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What method of printing do you use?
Over the 3 and a bit years, I have been doing this I’ve used most of the main printing techniques in the industry. I haven’t always been the one to do the work as I don’t know how to screen-print & I don’t own an embroidery machine. For any job that requires that level of knowledge, I contract out to other printing businesses that specialise in those processes. Most of my garments are designed so they can be printed in house, it takes away a decent portion of the cost to make the product, so I can turn a better profit margin when I sell. These prints consist of plastisol heat transfers and supacolour digital prints.
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What is your connection between Eight One Eight Barbershop?
Those that have been following our journey for a while now, would have seen that in 2020 I was overseeing and building the new premises for Eight One Eight Barbershop. This is because our first boutique retail store was going to be located within their shop as a joint partnership selling their merchandise and our apparel side by side.
Although the connection gets a little deeper than just sharing the same workspace, the boys that work for the barbershop are my younger brothers so I’ve kind of known them for their whole lives haha. The thing I love about doing business with my brothers is knowing I can trust them with anything. I know if something ever happens to me they would do their best to help me keep this business running.
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How can I get free clothes?
A question I get more than anything else, how many likes for a free tee. It gets super repetitive but I live by the philosophy of you don’t know if you don’t ask so instead of getting angry I like to give people a chance. Considering most of them are kids in the age range of about 12 - 16 I like to test them and see how much of a hustler they are by giving them a discount code for 2 weeks and give them the incentive of making 5 sales in that timeframe using that discount code then I’ll quite happily give them a free tee because they have done something to earn it than just asking and expecting.
Another way you could get free clothing from us is by entering one of our giveaways or becoming a brand ambassador.
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Do you do all your own designs?
In the beginning yes I did all my own designing learning from the likes of YouTube tutorials or Skillshare classes. It’s definitely helped ease the way already being a signwriter and having to design signs daily on the same type of programs.
However, as I grew I realised my own ideas just weren’t enough to keep the ball rolling. I leant towards 3rd party websites like Fiverr a place where creatives list their skills for others like myself who can use their services. This has helped me connect with graphic designers, video producers and more from all around the world. Networking on Instagram has also provided an outlet to meet other creators and fire ideas back and forth with other brands on the same journey.
I consider no one competition. I’m on my own path that’s why I’m not afraid to share my ideas and plans because I know regardless if my ideas get borrowed from sharing them aloud I can still recreate the same foundations and turn them into something completely different.
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How many people work for Mankind Apparel?
The short answer is 1 just me. I’m technically the only employee in the business but to say I’ve got here alone would be a lie. I like to use terms like “we & us” when explaining things about the brand. To some, that may seem like we have many people here but what I'm referring to is the ones that continue to help me along the way, along with our community of followers. I like to make it sound bigger than it is. That’s the way I manifest it into becoming the brand I want it to be.
Along with myself that does the majority of the work I have my mum that’s a skilled seamstress. She does all the sewing of any labels, patches and sizing tags. Without the help of her, I would have to change my business model and outsource that part of the job, it would add on a lot more time constraints and costs.
My brothers that run the Barbershop can help sell my apparel during the days in the retail store side by side to their services. A massive advantage is not having to hire a retail assistant. Along with that, they help film, model & market all the clothing.
My partner, another key role! Not only having to put up with all my shit when I can’t get things to go right, she also runs all our advertising via our social accounts & oversees the website. Pretty much the backbone of the business. I love her.
Well, a little bit of a different style blog this week but was good to go back through all the old DMs and see what people wanted to know about the brand.
As always thank you for keeping the dream alive, if you have read this far just know that’s you as well. Every view, comment, share, like, follow, interaction whatever it may be has helped progress the brand.
Until next week...
Keep up with our journey.
https://www.instagram.com/mankindapparelnz/
https://www.facebook.com/mankindapparelnz
https://www.tiktok.com/@mankind_apparel?lang=en
https://twitter.com/mankind_apparel.