Vantage Apparel Joins Thousands of Volunteers for Clean Ocean Action’s 41st Annual Beach Sweep

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Statewide Sponsor and Employee Volunteers Support New Jersey’s Largest Coastal Cleanup Effort

AVENEL, NJ — May 29, 2026

This year’s event brought together more than 6,000 volunteers across 40 beaches spanning 130 miles of New Jersey coastline. Together, participants collected nearly 170,000 pieces of litter and debris. Perhaps most notably, 83% of all items collected were plastic; an ongoing reminder of the importance of reducing waste and supporting sustainable solutions.

For Vantage Apparel, the event aligns closely with company’s commitment to environmental responsibility through its Earthwise Collection, which incorporates REPREVE® recycled performance fabrics made from post-consumer plastic water bottles.

Vantage’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond product innovation. The company has earned an EcoVadis Bronze Medal, recognizing its ongoing efforts in environmental responsibility, ethical business practices, sustainable procurement and corporate social responsibility. “Through initiatives such as the Earthwise Collection and community partnerships like Clean Ocean Action, we continue to invest in programs that create a positive impact both within and beyond the promotional products industry,” said Rob Watson, CEO of Vantage Apparel.

As with every Beach Sweep, volunteers uncovered a few unusual finds among piles of litter. This year’s collection included a wedding ring, a full quart of milk, and even a whole watermelon. And with these unexpected discoveries generating laughs among volunteers, the event’s mission resonates throughout. The data collected during each Beach Sweep helps Clean Ocean Action identify pollution trends, advocate for environmental policies and drive meaningful change throughout the region.

“Our team members and their families live here, children take their first steps in the sand here, and millions of beachgoers vacation here every year,” states Watson. “This event is more than just doing something good for the planet. It’s a chance to make a visible impact and contribute to something larger than ourselves.”

Since its inception in 1985, Clean Ocean Action’s Beach Sweep program has become one of the nation’s most impactful environmental stewardship initiatives. Over the past four decades, volunteers have dedicated more than one million hours and removed nearly nine million pieces of debris from New Jersey beaches and waterways.

To learn more about Vantage Apparel’s sustainability initiatives and Earthwise Collection, visit www.vantageapparel.com/earthwise.

Media Contact

Donna Krusznis Senior Director of Marketing, Vantage Apparel donnak@vantageapparel.com

About

Vantage Apparel is leading global supplier of custom logo apparel, offering a wide range of high-quality garments and accessories for corporate, promotional, and teamwear needs. As exclusive providers of Greg Norman®, Xtreme Visibility, Redwood Classics™ and Lane Seven Apparel, Vantage has been the top awarded decorator in the industry 30 years in a row. Since 2021, Vantage has expanded its geographical reach when it joined forces with Lynka, one of the leading imprinted apparel suppliers in Europe. Learn more about Lynka at www.lynka.eu. A continued ASI’s Top 40 Supplier and PPAI Top 100 Supplier (#14 in 2026), Vantage’s over four-decade experience provides innovative solutions and exceptional service to its customers. For more information, visit www.vantageapparel.com. Since 2021, Vantage has been the industry’s leading single-piece, on-demand apparel supplier and the creator of Swagee, a fully white-label webstore platform built exclusively for distributors. Swagee delivers inventory-free fulfillment, enterprise-grade technology, and global program support. For more information on Vantage’s webstore platform, visit www.vantageapparel.io.