Brand Dossier

Creative Colors International

FDD-based analysis. Item-level data. No franchisor input.

Creative Colors International costs $101,560 to $125,625 to open (2026 FDD Item 7), with a 7.5% royalty plus 1% ad fund (8.5% total ongoing) and an average unit volume of $127,327 (median $115,443) disclosed in 2026 FDD Item 19. Deal-Specific reads on Fee Structure, Unit Economics, and Term & Exit Terms, In Line on Litigation History, Concern on Operator Validation. Independent analysis, no commissions, no franchisor revenue.
Not ranked in the Entrepreneur 2026 Franchise 500ServicesFDD issued April 20, 2026
Ranking ContextCreative Colors International is not ranked in the Entrepreneur 2026 Franchise 500. Zorzee is an independent publication and not affiliated with Entrepreneur Media.
Source File2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. Measurement period: Item 19 Covered Period: Jan 1 - Dec 31, 2025 (full calendar year 2025).
About the Brand

About Creative Colors International

Creative Colors International franchises mobile repair businesses specializing in the repair, coloring, cleaning, protection, and restoration of leather, cloth, vinyl, velour, plastics, and other upholstery surfaces, along with upholstering of furniture, booths, and similar items. Franchisees serve primarily commercial customers within a designated area of primary responsibility, starting with one specially equipped mobile unit and adding units as demand grows.

Source: Franchise Disclosure Document, rewritten by Zorzee

Investment Summary

The Numbers At a Glance

Total Investment Range
$101,560 to $125,625
FDD Item 7
Franchise Fee
$59,500
Development fee: None. No separate area/multi-unit development fee disclosed in Item 5 (single-unit standard Franchise Agreement).
FDD Item 5
Royalty + Fees
8.5%
~8.5% of Gross Sales (7.5% royalty + 1% marketing), subject to monthly minimums, plus fixed annual fees ($600/yr Business Listing, $750/yr CCI Technology Fee) and a National Account Admin Fee of up to 5% of National Account gross sales.
FDD Item 6
Earnings Claim
Yes
Average Unit Metric $127,327. Median Unit Metric $115,443.
FDD Item 19

Every value here comes straight from the FDD; anything not yet source-verified stays blank rather than estimated. The Pro figures and full interpretation unlock with a Pro membership.

The FDD Data Table

Everything the 2026 Filing Discloses

Every data point Zorzee tracks for this brand, in FDD Item order. Missing source data stays blank; Pro-only interpretation remains locked.

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ItemData PointValueSource
Item 3Litigation Actions (total) 0 actions disclosed FDD Item 3
Item 5Initial Franchise Fee The Initial Franchise Fee is $59,500 (Item 5, p.11). FDD Item 5
Item 5Development Fee None. No separate area/multi-unit development fee disclosed in Item 5 (single-unit standard Franchise Agreement). FDD Item 5
Item 6Royalty Fee 7.5% of Gross Sales, with monthly minimums of $375 (first full year), $500 (second full year), and $625 (each following full year). FDD Item 6
Item 6National Media Fund Pro FDD Item 6
Item 6Corporate Ad & Development Fund Pro FDD Item 6
Item 6Total Ongoing Fee Burden Pro Calculated (Item 6)
Item 7Total Investment (low) $101,560 FDD Item 7
Item 7Total Investment (high) $125,625 FDD Item 7
Item 8Required Purchases (food/supplies) Pro FDD Item 8
Item 11Franchisor Assistance Pro FDD Item 11
Item 12Exclusive Territory Pro FDD Item 12
Item 12Territory Size Pro FDD Item 12
Item 15Operating Participation Pro FDD Item 15
Item 17Initial Term Length Pro FDD Item 17(a)
Item 17Renewal Terms Pro FDD Item 17(b)-(c)
Item 17Required Remodel at Renewal Pro FDD Item 17(c)
Item 17Termination Triggers Pro FDD Item 17(f)-(h)
Item 17Transfer Fee Pro FDD Item 17(m), Item 6
Item 17ROFR Provisions Pro FDD Item 17(n)
Item 17Post-Termination Non-Compete Pro FDD Item 17(r)
Item 19Revenue Metric Disclosed Yes: Average Unit Metric $127,327 / Median Unit Metric $115,443 FDD Item 19
Item 20Total Franchised Units (2025) 67 FDD Item 20
Item 20Company-Owned Units (2025) 3 FDD Item 20
Item 20Total System Net Unit Growth (YoY) -3 FDD Item 20
Item 20Terminations Pro FDD Item 20
Item 20Agreements Signed, Not Yet Open Pro FDD Item 20
Item 21Audited Financials Pro FDD Item 21
Pro Data Points Locked
The free table maps every data point to its FDD source. Pro fills in the values and interpretation that require the full read.
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The Signal Tracker

Five Signals From the 2026 Filing

Each signal turns one part of the filing into a read a buyer can act on. Strength means the disclosed data is favorable. In Line means it is typical for the category. Deal-Specific means the term is populated but you still have to model it against your own deal. Concern means the disclosed data is a real risk. The read is free. The reasoning behind it is the Pro read.

Fee Structure
Deal-Specific
FDD Item 6
The Pro Read

Fee load is source-backed from Items 5 and 6: a $99,000 up-front payment to the franchisor plus a royalty and a marketing contribution on gross sales, subject to monthly minimums and several fixed and triggered fees.

Unit Economics
Deal-Specific
FDD Item 19
The Pro Read

CCI's Item 19 discloses actual 2025 gross revenue (not profit) for all 49 franchise owners, split by operating model. A single-mobile-unit owner grossed about $127,327 on average / $115,443 median; multi-unit owners grossed far more ($637,911 average / $354,242 median). No single combined systemwide average or median is printed, and results scale heavily with number of territories, vans, and tenure, so no one figure represents a typical unit.

Litigation History
In Line
FDD Item 3
The Pro Read

Source-reviewed FDD Item 3 discloses 0 actions. The legal-context read remains locked in Pro.

Operator Validation
Concern
FDD Item 20
The Pro Read

Item 20 shows a small, slowly contracting system: total outlets slipped from 73 to 73 to 70 over 2023-2025, franchised outlets fell to 67, and only two new outlets are projected.

Term & Exit Terms
Deal-Specific
FDD Item 17
The Pro Read

Item 17 gives a ten-year initial term with a successor-franchise option, a $10,000 transfer fee, a right of first refusal to match any offer, and a two-year post-term non-compete, with all disputes arbitrated in Chicago.

Five Reads In. The Reasoning Is Locked.
You can see where each signal lands. Pro gives you the why: the math, the source detail, and what to validate before you act.
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Item 19: Earnings Disclosure

What the Earnings Claim Says, and What It Does Not

Item 19 earnings data is disclosed for Creative Colors International. The full disclosure is free below; Zorzee's read of what it means stays in Pro.

What the Claim Discloses
Average Unit Metric
$127,327
Median Unit Metric
$115,443
Sample Size & Coverage
See notecoverage detail
Chart 1, FDD Item 19 p.46. Single Van Model = 23 franchise owners each operating one mobile unit for the full calendar year 2025, so owner revenue equals per-van revenue; 10 of 23 (43%) at or above the average. Reported figures are gross sales, not profit. Separately, the 26 Multi Van Model owners (95 vans) averaged $637,911 owner revenue / $354,242 median and $174,586 per van (high van $397,515, low $44,886). Systemwide total was $19,514,204 across 49 franchise owners and 118 vans, but the FDD prints NO combined systemwide average or median. 2 company stores and 2 non-renewing locations were excluded.
Item 19 Covered Period: Jan 1 - Dec 31, 2025 (full calendar year 2025)
High / Low Range
$37,405 to $275,940
Met or Beat the Average
10 / 43%
What the Disclosure Excludes
Expenses, net income, owner compensation
Gross revenue is not profit
What the Number Doesn't Tell You
Free, because misreading Item 19 is one of the costliest mistakes a first-time buyer can make.
  • Item 19 reports the disclosed sales or revenue metric. That is not profit, and not a forecast of what you would personally take home.
  • An average and a median are not the same number. Know which you are shown and how far apart they sit.
  • What reaches you is whatever survives operating costs and debt service. Item 19 never shows that figure.
Earnings Read Locked
Pro turns the disclosed fields into a read: whether the average is trustworthy, what the disclosure leaves out, and the year-one revenue number Zorzee would underwrite.
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Unit Count and Trajectory

A System That Contracted

Total Units
70
As of 2025, FDD Item 20
Franchised
67
As of 2025, FDD Item 20
Company-Owned
3
As of 2025, FDD Item 20
Total System Net Change (YoY)
-3
As of 2025, FDD Item 20
Total System Units, Latest Available FDD Years
73
2023
73
2024
70
2025

Creative Colors International trajectory is shown only where source-backed. Missing Item 20 fields stay blank inside the locked layout instead of removing the section.

Source: FDD Item 20 where present. Total system units, franchised plus company-owned. Not financial advice.

Beyond the Net Number
A net unit count is not the same as healthy stores. Pro breaks out openings, closures, terminations, and what the trajectory signals.
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Litigation History

What FDD Item 3 Discloses

0 actions disclosed in source-reviewed FDD Item 3.

Source Status
Item 3 litigation detail not yet sourced
Not yet sourced. No zero-action conclusion has been loaded for this brand.
The Read · Pro
What a Litigation Count Doesn't Tell You
Free, because a raw lawsuit count is one of the most misread lines in any FDD.
  • A count means nothing without scale and time. Always compare it to system size and years covered.
  • The pattern matters more than the total. Repeated allegations matter more than isolated disputes.
  • Concluded and open matters are not the same weight. Open matters require different diligence than old resolved matters.
Litigation Read Locked
Pro gives the case-by-case read: allegations, status, scale context, and whether any pattern matters long before signing.
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Editorial Analysis

The Zorzee Read

The Zorzee Take
The editor's synthesis: what the filing actually means once the numbers, diligence, and operator reality are weighed against each other. The Take names what matters, what does not, and what must be validated before any decision.
The Read · Pro
The Inversion
Charlie Munger's rule: to understand a thing, study how it fails. Zorzee stress-tests every brand against forecasting, site selection, management depth, and exit math. The framework is free. Which modes bite hardest for this brand, and the fix for each, is the read.
The Failure-Mode Read · Pro
The Editorial Read Is Locked
Pro unlocks the full Zorzee read on Creative Colors International: the editorial synthesis, the math behind the numbers, and the failure modes the filing reveals. Zorzee briefs the decision; you make it.
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Zorzee editorial. Independent analysis. No franchisor review or approval. Not financial advice.

The Decision

You've Seen the Filing. The Read Is Still the Missing Piece.

The filing tells you what Creative Colors International costs to open. Pro adds the read on whether the numbers work for you, in your market, and whether this brand is a business or a job you bought.

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This Dossier
  • The full read behind all five Signal Tracker verdicts
  • Pro FDD data points from fee burden through Item 17 and audited financials
  • The Item 19 earnings read where disclosed
  • The litigation and system-health read
  • The Zorzee Take and failure-mode analysis
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FAQ

Creative Colors International Franchise Questions, Answered

How much does a Creative Colors International franchise cost?

A Creative Colors International franchise costs $101,560 to $125,625 to open, disclosed in FDD Item 7 of the 2026 filing, covering the franchise fee, buildout, equipment, and working capital to breakeven. No commissions, no franchisor revenue, independent analysis only.

What are the royalty and fees for Creative Colors International?

Creative Colors International charges a 7.5% royalty plus a 1% brand and ad fund, a 8.5% total ongoing fee burden, disclosed in FDD Item 6.

What does Creative Colors International disclose in FDD Item 19?

Item 19 for Creative Colors International discloses an average unit volume of $127,327 (median $115,443) in the 2026 FDD. The figure is gross sales, not profit. Zorzee's read of what it excludes is in the Pro dossier.

What is Creative Colors International's average unit volume?

Creative Colors International's average unit volume is $127,327 (median $115,443) in the 2026 FDD. The figure is gross sales, not profit. Zorzee's read of what it excludes is in the Pro dossier.

Does Creative Colors International have any lawsuits or litigation?

Creative Colors International's FDD Item 3 discloses no legal actions in the 2026 filing.

Is Creative Colors International a good franchise investment?

Zorzee does not rate franchises good or bad; it reports what the filing discloses so you can judge fit. Creative Colors International shows Deal-Specific reads on Fee Structure, Unit Economics, and Term & Exit Terms, In Line on Litigation History, Concern on Operator Validation. Whether it fits depends on your capital, your market, and your operating style. Independent analysis, no franchisor revenue.