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What’s in Name Brand: Vans Inc. has prided itself on its refusal to sell its fancy sneakers to discounters and mass merchandisers.

You won’t find a pair of Vans for sale at Sears or K mart because, as executives are quick to point out, it would alienate the full-price, upscale sellers such as Nordstrom department stores.

But rather than pass up what could become a significant chunk of new business, the Orange-based sneaker maker has created a private label division. That way, it can make shoes for companies under their own labels, even create its own mass-market brand, without tainting its hard-fought quality image of Vans. And it can take advantage of the extra capacity it will have later this year when it opens a new factory in the San Diego County community of Vista.

“We see huge potential for growth in this area,” said Al Zindel, executive vice president for Vans.