THE BEST...AND WORST OF BIGCARTEL

I am currently working on an article that features the very best and worst companies of big cartel!

I am hoping to compile this list based on readers opinions!

Please send an email to tshirtfashionblog@hotmail.com with your ideas about the best and worst examples of clothing brands on bigcartel.com

Thanks!

winners of the contest with 410 bc!

Here are the winners of the contest with us and 410bc. thanks again to 410 for donating these prizes! and thanks to everyone who read the interview and entered the contest, we got over 100 entries!

There were 10 winners and one bonus winner... here they are!

11 Winners:

Hat # 1: Adam Vaudin

Hat # 2: Regan Smith Clarke

Hat # 3: Jeff Kardos

Skate Deck # 1: Dan Lee Hu

Skate Deck # 2: Dave Freire

Tee # 1: Kristen Leckie

Tee # 2: Sarah Sidman

Tee # 3: Glenn Catteeuw

Tee # 4: Adele Damate

Tee # 5: Tom Rand

Bonus Winner # 1 – gets a free tee and fitted hat: Ryan Pimental

Interview with David Murray of SEIBEI

David Murray is the man behind Seibei, an awesome, quirky and extremely unique brand that has gained a large fan base for good reason! David, a self-taught illustrator with a college degree in Japanese Literature, began the brand in 2004 by screen printing and designing his tees, but it was in 2006 when Seibei really took off. One of the things I love about Seibei (and there are a lot) is that the tees are both amazing artistic designs and they’re funny. Most of the time when I see a tee that is funny, it usually isn’t aesthetically pleasing. This is absolutely not the case with Seibei tees, which is one of the many reasons this brand stands out and has had so much success.

Be sure to visit http://www.seibei.com and pick up a tee. Also definitely follow David’s blog! It’s by far one of my favorite blogs out there.

Now onto the interview…

1. What’s the story behind Seibei? When did you start the brand?

SEIBEI has its roots in my time at university as a Japanese major. In my third year, my advisor had us read a story by Shiga Naoya entitled Seibei to hyoutan ("Seibei and his gourds"). The story was about a young artist named Seibei who was kind of a weirdo, bucked trends of the day, and was dedicated to his work to the distraction of everything else. This story really stuck with me, so eventually I decided that if I ever found work as an artist, I'd want to work under this name. When I got back from Japan (where I spent my last year of school), a friend and I were goofing around with fabric paints one night and I made my first commercial shirt ever, a shirt making a joke about a friend of ours. I wore it out and the reaction was huge. It was then that I realized that I could start putting all of my dumb jokes and cartoons onto t-shirts, so I taught myself how to screen print and got cracking (learning to screen print was actually a pretty long and involved process, and by the time I really became a good printer, I quit my day job and had to start hiring out my printing). My early work was mostly in jokes with friends and definitely had more of a "goofy image and accompanying joke" Busted Tees feel (they're good people - that's just not what I want out of my work anymore). This was in 2004. I'd say I didn't really begin things in earnest until 2006, though. Up until March 2009 I was holding down a full time job at a print shop and printing my own work and running SEIBEI and not sleeping much.

2. I read that you run Seibei full time. What has that been like? What is an average day like for you at Seibei headquarters?

I'm working on creating a more structured schedule these days, but basically every day starts with checking email, reading a few industry blogs, reading Achewood, checking Twitter, and processing and shipping orders. My afternoons rotate between working on side projects (trying to get a zine and a book together, figure sculpting, other stuff), working on new designs (I draw a good deal every day, but don't actually work in Illustrator terribly often, which I'm trying to change), making Zombie Hunter shirts, and gearing up for shows. I go to the gym and take Jeet Kune Do so I at least don't get any fatter, and I spend a good deal of time hanging out with my girlfriend (when she's not in class at the Culinary Institute of America) and other friends. I usually sketch whenever I'm watching tv or sitting around.

3. I saw on your blog that you had a booth at Renegade Craft Fair and All Points West. How was that? Do you plan on selling at any other festivals?

Selling at festivals is the best - Renegade Craft Fair is one of the biggest reasons I'm able to do this full time, and I've been down with them for years. If you already have a quality product it's important to get it in front of as many people as possible, and now that I'm doing this full time, I've become a bit of a shut in, so it's important to actually see people and get enough sunlight to avoid rickets. I'm trying to do as many festivals and shows as I can from here on out - there's nothing like getting to see people's reactions in person, and it's hell of rewarding to meet the people who are buying your shirts and supporting your work. Also, it's great to meet other artists who are out there hustlin' and right there in the trenches with you. Shows are one of the most fun and rewarding parts of this gig.

4. What has been the best business decision you’ve ever made?

Right before I moved to New York in 2007, I had done this really shitty little craft show in Virginia. It was put on by a local Craft Mafia, and they hyped it like none other, and I was really stoked for it, and it was a complete failure. I had even bought an ad in the program (last time I ever did that), and it was just dead. The few people that were there were not stoked at all, and my work got a lot of eye rolls (which I was already no stranger to). I had just been accepted to my first ever Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn, and failing so hard at this show had made me super depressed, and I considered dropping out of the show because I had just moved and was strapped for cash. Fortunately, I decided to do the show (my girlfriend probably gave me a good pep talk), and it was a BLOW OUT. I met tons of great people, outsold most of the people who'd been doing it for years, and it really helped me feel like I could make it as an artist. I remember driving over the Triboro Bridge heading home from the show, watching the sun set, and just feeling like I could conquer the world. So, I guess the lesson from this is hard work and perserverance. Just keep swimming!

5. What has been the worst business decision (if any) you’ve ever made? Or is there anything you’ve done with Seibei that you regret?

Nothing I'm ashamed of, but nothing really worth talking too much about, either. I've overestimated how popular some designs would be (who DOESN'T like a drawing of a muscley kid with a veiny donut head jumping rope?) and ended up putting 95% of a print run into the "bargain bin" once or twice, and I've shipped tons of product to shows that end up getting rained out, and there was that time I had my cash box stolen. I don't think I've ever yelled "fuck" more loudly or with more sincerity, but, it happens. I think one of the reasons I'm still here is because I'm good at rolling with the punches. No one became a success by being a wuss. This is a business for tough mutants.

6. What is your next line going to be like/what do you have planned?

I have some new releases planned for Renegade Chicago, but to be honest, I just ran out of time to get everything ready for it, so some of them are going to be delayed. That said, Greg Abbott and I have done a piece together that I think could be the best SEIBEI tee yet, my buddy Jayna Fey and I are cooking up something, and soon enough I'll be doing a piece with my bros for life, the Two Rabbits. I've also gotten in to resin casting, so soon I'm going to premiere a series of limited edition, hand painted figurines made by yours truly. I'm hoping to have some to sell or give away at Renegade Chicago, but I can't make any promises. There's a hell of a learning curve, and I don't like to sell or give away something unless I'm completely happy with it.

7. What has been your most popular tee to date?

The Sandwich Dinosaur, without question, though the Intramural Zombie Hunter and a few others have been nipping at its heels for some time. Around Halloween and Christmas I usually pull a few all-nighters a week making Zombie Hunter shirts, and I still fall behind. Something about the Sandwich Dinosaur really speaks to people - it's like an ancient totem or a Jungian archetype or something. I literally spent ten minutes drawing it directly into a screen with screen filler and drawing fluid to test a press I'd built years ago, to wear as a goof at a kebab shop where I made sandwiches.

8. What do you think makes Seibei different from other brands?

Earlier this year I actually met a woman who ALSO had a degree in Japanese Literature, and ALSO ran her own t-shirt line, so I guess it's not that. What I'm trying to do with SEIBEI, in addition to having fun and expressing myself as an artist, is unite the weirdos and the spazzes of the world - I think you have to be able to laugh at yourself at least a little bit and be a little different to wear a shirt with a dinosaur saying MAKE ME A SANDWICH, much less my other works. I was recently thinking about Johnny Cash's concept of the Man In Black - someone who wears clothing of a somber tone to remind us of all of those who suffer and are less fortunate. I think we need a Man In Bright (for lack of a better gender neutral term that encompasses fun colors) - someone who wears goofy clothing to help us to keep a smile on our faces, even in dark times. The world is full of hate and suffering, but it is also full of love and magic and dinosaurs. I want to make people happy by helping to remind them of this. On that tip, I've been wanting to get into more charitable donation, but haven't found a good outlet for it.

9. Do you think the tee shirt market is oversaturated with too many brands doing the same thing?

Sure, but I'm not really concerned with it. I think there are a lot of brands who need to have their brand name on the shirt because that's the only way you can tell what company produced it, but plenty of people like that and that's fine (on the flip side, there are plenty of companies I love and respect who drop their brand name on every shirt they do). I don't like a lot of brands out there mainly due to weird personal tastes, but who gives a shit? It's a big world and there's room for a lot of us. In the end, I have too much work to do to spend any time hating on other companies. Okay, to be fair, I probably multitask while hating on people - I just try to make sure I'm filling orders or something while cussing rampantly under my breath.

10. What do you think is necessary or key to having a successful clothing brand?

Having something unique to say and doing it well, and then backing that up with tireless dedication and hard work. Constantly try to improve and one up yourself. Try to provide a great experience for the customer, so they feel a personal connection with you and your brand. Also, having a coherent worldview and aesthetic is something I worry a lot about, personally.

11. Have you actively marketed Seibei? If so, which marketing tactics have worked and which haven’t?

Not really. I've had mixed results with print advertising, but I mostly rely on word of mouth. I have had really good success with banner ads...I really ought to do some of those again. I've also been wanting to try Google AdWords, but again, it's one of those things not high up on my list of priorities. This may be a bit foolish on my part, but I'm a big believer in a "if you build it, they will come" sort of business philosophy. I just try to focus my efforts on making a good product and making my customers happy so, ideally, they'll do the advertising work for me.

12. Where would you like Seibei to be in 5 years?

Eventually, I want to have a small retail space with an attached art gallery. I've made so many good friends through working as SEIBEI who are far more talented than I am, so I'd love to start curating shows just as an excuse to get to hang out and work with them. I'm also starting to look into a wider range of products - cut and sew pieces, resin toys, skate decks - and I just want to keep creating new things. I don't think I'll ever be a millionaire; I just want to keep having fun with this. It's great to know that people all over the world are wearing my work and that it makes them happy.

Interview with Paper Root

One of my personal favorite new brands out there is Paper Root. That was one of the reasons I wanted to interview them. Paper Root is a unique brand, one of my favorite things about them is they focus more on the art. They aren’t constrained by anything. I love how you never know what to expect next from them. Personally I don’t really like when I can predict a line, I like there to be some anticipation and for each line to look a little bit different from the one before. You can definitely expect big things to come from this brand. Thanks to Greg for the interview! And buy some tees:

http://www.paperrootclothing.com

1. Tell us a little bit about the story behind Paper Root, how did it come about and why did you decide to start the brand? 

It actually all started in sort of a backwards way.  I've always been a t-shirt fanatic.  One of those kids that scoured the thrift store shelves trying to find weird and quirky t-shirts that I knew no-one else would have.  I never thought about having my own clothing brand, but I knew that I wanted to be involved with the t-shirt business in some way.  A few years ago I came into possession of an old printing press from the 70s and I spent every waking minute messing with this beast.  I spent alot of time researching and learning the different aspects of screen printing and eventually started printing shirts for all kinds of businesses and events and some clothing lines.  I spent alot of time testing my skills and learning new processes to get the best and most creative results.  I had never really considered starting my own brand at that point, but eventually it got to the point where I had gotten increasingly dis-interested in the t-shirts that were on the shelves in the stores in my area, so I decided to use the skills I had developed over the past couple years and enlisted the help of some artist friends of mine to help bring some tee concepts to reality strictly for myself and my friends.  We expanded a couple small runs of shirts and decided to put them in some local stores see what the response was.  The response was overwhelmingly positive, so I decided that this could be something to pursue seriously.  I've never been a fan of branding or logo tees, so it was always important for the designs to be all about the art and not about incorporating our logo or brand name.  From the get-go, I wanted Paper Root to be about the artwork and not the branding or themes.  Which I know goes against the basic rules for a tee company, but I never wanted it to be something that people could expect certain things from every season, it is meant to be something completely different every time. 

2. Do you think it’s important for a brand to have a particular “theme” or style? Why or why not? 

I definitely see the positives of a brand having a specific theme or style that people can identify them with, but I know it is not a necessity to be successful.  Alot of people take comfort in the fact that if they like a t-shirt from a brand, then they can expect to come back every season and get more of the same, but maybe different concepts or execution.  I was always on the opposite end of the spectrum, I would get really into a brand for a season, and by their next release I would be bored with it.  It was like "okay, i already have a couple tees with photos of street scenes on them, why would I want any of the seven new ones you just came out with?".  I understand that when the people that follow your brand like a certain style, it's a guaranteed money-maker if you keep making stuff in that style, but that's when the creativity starts to die for me.  Not to intentionally single anybody out, but one of my favorite brands used to be RVCA and their Artist Collections series.  It was so random and creative and I was always wondering what they would put out next.  But of course, once the masses caught on to the brand, the straight logo tees started selling like hot-cakes.  Over time I watched as shops started carrying more and more of the logo tees and less and less of the Artist series tees.  And from a business perspective: hey, if people want more logo tees, let's make more logo tees and get money.  It makes sense, but for someone like me it is disappointing to see the unique tees drop off to make way for the logo tees.  We might throw the name in the design from time to time, but we've never done a straight logo tee.  I get the fact that alot of people like that about their favorite brands, but I like to think that the people that follow Paper Root are into it because their style can change with us, and they don't have to wear our name real big to be part of some style.  I wouldn't feel comfortable trying to make new designs every season that fit into a certain "theme".  One of my favorite things to do when working with a new artist is to see what kinds of concepts or aesthetics they like to work with and then find a common theme we can agree to run away with. This way we are both personally invested in the artwork, and hopefully it's not just another job for them.  I would hate to go to an artist and say can you make a tee that is a parody of the New York Yankees, but everyone has to be an animated hot dog, because our brand is called Frank-furter apparel and all our designs have to be related to hot dogs.  I mean, shit, I don't like any one thing to base the life of my brand around. 

3. What is your personal favorite Paper Root tee? 

My personal favorite tee at the moment is the coral castles tee.  It's just a really simple geometric design with solid colors and the theme is an underlying homage to my current home state of Florida.  A couple of my other favorites are the Run Buddha tee and the Beast tee.  Just great designs with great concepts behind them.  I'm working on some stuff for the fall that will probably become my new favorites, but that's just how it goes. 

4. What is the hardest thing about starting up? 

The hardest thing is definitely getting people just to look.  Roughly estimating, there are probably 100,000 clothing brands out there right now and the market is just completely saturated.  You have to try to reach people through all the different avenues on the internet, then also spend time trying to get your stuff in front of people in a more tangible way like stores and trade shows or markets.  Everything else about running a clothing line is more of an enjoyable process with the product development and order fulfillment, etc.  But getting people to check it out and trying to make deals happen is always a grind.  If you weren't born with it or educated in it, you have to really hone your sales and advertising skills in order to be successful. 

5. What do you prefer and why - simple designs or over the top stuff? 

Personally, I prefer simple designs that manage to make an impact despite their simplicity.  On some days I really want to wear those over the top 18-color prints with a thousand things going on, but for the most part I like to keep it simple.  I am truly impressed by the artists that do these monster pieces that have alot of colors and insane detail (that takes some serious effort), but I am more impressed when someone does a one-color design that really captivates you.  Unfortunately, I've found that alot of people place the value of a t-shirt in the intricacy of the design and how many colors it is, so it is seen as not as valuable when a shirt is just a one-color print or a photo or something along those lines. 

6. Who comes up with the ideas for your tee shirt designs? 

It really is a collaboration for most everything that I do with outside designers.  I always try to ask the designers what they're really into at the moment, so I can work off of their preferences, but then we end up collectively finding a theme that we're both really into.  When I'm really into the work of certain artists, I don't want to come to them with something that is 100% my idea, because then I feel like it would make it just work for them.  If I work on a design with somebody, I want them to be personally invested in it.  For the in-house designs the ideas are all collected from my personal experiences or vices.  The design process for me is especially cathartic.  If there is a something that I am obsessing over or some problem I am working out, I'll find a way to get that out of my head and onto a t-shirt, either through my own channels or an outside designer.   

7. If someone gave you a $100,000 investment for Paper Root, what would you use the money for? 

I'm getting some things in motion that is going to become a reality over the next couple years involving some serious cut-n-sew action and a whole new section of Paper Root that is going to be a surprise to alot of people.  That kind of investment would allow me to put these plans into production almost instantly.  Also, most people don't know this, but Paper Root is actually my 3rd job.  I manage a music venue/restaurant in northern Florida (great food, and i've put together shows with Modest Mouse, Vampire Weekend, Against Me, & more).  I also have my own screen-printing shop that I run out of my house.  So After I spend most of a day working at those two jobs, i'll work late into the night on Paper Root.  One of the biggest stumbling blocks for Paper Root is that I can't give 100% of myself to it.  So that kind of investment would give me the opportunity to give up those other two jobs and be able to focus all of my time on Paper Root.  I would be able to participate in alot of trade shows, festivals, markets, sales trips, and all that other stuff that is important for building a brand.  At this point, i'm pretty much stuck to doing what I can from a computer and phone, so to be able to step beyond that would open up alot of new doors. 

8. I saw you guys have some amazing mailers. Have you gotten a lot of positive feedback on those and do you think it’s important for businesses to spend time on the details like custom packaging?

Thanks for noticing the mailers!  I really love all the little details that go into the presentation of a product, and people can tell when someone really cares about their goods by what they do other than just the shirt.  One time I ordered a shirt from company that looked really rad on the web, then it took about 3-4 weeks to get to me (by then I had just about forgotten I ordered it), and it arrived in a torn and tattered manilla envelope with just the shirt inside with no protection whatsoever.  I'm not going to lie, it was kind of a bummer to recieve something in that manner.  So, yes, I think it is imperative to a brands success to present your product as professionally, uniquely, and creatively as possible.  I like to compare the situation to when a guy proposes to his girlfriend.  How shitty would it be if you stopped your GF after she got out of the bathroom or something and you just handed her the ring and said something like "here ya go, now go tell all your friends".  She's not going to want to tell anyone about that, and she probably wouldn't marry you.  On the other hand, if you do the full-on tuxedo limo to 5-star restaurant down on one knee type deal, she is gonna sing that junk to all of her friends.  It's the same situation with presenting your product.  It may be the best thing in the world your giving them, but you have to go the extra mile if you want someone to really feel something for your brand and make them want to tell everyone else about you, otherwise they may just forget about you.  So yeah, I do everything I can to try an make it a memorable and special experience for the people that have supported Paper Root.  So when a package from us arrives in the mail and you see a package that has some ridiculously awesome limited edition artwork on the front and you open it up to see a cleanly bagged and sealed tee with custom tags and hang tags and stickers and postcards thrown in, I hope this makes you feel like we put some care into your experience.  Unfortunately, conducting business over the internet is a cold-hearted bitch.  I actually haven't recieved any feedback at all about our packaging.  I don't think i've ever taken the time to write a company after i've recieved something like that, so I don't blame anybody for not doing it either.  But it would be nice to get a response like that.  So thanks again for mentioning the mailers.

9. Are there any other tee brands you like or is it all just competition? 

I'm one of those people that believes there is plenty to go around.  People go through t-shirts like tissues, so If your doing good work, there is always going to be people that will buy it.  So I don't see anybody as competition, and there are alot of brands that I am a fan of.  Always gonna be a fan of Obey, RVCA, Imaginary Foundation.  Starting to really like 410BC, the Printed Mind, fyasko, and Lira, all brands that are doing great things. 

 

10. Can you tell us about anything you have planned for the future for Paper Root? Or what we can expect for the next line?

Expect alot more tees and a variety of styles as always.  For the fall we're going to be releasing some stuff to keep you warm and some accessories, and i'll leave it at that.  From there, you'll start to see some of the cut-n-sew stuff i've been hinting to.  I think people will really like what we've got coming. 

11. What would you tell someone looking to start up a business (whether it be clothing or something else) 

I would tell them you will only get out of it what you put into it.  Luckily I was born with a drive that keeps me up most of the night trying to make my ideas a reality.  It's so easy to feel defeated and give up when you run your own business, but that is where you have to embrace your next big idea.  Failing has only made me work harder and in this economy, be prepared to hustle for your dreams. 

12. What's your favorite flavor 

Purple haha

Interview with Eric Terry of Linty Fresh

Want to start your own business or run your own brand? Then you'll enjoy this interview with Eric Terry, the owner of well known indie tee shirt brand Linty Fresh. We were fortunate to interview Eric, who gives great advice and insights into Linty Fresh, branding and the industry. Linty Fresh continues to be successful and has become a very popular brand in a short period of time. This success is not only due to the fact that Eric is a great businessman who puts 110% into everything he does, but also because Linty Fresh products are top notch. Linty Fresh is a brand that is extremely unique and people recognize this. I could go on talking about Linty Fresh for a while, but I'll cut to the interview because Eric has many more interesting things to say than I. Visit http://www.lintyfresh.com to see products and follow Eric's blog to see what the company is up to, http://www.linty-fresh.blogspot.com

1. I like to start interviews off with the basics, so for our readers that don’t know, how and when did you start Linty Fresh?

I started LF back in the early part of 2006 with the printing of my first shirt, Once Upon a War. I sold it to friends and people I knew online, and within a few months I had the cash to print a second tee while still having remaining stock from the first design. I continued to build the line this way for the next year and a half, until things picked up so much that I was able to print tees every month.

2. You are one of the few indie tee brand owners that runs your brand full time. When did you start running LF full time and what has the experience been like?

I went full time with Linty Fresh in June of 2008. I had set a goal for myself in per-month sales and expected to hit it by the end of the year but managed to do it a little earlier. Looking back, it was probably something I could've held off a little longer, since maintaining a day job would've helped financially, but at the same it was SO nice to work for myself. I'm not sure I'd do it differently, given the chance.

3. Why did you decide to keep Linty Fresh entirely in house/run it as a one man show? What have been some of the benefits of this?

One of the key things I've come to appreciate as a business owner is that no one will ever care about the company as much as me. It's my creation, my sweat and tears. I labor over little things because I love it; It's not just a job I'm getting paid for. I think this is reflected in what I do and how I interact with customers. They know that if they have a question I'll be there to answer it quickly, and if a problem comes up I'll do all I can to resolve it. Quality is hard to maintain with expansion. The other reason is that, until recently, it wasn't really necessary. However, as of this month I currently have one employee helping run things while I live abroad.

4. You release a new tee every month instead of a few tees every season. Why did you decide to do monthly releases instead?

A couple reasons. One is that it establishes a pattern for customers and fans to count on. People know the first of the month means new releases from Linty Fresh. That means regular anticipation for products and that each tee is that much more special. Instead of a tee just being "part of the Fall line" it's "THE August release". Because in the end, I'm not just making tees, I'm making characters. And characters have stories, personality, and a unique identity.

5. What has been the best selling Linty Fresh tee to date?

The best selling design has been "The Most Fantastic Things", now in its 4th printing.

6. How important is branding to you and how do you use it for LF?

I learned a long time ago that to succeed as a small business, you can't just copy what the big guys are doing. Because the big guys have more resources, can do it cheaper, and will always have more customers. So in order to make it, you have to carve out your own niche in the market. You have to brand.

For me, running Linty Fresh solo, it was inevitable that my brand would be a reflection of me. So I went with it, incorporating my own interests into the brand. Since I enjoy writing, I wrote poems to be released with each tee. Since I've got a fascination with monsters, aliens, and other oddities, I added those too. I found it was easier to just project myself through the company rather than inventing something entirely new that I'd be unfamiliar with. And it seems to work.

7. What type of advertising (if any) do you use for LF?

Once in a while a free advertising opportunity arises and I'll take advantage of it, but otherwise I never go out of my way to advertise. I'd much rather put my money into bettering the product itself.

8. I have read on your blog that you are moving the company to China. Can you tell our readers more about this decision? How do you think the company will change as a result of the move?

To clarify, I'm moving to China, but the company will stay at its current office in the US. I'm moving to oversee the launch of a Chinese version of my line. I've been to China a few times and thought my products would do well, so I'm here to give it a shot. In the meantime, operations will continue in the US as always.

9. What is something that you are excited about in regards to the future and Linty Fresh?

China has opened my eyes to a lot of possibilities with clothing production. The t-shirts belonging to the Chinese version of Linty Fresh are made entirely from scratch, and overseeing that process has given me a ton of new ideas to experiment with. Once I perfect this system I'd like to start exporting these products back to the US.

10. Are there any trends in tee shirts or design that you are tired of?

I see a lot of brands popping up these days that look alike. They see the success of some brand they look up to and wrongly conclude that it's all about the designs. They track down popular designers or popular styles and stick their brand name on it. They sell a few shirts and think they've got it all figured out, but they aren't thinking long-term, and eventually the momentum of the fad will run out. So without being too specific, I'd say I'm most tired of people not knowing who they are and not doing their own thing.

11. Where do you see Linty Fresh in 5 years?

I think one of the things that sets me apart from other brand owners is that I have no desire to be the next big thing. My absolute favorite thing about running Linty Fresh is the freedom it affords me. I work a few hours a week to keep things going: staying connected with customers and working on new products. But the rest of my time is spent living, doing what I want to do. The way I see it, I'm living the life that a lot of people look forward to after retirement, but I still have a bit of work to keep me busy and focused and I still have my youth to enjoy the freedom. I love traveling, writing, art, reading, studying other languages, making music, spending time with family and friends. To me, that's what makes this so much fun. Sure, it'd be nice to be the next popular fashion trend, but I'd hate to have my company running me and not the other way around. So to answer the question of where LF will be in 5 years, I imagine I'll have more things in the shop, but hopefully

I'll maintain that small-company feel.

12. What is your favorite thing about running Linty Fresh?

Apart from what I just mentioned, the satisfaction. Satisfaction in seeing it grow, satisfaction in hearing back from thrilled customers and inspired entrepreneurs, satisfaction in knowing that people are willing to spend their hard-earned cash on things that I've created. It's really been an awesome experience.

13. How important has attending shows and fairs been? And what is your favorite memory/experience from a show or craft fair?

Shows have been a great way to connect with customers and supporters of my brand and find out exactly who's buying my stuff. This market typically attracts a certain demographic, so to see folks I'd never expect buying my products for themselves is always amusing and gratifying. I can't put my finger on a single experience, but one of the things that really stands out is when people come to shows just to see my booth or meet me personally. In a couple instances, people even drove from other states to buy something from me in person and get a picture next to me. That's something I'll never take for granted, nor forget.

14. What are some things that inspire you?

Inspiration is a funny thing for me. It comes from everywhere, from the obvious places like gig posters, album artwork and photography to obscure things like LEGO creations from Flickr groups, screenplays and Rube Goldberg machines. I have so many hobbies vying for my attention because it takes so little to trigger that urge in my brain to create something. I do my best to funnel it into Linty Fresh, though, since that's what pays the bills.

15. To end, what is the most important piece of advice you could give to someone wishing to work in the tee shirt industry or someone wanting to start their own company?

Find out what makes you unique from everyone else and develop your brand around it. People aren't dumb; They can sense insincerity immediately.

If you're just trying to be somebody else, they'll pick up on it and go elsewhere. If you don't know what makes you unique, wait until you do.

How can you expect to make a product other people will want if you don't know what you want?

Interview with The Printed Mind

We wanted to do an interview with a young and upcoming brand. The Printed Mind has only been around for 5 months, but already has made a name for itself with strong products and attention to detail. Check out http://www.theprintedmind.com

INTERVIEW WITH LEVI, THE PRINTED MIND:

1. Before The Printed Mind, you were doing Word. Tell us about what it’s been like making that switch from Word to TPM. What are you doing differently this time around?

Word! Apparel was, in my opinion, was school, and TPM is putting what I learned to use. Word Apparel, in the 9 months that it was alive, was amazing. I hit goals that I set for myself, and I grew a fairly large following based solely on it being different than the norm. I don't think that it was anything special, AT ALL, but I treated it like it was, and I happening to sell a good amount of shirts. I had a ton of fun doing it. The Printed Mind started with a bang. The first weekend was crazy, and then it kind of took a dive. Things went slow, and it sort of got a point to where I had to change the way I was advertising, so I started playing around with other channels, and suddenly I hit something smack on the head. Now closing in on 5 months with The Printed Mind, things are growing faster than I can really keep up with. Recently, I have had to take time off of my 9-5, to catch up on things. My most recent release, was intense. I did not sleep for 2 days due to the amount of orders, and the wholesale orders I received that weekend. A far as doing things different, I am keeping a consistent theme, and setting goals to follow far down the road because I believe that this is something that can put me in the runnings with the big dogs.

2. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced starting up TPM?

I think the biggest challenge was bringing my following from Word! over to TPM. I lost a big group of people, but the diehard fans, stayed with me. I was fortunate enough to have some guidance during the set up of the company, and it kept me sane. I believe that the whole Word! Apparel situation, actually forced me to step my game up, and brought forth something greater.

3. People are saying that The Printed Mind is the best upcoming brand that is under 1 year old. What do you think has contributed to your brand’s success? And what makes TPM stand out from all the other young upcoming brands?

First, some of the younger brands out there, blow us away. Some of these guys, and gals, have their head on straight, and they are going nowhere but up. As far as being #1, that would only being a surprise to me, and it would be a insane honor for anything to drop that on us! To answer the question on what has contributed to our success so far, I would say would be the uniqueness of the brand, and the consistent theme. Some other factors that have contributed would be, the constant push from us. We are always talking to every single person, handing out flyers at the mall, showing people at gas stations our shirts, etc...All those things build word of mouth, and a young company like mine, is built upon word of mouth. I believe we stand out because we are already building up an inventory, also wholesaling (news coming soon!), and advertising in magazines. Alot of the younger brands, although have great potential, barely have inventory, variety, etc...and I really think that has alot to do with the growth of your company.

4. You’ve got an active blog on theprintedmind.com – has this helped you to stay connected to your customers? Do you think active blogs are a good idea for businesses?

A blog is a great way for people to stay connected with us. We make it a point to not blog about our company, and that makes the customer want to come back to check up on us, whatever we might be talking about! I believe that they are good ideas, if you actually give some information that a person can take with them!

5. Where would you like to be in a year from now?

Its a goal, and high one, but I would like to be at the point where, I have to bring someone on board to help out, and holding multiple boutique accounts. Right now, we have 12 different products, and I plan to have 35+ by that time. We are about to unveil a line, which includes 10 new shirts, but that is later news :)

6. A lot of clothing companies are being hurt by this economy. Has the bad economy affected your sales at all?

I wouldn't say so. Our sales have recently been outstanding. I am sure that if the economy was booming, then sales would be even better, but I am not complaining at all. You just have to adapt to what is going on, while staying unique. The people who come, and search out your brand, are already, ready to purchase. You have their sale. So as long as you are getting your name out there, and creating word of mouth, then you will be ok.

7. You’ve got awesome product photos. I’ve noticed that a lot of brands, especially young brands, don’t put effort into photography. What made you decide to go with professional photos for your store? Do you think it’s important for brands to have good product shots?

Good product shots can ultimately make, or break your success. You can have the coolest shirt, but a terrible product shot, or just a mock-up, and it looks like something you would never wear! On the flip side, you can have a crappy shirt, but an amazing shot, and it looks great! Good photos also show that you are committed, and professional. Alot of my recent customers have commented on the efforts, and extra steps that I am taking in just 5 months of business to get this started. I would say that, if you are a young brand, like myself, and you havent taken the time, or steps to have professional shots taken, drop everything, and get it done. Its the only way you will ever get off your feet. What if you are working on gaining a big retail account, and they want to look at your look book, or line sheet, would you want them to see just a mock up?

8. What are some other brands that you look up to or have inspired you in some way?

By far, I say Pyknic, for two reasons. They amazing product, and consistency, and then also, the amount of fun they seem to have. Being successful is fun, and then being successful in this industry, is a blast. There is nothing like waking up, and seeing that your inbox is full of orders, and im sure that The Chef, and The Butcher have the same feelings everyday. Its nothing you can explain. Its just great. Ofcourse everyone says that they look up to the almighty Johnny Cupcakes, but he is the leader in this industry. That would be cliche to say that I look up to him hah!

9. What are some things you have planned for TPM in the future? Any release news you can share?

I don't want to give away to much information to soon, but I recently gained a few big boutique accounts, and also the first major endorsment from The Printed Mind. I am looking into other type of products aswell. It just all takes time, and patience. I am working on a late winter line as we speak, and I will say that the artist involved in this, will make it a killer release. Also, the promo shots for this release are going to rock! I cant wait to take them, and then we will be off to Vegas for a photoshoot there. Thats all coming news though!

Thanks to Levi for the interview!