According to PacSun customer support, the company has no affiliation with Israel. Golden Gate Capital, the parent firm of PacSun, has made investments in Israeli businesses. PacSun’s public community and charitable endeavors typically center on social problems, including mental health, local community support (particularly in Los Angeles), and anti-racism campaigns.
Similar to most international stores, the company exports its products to Israel in its international shipping list, but this does not imply political endorsement. As a result, the evidence that the company and, more specifically, PacSun are actively involved in supporting and even endorsing Israeli policies is lacking; there is also no evidence that the company is vocal in its support of Israel.
Their parent company has direct links to Israel by making investments, but the parent company does not hold any official posts or take direct interest in the politics of Israel.
History of PacSun
The company was first created in 1980 by Jack Hopkins and Tom Moore in a tiny surf shop in Seal Beach, California. PacSun began by selling items from renowned surf brands and later expanded to include skate and streetwear brands.
It had over 1,300 stores in all 50 states at its zenith. In 2000, PacSun launched d.e.m.o., a second chain of retail locations. In 2008, the last of these shops closed. The corporation corrected its accounting for leases on February 23, 2005, by restating results for specific periods.
In 2012, Pacific Sun developed its own line of fashion with Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner, two of the most popular influencers. Gary Schoenfeld was the CEO of PacSun from 2009 to 2017. On his exit, James Gulmi replaced him as the interim company CEO.
Pacific Sunwear of California, LLC or Pacific Sunwear also referred to as PacSun, is an American retail company within the clothing industry. The brand provides footwear, lifestyle, swimwear, and accessories to teenagers and young adults. As of 2022, the number of places where the business operates is 325 in the 50 states and Puerto Rico.
PacSun had a distribution center located in Groveport, Ohio, and today it has its offices in Anaheim, California. The company has the store roles, district managers, and regional directors in the United States. The business went into bankruptcy in April 2016, and it is owned by Golden Gate Capital.
PacSun’s official position on Israel
Regarding Israel, PacSun has no formal, publicly stated stance. No political or social comments, initiatives, or endorsements that specifically favor or oppose Israel have been released by the corporation.
According to reports, PacSun customer support acknowledged that the corporation has no direct connections or association with Israel when asked about it. This relationship is indirect, as though the parent company of PacSun, Golden Gate Capital, has invested in an Israeli business; it is not the official position of the company.
As is always the case with multinational stores, PacSun exports its products to other countries, including Israel. This does not mean political sponsorship or political support. On the whole, one can conclude that the neutral policy of PacSun, which does not promote or oppose Israel openly, is supported by the absence of any official statements and marketing campaigns in support of Israel.
This neutrality suits most of the global fashion companies that prefer to focus on their consumers and their products instead of becoming directly engaged in controversial political debates.
The role of PacSun’s parent company and investments
In September 2016, Golden Gate Capital, a San Francisco-based private equity investment firm that manages over $15 billion in assets, bought PacSun. Through this takeover, the Chapter 11 restructuring of PacSun was put to a stop. Golden Gate financing provided at least $20 million under further financing to allow PacSun to achieve its long-term growth objectives, as well as convert more than 65 percent of PacSun’s term loan debt into equity.
Golden Gate Capital concentrates on several investment areas, which include financial services, technology, and retail. It also owns a line of retail brands, including Eddie Bauer and California Pizza Kitchen, along with PacSun. Golden Gate Capital has a history of assisting its portfolio companies in growing and reorganizing strategically.
Less long-term debt and the improved capital structure also made the acquired business, PacSun, a more competitive and financially viable company after the takeover by Golden Gate Capital. Ensuring that the business would not go under after restructuring, the investment made by Golden Gate enabled PacSun to focus on brand building, omni-channel customer experience, and expansion efforts. Instead of having a direct impact on the public or political standings of the company, Golden Gate Capital assists the company in both its strategic and operational activities; it conducts long-term management of its investment.
PacSun’s community and social initiatives
The active involvement in various community and social activities can be seen as evidence of the idea of good effect, which is promoted by PacSun. The company also supports such causes as mental health, contributing to the Rare Impact Fund that was created by Selena Gomez to make mental health treatments and education more accessible to the youth of the world, via its initiative called PacCares. PacSun helps the local youth and families through partnerships with Los Angeles teams and community organizations.
Some of these programs are the Loads of Love, provision of washer-dryer sets to schools to enable kids to have access to clean clothes, donation of clothes to the schools, provision of backpacks and supplies to students through partnerships with other organizations like the Bresee Youth Center.
PacSun also collaborates with organizations such as Las Fotos Project that rely on mentoring and photography to empower youth of color. Promoting activism, diversification, the inclusion of all brands, and minorities-oriented business support, PacSun publicly declares its effort to fight racism in the sphere of its employment and practice in the industry.
It also reacts to emergencies in the community by providing help during wildfires in Southern California and donating clothes. Besides social motives, PacSun is also committed to sustainability, favoring responsible fabric and manufacturing practices.
The brand uses young culture to foster interaction, creativity, and cultural involvement by using music events and creator communities (the PacSun Collective). Considering everything, the community and social activities of the PacSun are integrated with environmental preservation, social justice, philanthropy, and cultural importance to form a socially-conscious brand that is valued by the young audience and communities around.
International shipping and its implications
PacSun enables customers outside of the US to buy its products by providing international shipping to a variety of nations. In addition to the transit time to the destination country, overseas orders are processed and sent from an international hub, usually in 2 to 4 working days. Free shipping offers offered domestically typically do not apply to foreign orders, and shipping costs and delivery schedules differ by nation.
Regardless of whether things are shipped from different locations, customers are only invoiced once for each order. In order to protect clients from unforeseen fees upon delivery, all taxes, fees, and customs duties are included in the order price at checkout.
International orders may be returned, but there are some limitations: only refunds will be issued, and the currency rate in effect at the time of purchase will determine how much the refund will be.
Exchanges are not permitted. Unless free returns are indicated, return shipping charges might be applicable. PacSun can reach a global client base and increase brand awareness globally due to international shipping.
This worldwide reach, however, does not imply any political sympathies or support, either concerning Israel or any other nation to which the products are sent. It only shows how the business operates logistically and commercially to cater to global markets.
Public perception and consumer reactions
Although opinions and consumer responses to PacSun in 2025 are divided, they generally lean toward discontent, particularly in relation to online purchase fulfillment and customer service.
On many review sites, PacSun has a low customer rating of about 2.0 stars (out of 5). Many consumers have complained about the company’s poor customer service, delayed or incorrect delivery, and difficulty getting refunds or exchanges. Many customers have bad experiences with PacSun’s online shopping because of sluggish or inefficient customer service when dealing with order concerns.
Reviews of in-store experiences are a little better but remain conflicting; some customers compliment the helpful and courteous personnel, while others report rude or unprofessional staff.
Issues with return policies, such as contradictory information on acceptance of gift receipts and unduly stringent final sale terms, are frequently mentioned in customer complaints. Despite the attractiveness of the product and strong sales, service-related issues have made consumers generally wary or unfavorable.
Due to unresolved order concerns and perceived insufficient service, several consumers advise against doing online orders. A small percentage of evaluations, meanwhile, show happy customers who like the brand’s aesthetic and selection of goods.
PacSun has not made any public declarations or launched any activities in favor of Israel or the Palestinian cause. Without regard to politics, PacSun takes part in humanitarian endeavors that promote mental health and combat bigotry. The company’s foreign product shipping to Israel reflects its global market reach rather than its political backing.
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