If necessity is the mother of invention, then frustration must be her determined younger sister.聽
Last April, retired IT business owner and project manager Hilton Jacobs decided he had too much free time on his hands, so as a bike enthusiast he kick started 麻豆社国产Motorcycle School, a project he leaned into with everything he could muster.聽
The South African native ran into minimal roadblocks getting his business off the ground, but when it came to branding 鈥� in particular, logo apparel for his new baby 鈥� he found that he didn鈥檛 want to travel as often as was required to go to Vancouver for t-shirts, hats, and decals for his vehicle. So he decided to make his own custom products, effectively hatching Mountain Logo Ware, his second small business in less than six months.
Already in possession of high-quality technology such as a 3D printer, scanner, and high-resolution laser printers, the entrepreneur purchased a few more key pieces of equipment, including an embroidery machine and laser cutter that would allow him to create his own merchandise and branded apparel at a fraction of the cost.聽
Around the same time, Jacob鈥檚 sister was visiting from Toronto and the pair found it 鈥渋mpossible to source attractive logo wear with Squamish, or 鈥榟ike Squamish,鈥� on it for a reasonable price,鈥� he told The Chief. 鈥淚 just couldn鈥檛 understand why there was such a gap in the market, so I set out to create a line of Squamish- and Corridor-based designs 鈥� much like the road signs you see marking local activities like hiking, climbing, and of course motorcycle riding.鈥�
Jacobs intends on being visible at the Farmers Market this year selling hats, patches and other logo wear.
Since 麻豆社国产Motorcycle School is active only six months of the year, Jacobs said he is eager to make this foray into branding something he can sink his teeth into 鈥� and is offering his unique services to locals.
鈥淲e really are an artisan-style business, producing custom pieces at an affordable price,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 can take anybody鈥檚 work and then turn it into a wearable. Web-ready artwork can easily be refined. Family photos can be put on a t-shirt. The bonus is we can do short runs or one-offs because the equipment is right here in Squamish. You don鈥檛 have to buy a dozen or more mugs or t-shirts. It鈥檚 a la carte personalization.鈥�
Aside from embroidery and full-colour, high resolution laser printing, Jacobs has also purchased the technology to do faux-silkscreen printing with a vinyl that heat meshes with the material to which it is applied.聽
The bonus to this product is that it has the same look as traditional silkscreen, but doesn鈥檛 crack or become brittle when stretched and feels soft to the touch.聽
Prices per unit are on the low end of customized wearables and other logo apparel, he said, ranging from $10 to $35 on average.聽
Jacobs doesn鈥檛 have a website just yet, but you can reach him at 604-716-5900, or email [email protected].
