Apparel & Brand Merchandise

Category: Product / Brand / Soft Goods
Role: Lead Designer
Tools: Adobe Illustrator · Screen Printing · Supplier Sourcing
Timeline: 3 Weeks
Status: Limited Production Run

Overview

This project focused on designing branded apparel that extends the physical product identity into wearable form. The goal was to create simple, high-quality pieces that communicate brand values while remaining functional, wearable, and authentic to surf and coastal culture.

Problem

Many surf and lifestyle brands:

  • Overuse loud graphics

  • Sacrifice garment quality for margins

  • Lack cohesive product storytelling

  • Treat apparel as secondary to core products

There was an opportunity to create apparel that feels like a natural extension of the product and brand, not just merch.

Users

Primary users:

  • Surfers and coastal lifestyle consumers

  • Customers who want to represent the brand

  • Retailers looking for clean, sellable graphics

Key needs:

  • Comfortable, durable garments

  • Subtle, authentic branding

  • Timeless designs

  • Apparel that fits into daily life, not just surf culture

Research

Research included:

  • Reviewing successful surf and lifestyle apparel brands

  • Evaluating blank garment quality and fit

  • Testing print methods for durability

  • Gathering feedback on logo placement and scale

Insights:

  • Subtle branding increases long-term wear

  • Higher-quality blanks improve perceived value

  • Minimal graphics feel more premium

  • Fit consistency drives repeat purchases

Design Goals

  • Maintain brand consistency

  • Prioritize comfort and durability

  • Use timeless graphic treatments

  • Avoid trend-heavy visuals

  • Create retail-ready pieces

Ideation & Graphic Development

Explored:

  • Logo lockups

  • Typographic treatments

  • Placement variations (chest, sleeve, back)

  • Scale and negative space

Multiple concepts were tested to find balance between:

  • Visibility

  • Subtlety

  • Brand recognition

  • Wearability

Prototyping & Sampling

  • Printed test runs

  • Wash testing for durability

  • Fit testing across sizes

  • Fabric weight comparisons

User Feedback

Collected feedback on:

  • Comfort

  • Graphic visibility

  • Fit

  • Overall brand perception

Changes made:

  • Refined logo scale

  • Adjusted print placement

  • Upgraded garment blanks

  • Improved ink durability

Final Apparel Line

Final pieces feature:

  • Premium garment blanks

  • Minimal, brand-forward graphics

  • Durable screen printing

  • Neutral, versatile colorways

Results & Outcomes

  • Strong customer reception

  • Increased brand visibility

  • Apparel positioned as product extension, not merch

  • Repeat interest for future drops

Woman smiling wearing a dark tank top with a colorful logo that says 'Mantarlan' and a football graphic.
Black T-shirt featuring a colorful geometric design with the word 'MANTARIAN' inside a stylized eye at the top, and layered chevron shapes in purple, pink, orange, and yellow.
Light blue t-shirt with black text saying 'MANTRA' inside an oval shape and 'DESIGNS' below it.
Back of a person wearing a black t-shirt with the logo 'Manual ATN' written vertically in white and red, standing near a window.
Grey T-shirt with a small oval patch on the left chest reading "MANTARLAN" in blue text.
Black T-shirt with the word 'Mantarin' printed in white and red on the upper left chest area.
A man with short hair and light skin looking at the camera, standing in a gym with workout equipment behind him. He is wearing a light green T-shirt that has the word 'MANTARIAN' and a small oval with the letter 'M' printed on it.
Two young adults, a woman and a man, wearing matching peach-colored hoodies with the word "MAUTARIAN" and a small graphic printed on the front, standing against a plain white background.
Apparel
Apparel
Linkedin
Linkedin