be an efficient full-service provider. Yes, we are a “local” company, but we have employees in several states and serve clients everywhere. While we have plenty of “local” clients most of them have multiple locations and/or remote employees that we serve. We support our clients no matter the place, from the new west coast office, the new hire in the northeast, the trade show in Europe, and the top performers trip to the Caribbean island we’ve got them covered.
• The Process pillar reflects our focus on making it easy, efficient, and seamless to do business with us from ideation to delivery. This includes investments ranging from the people we hire, the technology we deploy, and the equipment we operate. We empower our team to never accept “because we’ve always done it that way” as a final answer in their pursuit for improvement in our operations. Our industry-leading ERP enables our customers to access artwork, quotes, orders, view inventory, track shipments, and make payments through the client portal as well as deploy multifaceted webstores. We utilize the highest quality production equipment and stay abreast of new and innovative decoration techniques.

Rooted in legacy and driven by what’s next, Next Wave is proud to be the partner that leading companies and brands trust for quality, creativity, and consistency in every stitch, every print, and every interaction. Let’s chat about how we can work together.