The Founders:

Decades of Experience and a Passion for Creation

Steven Heard and Rick Levine met because they shared a love of designing and producing custom-crafted clothing and an appreciation for the intricate technology behind garment manufacturing. Their combined career trajectories have been marked by a relentless drive to create, innovate, and support others in achieving their goals.

Steven Heard is a world-class pattern maker whose expertise was honed at Levi Strauss & Co. While there, he spearheaded the world’s first large-scale bespoke jeans production, leveraging body scanning technology to craft custom jeans for thousands of consumers. Steven’s independent ventures include founding iconic denim and workwear brands such as Clinton Park, Dillon Montara, and Ship John. With a deep understanding of the craft, Steven has contributed to the success of numerous other brands, making him a sought-after collaborator in the industry.

Rick Levine is a serial entrepreneur with extensive experience in manufacturing, technology, and consumer goods. He co-founded the sock knitting and retail brand XOAB and the organic chocolate company Sun Cups, scaling both to national reach. With a focus on reengineering traditional, large-scale manufacturing techniques for small-batch production, Rick’s expertise lies in helping businesses navigate the challenges of growth, customization, and manufacturing scalability.

Together, Steven and Rick have dedicated their careers to creating and building—not only products but opportunities for others. They founded ApparelWerks to channel their combined knowledge and passion into a platform that supports small brands, helping them overcome the steep hurdles of garment manufacturing.