We have Shakespeare Geek merchandise. You knew that, right? Mostly t-shirts, but also some bags, bumper stickers … the usual assortment.
What I’ve always wanted, though, is a polo shirt (short sleeve, pull-over, collared shirt in case that term is not well known) that has a little embroidered Shakespeare head as its logo. I’ve never seen one for sale. Since this is more common workplace-wear than a t-shirt, I would have a whole assortment of these in my closet if I could find them.
Logical question, can they be made? Easier said than done. I know how to have it done. The problem is in the embroidery thing. With a t-shirt you pretty much make a reasonably high resolution graphic and you’re all set. But for embroidery your graphic has to be turned into a pattern, and you need somebody who knows how to do this, you can’t just automate it and hope for the best – otherwise your final product looks awful.
This is a service that costs a few hundred dollars to set up. This is what’s always stopped me from doing it. I want the shirt, but I don’t want to pay several hundred dollars just because I want it.
So I’ll throw it out there, in something of a poor geek’s KickStarter style… If we were to set up a project to make such a shirt available, would you buy it? Would you be willing to pre-order such a thing to help with the up-front cost? How much would you be willing to pay for such a shirt? You have to understand that this could not possibly ever be a $10 special – these custom things never are. My best guess is that if it came in under $40/shirt I’d be pleased. That’s just from experience, I have not yet researched the project.
Naturally, if we were going to do it we’d have to make available a variety of sizes and colors. Who knows, maybe we could even have different lines where some people like a little Droeshout portrait, but others prefer the Chandos. *pause* Ok, I just got myself excited. The idea of having half a dozen of these shirts, each with a different little Shakespeare head on it? That would be ridonkulously geeky.
If you would be seriously interested,
email me and tell me. I am not going to ask for any money yet, I have nothing set up (which is also why I’m not going to head to Kickstarter). This is to see who is willing to say that they’d put some money up front for such a line of merchandise. Honestly, if nobody is willing to do that, then we don’t make them, and that’s the end of it.
Worth a shot, right?
Also do note that I am in no way married to the idea of having to make the shirt myself like some sort of business brainstorm. I just want the shirt to exist. If somebody out there knows how to make it happen via different means, I’m happy to hear about that.
