Hi Merchies,

Seems people liked the sports merch angle last week! More custom sports related merch inspo on the way then 🤝

You’ll note that both of us wrote in our usual ‘Make It Your Own’ sections a little parallel recommendation of SiMpLy MaKiNg It HaPpEn.

Make it happen. Find a way. Whether in bulk or individually bespoke, there is always a solution to get some sick merch drops done: not everything needs to be a ‘bulk order of gildan tees, min 100 qty, 1 colour only.’

So, as we now approach 1000 subs to DRIP DROP, we’ll start profiling some more independent shops that make this stuff happen, some neat tips and tricks to consider (get RGB and CMYK happy logo designs in your re-brand) and who knows. Maybe we’ll even unveil some merch we designed ourselves.

Happy Merch Day (that’s every day FYI)

Gaz & Kayla

Hats are a go-to merch item for many brands who have gone a level up from the notebook-pen-totebag trinity. How do you stand out in such a crowded space though?

We’ve of course got styles (cap vs bucket) and materials (corduroy vs dry fit vs classic cotton), as well as colours (bonus points for custom), and then decoration (iron on patch, embroidery, heat transfer, and placement.)

I came across ONGO’s hats due to a collab they did with streetwear brand Musinsa. Both are Korean brands, and ONGO pulls in traditional Korean knots as a functional element of the design.

From ONGO’s website:

ONGO pursues innovation in hat fashion with a modern sensibility and unique ideas. Each piece of headwear not only showcases a unique style through knot designs but also embodies the inherent meaning created by being pulled and tightened.

There’s a lot to be said for finding a sick product, buying it in bulk, and then getting it customised through a separate supplier. If you see something you like, ask yourself how you can get it done!

ONGO does bulk orders, and many other brands do too. Find a local embroiderer (Gaz has some Melbourne recs!) or place that can do a simple heat transfer and get going.

So, I was at Uniqlo in Melbourne CBD the other day (not a paid ad) and didn’t mind the setup they had going on. On the one side of the store corner: a whole bunch of very Melbourne-related fashion collabs with people/places like Beci Orpin, Hectors Deli and more (Uniqlo have always been great at launching in a new city and setting up ambassadorial stuff with people baked into the local culture)

On the other side, a bunch of kids going nuts at a DIY booth designing their own t-shirts, at a very affordable price range.

So, I’m obviously not gonna take photos of a whole bunch of kids in Uniqlo and post it in here, but if in Melbourne town, or Sydney town or any other town where you reside reading DRIP DROP and where a major Uniqlo happens to be: go check out the DIY printing setup, and make some individual merch to get started at the very least, if you’re not quite ready to do a run of merch for your company/initiative/project.

Merch repping your brand. Good for your health.

The point is this: people sweat the cost of merch soooo much sometimes, and then take no action at all. Especially on small runs (or even custom 1:1 prints) they’ll worry about the cost and think in savings for bulk orders rather than “what can I do with what I’ve got in front of me, now, rather than later?”

Wait for the sales periods. Buy a Blank piece on special. Pay overs for a custom screenprinting/embroidery design which incurs a little extra fee for setup. Have a sick bespoke piece for less than what you would pay for a generic carharrt or levis or whatever. Find a way, even if that way, is the Uniqlo way!

Check out the DRIP DROP Sublime for more merch inspo