Top 10 Competitors and Alternatives To L.L.Bean

L.L.Bean is an outdoor recreation supply and clothing retailer based in Freeport, ME. It was established way back in 1912 by its namesake, Leon Leonwood Bean, at the same location. You can find recreational gear and clothing of the finest kind at any and every one of its 54 outlets around the world. Right from surfing equipment to mountaineering footwear, L.L.Bean has it all!

Name	L.L.Bean
Founded	1912
Headquarters	Freeport, ME, US
SIC Code	5651
Status	Private, Independent Company
Industry Sector	Retail
Employees	6438
Trading Symbol	N/A

L.L.Bean Similar Companies:

VF Corporation, Cabela’s, REI, Lands’ End, Eddie Bauer, Patagonia, Arc’teryx, Orvis, Sierra, The Sportsman’s Guide.

Who is L.L.Bean’s Biggest Competitor?

The biggest competitor of L.L.Bean is VF Corporation. This apparel and outerwear company was founded in 1899. Currently based in Denver, CO, VF Corporation has several brands under its belt, including Timberland and North Face. Did you know that it covers 55% of the backpack trade in the US, thus making the company in the country?

How L.L.Bean makes Money

L.L.Bean is a retail company that makes money out of selling a great range of apparel and outdoor merchandise. If you are looking for high-end fashionable clothing, you can never go wrong with L.L.Bean. Most of its $1.59 billion revenue usually arises from the sale of luxury fashion apparel.

Retail / Apparel

L.L.Bean is a fashion merchandise retailer that mainly deals in casual and outdoor clothing. It is also quite popular for selling rugged outdoor recreational equipment. It is a privately held American company having a worldwide presence.

VF Corporation

VF Corporation started off as The Reading Glove in 1899. About 14 years later, the company started selling silk lingerie, due to which its name was changed to the sassy Vanity Fair. After another name change to Vanity Fair Mills, the company finally settled for VF Corporation in 1969.

Apparel

Most of the 13 brands owned by VF Corporation deal in luxury fashion and activewear. It recently acquired the workwear brand, Dickies, in 2017. Currently, the company has revenue of $9.2 billion, and its operations are managed by Steve Rendle as its chairman, president, and CEO.

Cabela’s

Cabela’s primarily sells outdoor clothing and gear for survival-related activities like camping, fishing, hunting, etc. It has its headquarters in Sidney, Nebraska, a perfect place to be one with nature. The company was founded in 1961 by Richard and Jim Cabela.

Retail / Outdoor

Cabela’s is an adventure sports goods reseller that has established its presence not only throughout the 50 US states but also in 120 other countries around the world. It was recently acquired by Bass Pro Shops. The company’s revenue stands at around $4.1 billion.

REI

REI is short for Recreational Equipment, Inc. As the name suggests, it provides recreational equipment and outdoor apparel. The company was launched in 1938 by Lloyd and Mary Anderson in Seattle, WA. Today, it is a consumers’ cooperative firm with headquarters in Kent.

Retail / Sports

REI is best known for its sports casual clothing and relevant footwear. Its camping gear and travel equipment are also in high demand. It operated in 39 US states via its 165 retail stores. Its revenue lies somewhere around the $2 billion mark.

Lands’ End

Lands’ End is a lifestyle goods company that offers clothing and home decor items at reasonable rates. Founded in 1963, its initial business was yachting supplies. It later shifted from Chicago, IL to Dodgeville, WI, and expanded into the apparel and furnishings sectors.

Retail

Lands’ End focuses more on the female half of the population. Apart from selling women’s clothing and apparel, it also deals in swimsuits. Its revenue is around $1.5 billion.

Eddie Bauer

Eddie Bauer is among the many outerwear luxury brands on the list. Established in 1920 by its namesake in Seattle, WA, it has since shifted its headquarters to Bellevue. It serves the whole of the US, Canada, and Germany.

Retail / Outdoor

Apart from providing outdoor and sports clothing, Eddie Bauer also stocks recreational gear. A private company owned by Authentic Brands Group and SPARC Group, it generates revenue of $1 billion.

Patagonia

Patagonia, Inc. is famous for its outdoor clothing and gear for adventure sports. Launched in 1973 by Yvon Chouinard, it is currently headquartered in Ventura, CA.

Retail / Apparel

Patagonia has an international presence in more than 10 countries, including the US. With 2300 employees, it generates revenue of nearly $1 billion.

Arc’teryx

Unlike other companies on the list, Arc’teryx manufactures and sells sportswear and equipment. The company was founded in 1989 with its current headquarters in British Columbia, Canada.

Outerwear / Sportswear

Arc’teryx specializes in designing high-performance gear for moderate to extreme sports. It is a subsidiary of ANTA Sports and generates revenue of $434 million.

Orvis

Being the oldest company on this list (est. 1856), Orvis has grown from a local family-owned business to an international retail brand. Its headquarters presently lie in Sunderland, VT.

Retail

Hunting and fly fishing apparel and equipment are Orvis’s primary offerings. The company generates revenue upwards of $316 million.

Sierra

Sierra Trading Post is a subsidiary of TJX Companies, dealing in recreational apparel and gear. Based in Framingham, MA, it was founded in Reno, NV in 1986.

Retail

Apart from adventure gear, Sierra also sells footwear and home furnishings. Its revenue hovers around the $228 million mark.

The Sportsman’s Guide

The Sportsman’s Guide is indeed a guide into the world of adventure sports. This online-only company was founded in 1970 with operational headquarters in South St. Paul, MN.

Online Retail

Sportsman’s Guide has several outdoor gear brands to its name, like HuntRite and Castlecreek. It generates annual revenue of approximately $54 million.

Conclusion:

The Top 10 L.L.Bean Competitors: VF Corporation, Cabela’s, REI, Lands’ End, Eddie Bauer, Patagonia, Arc’teryx, Orvis, Sierra, The Sportsman’s Guide. Together, they contribute around $21.43 billion in revenue to the outdoor apparel and equipment industry. They have a cumulative number of 94,838 employees globally.

Competitor’s Stats:

Name	Founded	Headquarters	Employees
VF Corporation	1899	Denver, CO, US	48,000
Cabela’s	1961	Sidney, NE, US	6500
REI	1938	Kent, WA, US	15,000
Lands’ End	1963	Dodgeville, WI, US	5300
Eddie Bauer	1920	Bellevue, WA, US	7000
Patagonia	1973	Ventura, CA, US	2300
Arc’teryx	1989	British Columbia, Canada	1200
Orvis	1956	Sunderland, VT, US	1500
Sierra	1986	Framingham, MA, US	950
Sportsman’s Guide	1970	South St. Paul, MN, US	650