Pop Trading Company

Pop Trading Company was founded in Amsterdam in 2013 by Peter Kolks and Ric van Rest, two former skate shop employees who had worked together at the Amsterdam boutique Frisco. The two originally started as a distributor for brands such as Palace, Polar Skate Co., and Magenta in the Benelux region. When Palace scaled back its apparel distribution, Kolks and van Rest quickly decided to build their own brand – supported by their friend, Amsterdam artist Parra, who connected them with suitable production facilities. The first proprietary collection appeared in the AW16 season, and Pop Trading Company was officially established as an independent line in 2016.

The name Pop is a clear homage to the brand's skateboarding origins; after all, "Pop" in skateboarding refers to the jump or the responsiveness of a deck. These roots are still noticeable today: Pop Trading Company remains closely connected to Amsterdam's skate scene, operates its own store in the Red Light District, hosts regular sessions and events, and maintains a small team of skaters.

Stylistically, the brand combines a menswear approach with a skateboarding aesthetic: muted color palettes, graphic prints, and casual, more mature cuts instead of loud streetwear statements. Many pieces are produced in Portugal and the USA. Also characteristic are the numerous collaborations, including with brands such as adidas, Carhartt WIP, or Highsnobiety, as well as their own skateboard decks and graphics, which regularly appear as capsule collections.