Star Trek Apparel Company Hero Within Loses Licence, Cites Skydance Merger Costs
Los Angeles, CA – Hero Within, a popular manufacturer of officially licensed Star Trek apparel and accessories, has announced it is relinquishing its license with Paramount, effective instantly.The company attributes the difficult decision to escalating costs associated with the recent merger between Paramount and Skydance Media, coupled with broader economic pressures.
For nearly six years, Hero Within specialized in Star Trek-themed clothing, producing dozens of styles inspired by series including Revelation, Strange New Worlds, Picard, and Lower Decks.Their product line extended beyond jackets and hoodies to include pants, accessories, pins, and bags. The company’s dedication to the franchise fostered a strong connection with the Star trek fan community, leading to regular appearances at 6-8 conventions annually, including San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC), New york Comic con (NYCC), and Star Trek Las Vegas (STLV). At SDCC, Hero Within frequently offered exclusive convention merchandise and hosted a dedicated Star Trek Lounge.
“We have been a long-time partner of Paramount and have enjoyed working together for almost 6 years,” stated Tony Kim, founder of Hero Within. “Regrettably, the increased cost of the Star Trek license consequently of the Skydance merger became too much for our small company. We tried to adapt, but with the poor economy, inflation and new tariffs, I realized that continuing to work with Paramount was not lasting. I loved working with the team and will miss creating Star Trek merchandise with them.”
Hero Within’s designs often reflected a deep understanding of Star Trek lore, exemplified by items like the sold-out 1701-D development Jacket, conceived as apparel for the engineers who designed the Galaxy-class Enterprise. The company’s work garnered support from numerous Star Trek actors, including William Shatner, Ethan peck, Kate Mulgrew, Terry Matalas, Tawny Newsome, and Paul Wesley, many of whom became customers.
The loss of Hero Within highlights potential challenges for smaller licensees within the Star Trek ecosystem. While Paramount has seen recent successes in licensing with products like the recently released Star Trek LEGO set and upcoming video games Infection and Voyager: Across the Unknown, industry observers express concern that a shift in priorities could disproportionately impact smaller businesses already navigating economic headwinds like rising tariffs.
“All I’ve ever wanted in life was to create something worthwhile for a community I love,” Kim expressed. “I love Star Trek and I love Star Trek fans – so it makes me very sad that we can’t continue with Paramount. We are proud of our work over the last 6 years and hope that one day we can be a partner with Paramount again.”
