The Giants quarterback and his pop star wife, Ciara, are cofounders of 3BRAND, which is finding success selling moisture-wicking shirts to children despite a dogpile of challenges in the retail market.
Read the full story on Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/sofiachierchio/2025/09/20/nfl-star-russell-wilson-has-sewn-up-100-million-in-sales-making-sportswear-for-kids/
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00:00Today on Forbes, NFL star Russell Wilson has sewn up $100 million in sales, making sportswear for kids.
00:10Russell Wilson has made a career on defying expectations.
00:14Shrugging off a slide to the third round of the 2012 NFL Draft over concerns about his size,
00:20the 5'11 quarterback led the Seattle Seahawks to eight playoff appearances in nine seasons
00:25and the franchise's only Super Bowl win.
00:29Even now, in his 14th pro season, the 10-time pro bowler is still trying to prove himself,
00:35playing on a one-year contract with the New York Giants, but being benched after a few games,
00:40giving up his starting spot to rookie Jackson Dart.
00:43This, despite leading the league in passing yards through his first two games, with 618.
00:48And now, as Dart has assumed the starting role, remaining focused, even with murmurs of trade speculation.
00:54So while any ordinary entrepreneur might quiver at the thought of trying to break into sports apparel,
01:01an industry dominated by a handful of global heavyweights with billions in revenue and a decades-long head start,
01:07the 36-year-old Wilson is used to being the underdog.
01:10And quietly, as a co-founder of Three Brand, he has built a company that surpassed $100 million in sales in 2024
01:18and more than $70 million in the first half of 2025, selling workout clothes in children's sizes.
01:25The business is one of many for Wilson, who tied for No. 49 on Forbes' 2025 list of the world's highest-paid athletes,
01:33with $53.6 million in pre-tax earnings over the 12 months ending in May.
01:39That income includes an estimated $6 million off the field, from licensing, memorabilia,
01:45and more than a dozen endorsement deals, as well as cash returns from a thick portfolio of companies he has founded or invested in.
01:52Wilson is behind West to East Empire, which offers production services for TV commercials and other media,
01:59and Why Not You Productions, which develops scripted series and films.
02:03In 2018, he and his older brother Harry founded Limitless Minds,
02:08an app that aims to improve users' so-called mental conditioning,
02:12through life coaching sessions and learning exercises.
02:16Meanwhile, Wilson sells shoes and clothing through Goodman brand,
02:20and fragrances through R&C, standing for Russell and Sierra, his Grammy award-winning wife.
02:28Wilson tells Forbes,
02:29I've always liked fashion, but I grew up wearing sports clothes and going to school in polos and khakis.
02:35When I got into the NFL, I was single and trying to date a girl way out of my league in Sierra.
02:40I realized I had to level up my dress game.
02:42Sierra was also Wilson's co-founder in 3Brand,
02:47and was by his side at their Los Angeles home five years ago when he came up with the idea.
02:52As he watched their son Future scurry across the room with a football tucked under his arm,
02:56the day before the birth of their son Wynn,
02:59Wilson thought of himself as a boy and decided he wanted to create something for children.
03:03He hand-drew the brand's logo, which transforms his initials into a lightning bolt to symbolize momentum,
03:10and they settled on the name 3Brand to reflect how sports, music, and fashion can inspire the mind, body, and soul.
03:18The clothing line debuted with a 40-piece collection in June 2021 and expanded its lineup two months later.
03:25Today, 3Brand has more than 100 items available on its website,
03:30including moisture-wicking shirts and athletic shorts in sizes ranging from 4T, for toddlers, to children's extra-large.
03:37Prices range from $20 for t-shirts to $65 for hoodies, all manufactured in partnership with Haddad Brands.
03:45And while a collaboration with Wilson's longtime sponsor Nike has sent 3Brand beyond sportswear and into accessories such as backpacks, duffel bags, and hats,
03:53apparel still represents around 75% of the company's product line.
03:59Prioritizing accessibility, 3Brand is leaning hard into online distribution,
04:03selling its items not only on its own website, but also through the digital portals at Macy's, JCPenney,
04:09and off-price retailers such as Nordstrom Rack.
04:13For full coverage, check out Sofia Ciarcio's piece on Forbes.com.
04:19This is Kieran Meadows from Forbes. Thanks for tuning in.
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