Spreading positivity, the clothing brand handprinted in Preston and worn worldwide

Stranded within the UK after the pandemic hit in March 2020, and unable to return to his job in Australia, Jonathan Simpson from Penwortham arrange his personal clothes label. Impressed by his love of journey and conventional tattoos, That Life Clothes was born.

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Jonathan mixed his expertise of working in display screen printing and digital advertising to launch the model, which sells in Preston and worldwide, in addition to serving to to lift cash for Derian House. We wished to seek out out extra.

Inform me concerning the story behind That Life, what impressed you to set it up? 

The preliminary seed of That Life began again in 2014. I graduated from UCLan in 2013 with a level in Care, Group and Citizenship and didn’t know what I wished to do. I labored in Greece in the summertime, however as soon as I returned I missed the solar. That winter I made a decision to maneuver to Malaga in Spain. I labored in a hostel, taking individuals on wine and tapas excursions and making the beds.

You meet a complete vary of individuals when working in a hostel, from all walks of life. A bunch of individuals I saved assembly have been pilgrims who had walked the Camino De Santiago, then come to Malaga to calm down. I’d by no means heard of it earlier than so after many chats with individuals over glasses of Tinto, I felt impressed to stroll the Camino de Santiago myself. If you happen to’ve by no means heard of it, it’s a 500-mile stroll by France, over the Pyrenees then by the north of Spain to Santiago.

In March 2014, my pal Ed and I took the stroll and I additionally did it in assist of Derian Home elevating over £1,000 for the charity. You’re averaging round 20km a day strolling, a variety of the time strolling by yourself so you could have a variety of time to assume. By the top of the stroll, I made a decision I wished my very own clothes model, and to journey the
world.

By November 2014, That Life was up and working. I teamed up with my pal Dan who helped run the web site and it was ticking over. My designs then, as they’re now, have been impressed by my hobbies and pursuits comparable to travelling and conventional tattoos.

One among my different targets was to journey the world, so in March 2015 I moved over to Australia for a 12 months. A number of months into Australia, I realised I couldn’t give the model my consideration and journey and work on the similar time, so That Life was placed on the again burner.

By November 2017, I moved to New Zealand and bought a job that taught me all about display screen printing. This set off the fireplace in me once more, so I created a brand new That Life design and began to slowly create myself clothes once more.

After a 12 months in New Zealand, I moved again to Australia. I used to be working my method up in a gross sales firm, taking a look at getting sponsored as I used to be on a scholar visa learning digital advertising. I got here again to the UK for my pal’s stag do in March 2020. Increase, what occurred? Earlier than I might get again, the borders to Australia had closed and I used to be caught right here, presuming it was for somewhat little bit of an extended vacation. I believed I’d be again in Australia by July. Clearly, that wasn’t the case.

I lay in mattress for every week; I didn’t know what I used to be doing and had horrible ideas. It was a psychological battle with my mind, a really surreal expertise. There was just one actual possibility, I began creating designs once more. As soon as I began designing, I didn’t have any bodily merchandise so began dropshipping from a web site that will host your designs print and ship them out for you.

I used to be working on-line 16 to 18 hours a day for 4 months, utilizing the information I realized from the digital advertising course to develop the model. Buddies laughed at me; you understand the place you see these memes about working on a regular basis. My life was sat on the pc, however I knew this was what I needed to do.

Quick ahead just a few months and I used the cash I produced from dropshipping, purchased a warmth press, moved into my pal’s unit, and now it’s a full-time job. I print all of the merchandise there myself, made to order, so I don’t have useless inventory mendacity round and it helps to be as sustainable as doable.

What vary of merchandise do you supply? 

I supply a complete vary of merchandise – t-shirts, jumpers, hoodies, kids and child t-shirts, A5/A3 prints, canine bandanas, shirts, cellphone instances, bottle openers, jewelry, and a complete heap of equipment.

The designs are actually distinctive, who creates them? 

At first, I created them myself, however I’m very explicit so now I exploit round 5 completely different artists world wide. I curate the concepts they usually’ll then carry my concepts to life as they’ve understanding of what I like.

You handprint your merchandise in-house, how do you handle to do all of it? 

Effectively it was nice for across the first six months being within the unit, however because the model has grown and the orders hold flying in, it has felt extra like a job. I’m simply there printing and never having the ability to put my vitality into frequently rising the model. I do all my admin from 6.30am to 9.30am, then I’m within the unit until round 6pm printing orders.

The following step can be hiring somebody on a part-time foundation to assist with printing, so I can concentrate on different components of the enterprise and proceed to take it the place it’s meant to be.

What do you get pleasure from about working your individual enterprise?

I get pleasure from innovation, having an thought, going with it and it being profitable, or if it hasn’t been profitable, desirous about why not and the best way to change it for the long run – I simply love at all times studying.

Out of my clothes model friends, I used to be the primary to launch considered one of my designs as an NFT (a novel digital art work), and the client would additionally obtain a t-shirt with the design on it too. They’ve the product digitally and bodily then. The place individuals would assume, ‘Is that this a good suggestion?’ and watch for responses. I simply went and created this and mentioned, ‘Right here it’s in order for you one go and purchase it.’ I’ve now seen just a few others observe go well with due to this, which is cool.

You’re employed with an area embroidery enterprise, inform me a bit about that. 

I’ve a spread of merchandise which might be embroidered. The standard route to save lots of prices for a clothes model is to get your embroidery made abroad. I wished to maintain it native, so then I do know the standard is nice, and I don’t have
merchandise sitting in containers for months ready to be bought.

I discovered an embroidery firm in Blackpool referred to as M&M Embroidery. I’ve a extremely sturdy relationship with them. They help a heap of small companies so that they’re very person-centred, don’t have any minimums on orders, and enable you should you’re uncertain and have questions concerning the design being embroidered. I’ve been working with them for round 10 months now and I’ve no complaints, simply good instances seeing the designs come to life!

I noticed that somebody had your model message ‘That Life Dwell It’ tattooed on their arm, that should’ve been cool to see?! What’s the story behind the message and the tattoo? 

Oh sure! This was actually cool and solely occurred just a few weeks in the past. Main as much as Christmas I’ve been showcasing the merchandise within the Fishergate Purchasing Centre, one thing I’ve been actually eager to do for some time. Truly seeing and touching the merchandise in individual helps clients know the way good the standard is, put a face to the model and in addition I really like explaining the designs to them and seeing reactions.

This individual Sophie walked previous the stand and seemed on the merchandise, gave us a observe on Instagram, and despatched us a message asking concerning the which means behind That Life and our motto That Life Dwell It. I defined that I’m very enthusiastic about positivity, and solely consumption positivity and exhale positivity in my life. It’s too quick for negativity. Dwell the life you wish to reside and unfold the nice vibes solely. I used to have adverse ideas and really feel bitter however I’ve moved away from that mindset.

This actually resonated with Sophie, and he or she popped again and purchased some merchandise. Every week later she came to visit and confirmed us this tattoo. I used to be thoughts blown; even I haven’t bought a That Life tattoo but! In order that was actually cool and I’m glad the model has that actual constructive vitality and impressed Sophie and different individuals too.

Might you give us a sneak peek into what you could have deliberate for 2022?

I’m going to delve extra into the NFT area, we’re solely scratching the floor of what could be performed with them and the Metaverse so I’m actually trying ahead to studying extra about that. I’ve booked on to some tattoo conventions promoting the model so we’ll be on the Tattoo Tea Social gathering in Manchester and the Liverpool Tattoo Conference too.

I’m going to hold on working with Fishergate Purchasing Centre. I’ll be there the second weekend and final weekend of each month on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, giving the individuals of Preston their various clothes wants. We’re additionally going to hold on doing The Makers Market in the summertime months in Preston. I’m certain if extra alternatives come up, I’ll take them with each fingers! We launched just a few new designs on Boxing Day too and in spring/summer time there’ll be new designs coming.

The place can individuals view and purchase That Life clothes and merchandise? 

Each month I donate a number of merchandise to the Derian Home Kids’s Hospice Store in Preston metropolis centre, you will get these merchandise there for half value and I prefer to share this because it helps the charity and the kids too. On-line you will discover us at thatlifeclothing.co.uk. If you wish to sustain with our socials give us a observe on Instagram. If you happen to’re into NFTs you should buy the That Life NFTs at OpenSea.

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