Sharpened and simplified

Earlier in the year, Gustav Daiber announced that its brands James & Nicholson and Myrtle Beach would consolidate into one. In this insightful Q&A, André Knaus, head of marketing and digital operations, explains the reasons why and what this means for the company and its customers.

Q. Can you tell our readers about the history and foundation of Daiber?

Our success story started more than 100 years ago. The family business Gustav Daiber was founded in 1912 by Gustav Daiber in Ebingen in the Swabian Jura and began as a sales agency for textile accessories, trading in items such as elastic braids, sewing thread and buttons.

After a change in leadership in 1950 and the start of in-house production of bows for the local lingerie industry in 1958, the 1970s brought significant advancements for us. In 1975, we embraced transfer printing – a revolutionary new development in textile decoration – and a year later, under the leadership of Rolf Daiber as third generation, added embroidery to our portfolio.

By the mid-1990s, we entered the headwear market and launched our first cap collection in 1996. We quickly became one of the biggest cap suppliers in Europe by 1998. Daiber Caps was the beginning of our first private label.

Today, we offer over 700 products in up to 160 colour variations in the areas of promotion, sport, leisure, business, workwear and headwear. Daiber remains a family business, with Kai Gminder representing the fourth generation as managing director since January 2021, who runs the company together with Christof Kunze.

Q. And what about the two brands, James & Nicholson and Myrtle Beach?

Our brand Myrtle Beach specialised in headwear, providing a diverse selection of caps and related accessories. It became one of the most successful product lines for caps in Europe in 2000.

One year later, in 2001, our other brand James & Nicholson was founded, offering a wide range of high-quality promotional and functional wear with an extensive palette of colours and sizes.

With both brands, we at Daiber have built up one of the widest ranges of corporate fashion in Europe. While looking back on our history with pride, we want to focus on what the future holds for Daiber.

Q. At the beginning of the year, the decision was made to merge the two brands into one. What was the driving factor behind this decision?

The decision to unite our two product brands under the Daiber name is a consistent step towards a sharpened and simplified brand identity.

As early as the mid-2000s, Daiber was established as a corporate brand through James & Nicholson and Myrtle Beach. The current brand transition continues along these lines.

The decision is the result of in-depth internal workshops, accompanied by our agency Follow Red, where we identified the best way to evolve while staying true to our heritage. A key outcome was that we wanted to place Daiber more at the forefront of our communication in order to show what – and who – is behind our products and services. This was also expressed in our campaign ‘Daiber makes it’.

Daiber represents more than just a company – it carries the legacy of its founders and embodies the values that have driven our success for more than 100 years. At the same time, our focus remains firmly on our customers. Creating striking textile appearances for other brands and companies is in our DNA, and behind our products are passionate people dedicated to finding the right solutions for our customers’ needs. To tell this story, we as Daiber have to emerge from the background of our product brands.

That is why we have decided to say goodbye to James & Nicholson and Myrtle Beach and unite all our products under a new brand: Daiber. Originally, a five-year period was planned for this process, but ultimately, we made a conscious decision to accelerate the brand transition.

Q. What is the main aim of the brand transition?

By embracing the Daiber name across all product lines, we provide greater clarity and strengthen the connection between our brand and our customers. This transformation simplifies the structure for both our internal teams and our partners, reducing complexity while reinforcing what Daiber stands for. Our branding is evolving, but our core values remain unchanged. It is our goal to provide consistency, trust and an even stronger brand experience under the Daiber umbrella.

Q. What does this mean for customers going forward?

At first glance, this sounds like a big change. But, while the branding may change, customers can continue to rely on Daiber for the same high-quality products and trusted services they have known from James & Nicholson and Myrtle Beach.

Despite the new brand, our sales strategy also remains unaffected by the brand transition – we still focus on long-term co-operation with our proven partners and dealers, without addressing end customers directly. Together with them, we design expressive textile appearances that create identity. The only thing that really changes is the name on the label.

Q. What about Daiber’s product offering will this change or alter in any way? Will the range be streamlined following the brand merger?

Although James & Nicholson and Myrtle Beach will no longer be used, our product portfolio will remain unchanged – as will the previous product numbers with the JN and MB identifiers. New products and products that are newly produced after the stock has been used up will only bear the Daiber label in future. Our quality and versatility remain as usual, as the accompanying communication campaign with slogans like ‘A jacket is still a jacket’ makes clear.

Q. Will any new products be joining the line-up later this year?

Our 2025 collection was recently released with many new versatile styles, ranging from everyday essentials to striking eye-catchers as well as functional outdoor clothing and more. With stylish pieces and modern cuts like the new oversized range, the newest collection combines work and leisure in an even more fashionable way.

The new products are also particularly special: they are the first to bear the new Daiber label. As in the previous years, we will be announcing our collection for 2026 in the beginning of next year. We are already working on the designs and are excited about the new styles.

Q. What does the future hold for Daiber? And in particular the UK market?

Daiber has built a strong reputation across Europe, and we are committed to further expanding our presence in key markets. We see ourselves as the go-to corporate fashion platform, offering versatile solutions tailored to the diverse needs of European businesses. In 2025, we will focus on strengthening collaboration with our international partners and customers across Europe, ensuring we remain their first choice for high-quality corporate fashion. By enhancing our service, product offering and distribution channels, we aim to solidify Daiber’s position as one of the leading brands in the European corporate fashion industry.

The UK is a key market for Daiber as we continue our journey to become the leading corporate fashion platform in Europe and grow even further. With a strong reputation already established across the continent, the UK represents an exciting opportunity to bring our versatile and high-quality product range to a market known for its dynamic business environment and strong demand for professional, functional and stylish corporate fashion. We see great potential in the UK because it aligns perfectly with our core strengths – reliable service, exceptional product quality and a broad, fashion-forward range that suits diverse industries and business needs. As we transition to a unified Daiber brand, this clarity and consistency in identity will help strengthen connections with our UK partners. We are committed to working closely with our trusted distributors and dealers to ensure a smooth rollout of the new brand and an impactful brand experience. With our sharpened brand strategy, expanded collections and strong logistics, we are well-positioned to make an even greater impact in the UK market in 2025 and beyond.

Q. Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers about Daiber as we move through 2025?

Absolutely. 2025 is a landmark year for Daiber – not just because of our refreshed branding, but because it marks a bold step forward while staying true to our roots as a family business with over a century of experience.

As we move ahead, our focus remains on innovation, quality and customer trust. We want our customers to know that Daiber is more than just a name on a label. It is a promise of consistency, reliability and passion for corporate fashion. Whether it is our expanded lifestyle range, our timeless designs and modern cuts or our streamlined brand identity, everything we do is driven by the goal of making it easier for our partners and customers to do business with us.

We are investing in long-term partnerships, smarter solutions and improved service across Europe. Our message is simple: ‘Daiber makes it’ – and in 2025, we are making it even better.