Merch & Packaging

Merch is the only marketing people pay to wear. Done right, your team wears it on weekends and customers ask where to get it. Done wrong, it ends up in a drawer.

I co-founded 500 Level, a licensed apparel company built on artwork instead of team logos. We won the NFLPA’s 2016 Apparel Licensee of the Year with designs featuring more than 500 NFL players.

What changes

500+ NFL players on one design and store system at 500 Level.
50+ athlete and celebrity stores built on one Shopify template.
Merch that matches the brand. Command Zero hats, tees and long sleeves came straight from the identity system.

Diagram: a T-shirt with a print area, a cap and a shipping box — Apparel, hats and boxes from one system.

What’s included

Apparel: tees, hats and outerwear, with placement specs printers can follow.
Packaging: boxes, labels and dielines.

How it runs

Research. What will people actually wear? I look at sell-through, not just mockups.

Create. Designs, placement specs and print-ready files for your printer or print-on-demand partner.

Results. Swag your team wears and merch that sells. 500 Level was built on sell-through.

Selected work

Gary Vaynerchuk signature logo on a snapback. See the work

Black Richardson 632 hat with the Command Zero mark — Command Zero hat, laser-etched. See the case study

Chicago Cubs champions illustrated T-shirt mockup — Chicago Cubs champions shirt from 500 Level. See the work

Questions

Do you handle production?

I design and deliver print-ready files with specs. I work with your printer or a print-on-demand partner.

Can you design merch for an event or launch?

Yes. Command Zero’s RSAC swag came straight out of the identity system.

Who designed the Gary Vaynerchuk signature logo?

I did, as creative director at 500 Level. It went on the apparel line, phone cases and the #garyveeshop merch program.