MANUFACTURING

Bills Khakis Fully Acquired by NEJ

American-made menswear brand Bills Khakis has been acquired by NEJ Inc., a Connecticut company that supplies excess inventory to specialty stores and offprice retailers.

Founded in 1990 in Reading, Penn., Bills Khakis was purchased in 2015 by Atlanta-based private-equity firm Source Capital LLC in partnership with NEJ, which is now taking full ownership of the business. Bills Khakis will now operate NEJ’s Private Brands Division in Beacon Falls, Conn.

“Bills Khakis is an iconic apparel brand with a 25-year history of producing high-quality menswear products that are proudly cut and sewn in the United States,” said Ed Mascolo, founder and president of NEJ Inc., in a company statement “We are excited to leverage our 26 years of retail brand expertise, disciplined operational capabilities and facilities as well as deep industry relationships to build upon the tremendous history of the brand as we position Bills Khakis for its next chapter of growth.”

Bills Khakis built its business on men’s pants inspired by World War II military-issue khakis. The company grew its made-in-America offerings to include woven shirts, boxers and belts. Under NEJ’s management, the company plans to continue to produce domestically and “scale the brand for the future.” Bills Khakis products sell on the Bills Khaki’s website and through better specialty stores in the U.S.

Menswear industry veteran John Crocco will oversee the Bills Khakis business and NEJ’s Private Brands Division. His 25-year career includes serving as senior vice president of merchandising and design for PVH division Izod, serving as creative director for Perry Ellis and serving as director of product development for J.Crew.

“Bills Khakis has a unique niche in American cut-and-sewn menswear, bringing its strong heritage of quality, superior fit and durability, with a classic style that consumers are looking for today,” Mascolo said. “I am proud to have this opportunity to lead the continuation of the Bills legacy and continuing to offer these high-integrity products to new generations of consumers for years to come.”

Mascolo founded NEJ Inc. in 1990. The company specializes in “fulfilling the ‘second lifecycle’ of full-price products performing reverse logistics.”

“As we look to the future of NEJ, we see tremendous opportunities to add additional owned brands to our portfolio,” Mascolo said. “By leveraging our infrastructure, expertise and retail relationships, we believe we are uniquely positioned to help brands capitalize on their full potential and achieve their long-term growth objectives.”