UKB Merchandise

[Pete Eeles]

HI all,

I've been in touch with a clothing company (the same one used by Butterfly Conservation) who are able to provide polo shirts, baseball caps etc. "on demand". I'm thinking about getting things set up so that we can order UKB-branded clothing and recognise each other out in the field

Obviously cost is a factor, but I was wondering if there is enough interest to warrant going down this route since there is a setup charge involved. Please reply to this thread (or privately to me) if you're interested. Ta!

Cheers,

- Pete

P.S. I waited for the Scottish Referendum to conclude before proceeding, otherwise we might have had a website rename on our hands

[andy brown]

Pete,

I would probably be interested in a Tee/Polo shirt and no reason why it could not go one step further and be nationalist with a countries own flag assuming enough will be bought to keep costs down.

Andy

[David M]

It's an interesting proposition, Pete.

To be honest, Butterfly Conservation's website doesn't offer a great deal in the way of artifacts that I'd be tempted to buy. Sometimes, less is more, and to be quite honest, T-shirts, bags, etc emblazoned with a multitude of butterfly images are a turn off for me. I'd rather have something far more subtle.

UKB doesn't have a 'logo' as such. Perhaps it's time to develop one? This could then be used in the same way as the likes of Nike, Admiral, Umbro, FCUK, Lacoste, etc.

If there were a uniformly recognisable logo that wasn't too OTT (by 'uniformly recognisable' I mean something that would be instantly identifiable to any UKB devotee) then I'd definitely purchase it.

[Pete Eeles]

UKB doesn't have a 'logo' as such.

The Purple Emperor is the heart of the logo. So I was thinking of something like this (for shirts and baseball caps), with appropriate colours for background and text:

Screen Shot 2014-11-06 at 20.08.54.png (133.97 KiB) Viewed 1128 times

Cheers,

- Pete

[David M]

I see what you mean, Pete, but I personally wouldn't purchase a T-shirt with a huge image of a Purple Emperor emblazoned on it. If it were to be made small and non-intrusive, alongside a creatively designed 'UKB' logo, then I'd be in.

If Lacoste can be so successful with a crocodile, I see no reason why UKB couldn't be similarly successful with a Purple Emperor. There is definitely a niche market there. After all, practically everybody likes butterflies and a donation to BC for each item sold would be an absolute winning strategy.

No-one's going to get rich with this venture, but if it were undertaken appropriately then I think it could be very successful.

[Pete Eeles]

I see what you mean, Pete, but I personally wouldn't purchase a T-shirt with a huge image of a Purple Emperor emblazoned on it.

Neither would I. This was an example of the logo (not quite sure where your size calculation came from!). It would be positioned on the left breast - something like this:

Cheers,

- Pete

[David M]

Personally, I still think that's too big, Pete (although preference is a distinctly personal thing). I kind of like the idea that people have to get deliberately close up to see the meaning behind the message. Unobtrusive is the key word for me. I might buy an fcuk T shirt with a small chest logo, but I would never wear one with that acronym emblazoned ostentatiously around the abdomen.

Something akin to the size of the Lacoste logo would be ideal (for me). Others might well disagree, and it is up to them to provide feedback as I have done.

[andy brown]

Pete,

At work when we have a new project we have a small project logo on the left breast so yeah a small butterfly suggest 5-8cm's would work and we have our company name wrapped on the sleeve and think that would work well here as well especially if the consensus is to keep it more subtle, just a though.

Andy

[Tony Moore]

Absolutely agree. Lacoste sized logo would be perfect. Cool, not blatant - just like most of us .

Tony M.

[Wurzel]

I'd get one of those shirts with a small logo, Lacoste is about the right size. I'd also be interested in a cloth badge of the logo to add to my camera bag

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[Pete Eeles]

Unsurprisingly, we seem to have a difference of opinion on several fronts:

1. What is the purpose of having branded attire? Aside from wearing with pride (!), it's to recognise fellow members when out and about. If it's too subtle then it won't fulfil this purpose. We're not creating designer clothing here!

2. What size does this then imply on a shirt or cap? Lacoste is way smaller than 8cm. In fact, that's possibly why I've never seen anyone wearing Lacoste clothing to my knowledge. Or I'm just uncool (don't answer that) and hang around with uncool people (that bit is definitely untrue since Lepidopterists are the coolest people I know).

3. Where should the branding be placed? Again, see #1.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Pete Eeles]

I'd also be interested in a cloth badge of the logo to add to my camera bag

Have a goodun

Wurzel

You can buy a shirt and cut that bit out

Cheers,

- Pete

[Neil Hulme]

I would personally prefer to see something falling somewhere between the two options being discussed. The mock-up image shows an Emperor which is (IMO) slightly too large. On the other hand I think a Lacoste sized emblem would defeat the purpose of producing the item. You have to get pretty close to someone to see the croc, and walking up close to a man or woman in an isolated wood, while staring at their chest, might prove challenging.
BWs, Neil

[Jack Harrison]

Good idea but it must not be like those in the latest BC Christmas catalogue which features T-shirts with butterflies in the spread, pinned position.

I appreciate that you want to use a Purple Emperor but that might not be recognised by the general public (especially those north of the border). Red Admiral is the obvious one widespread species which almost everybody knows.

I like pockets to stuff large wads of £50 notes into. Not sure if standard T-shirts can have pockets.

And make sure large sizes are available. For the fat man, the logo could be positioned over the "bulge" not the chest area For the larger lady however it could be.........

Jack

[Paul Wetton]

Hi Pete

I have my own T shirts for my website and have a logo on the front pretty much the size you have on your mockup and I think it looks fine. Beware the background colour though. I have only used white as it is the only design I can send to Vista you know who that will match the overall background colour of the T shirt. I'm assuming the logos will be printed on rather than embossed or embroidered.
You could go larger on the reverse of the shirt if a T shirt and leave it blank if a Polo shirt. On mine I have a larger image of the logo on the back with the website name below it. There is always a possibility to have the name and different butterfly species pictured on the back but this may complicate matters.
In my opinion I would stick with the front you have and just make the writing on the back a little larger for us near sighted individuals to see from a distance.

Great idea and I will definitely buy one at the right price.

[Pete Eeles]

Thanks for all of the ideas folks. Let me get some samples created and you'll then see what's being planned. Watch this space!

Paul - they will be embroidered, not printed.

Cheers,

- Pete

[Charles Nicol]

maybe a caterpillar option ?

[Paul Wetton]

Embroidered will be better quality and should last longer. Hope you had a good birthday.

[bugboy]

Just to put my 2 pennies worth in. Having read through the comments I am definately in the 'David M camp' with regards to a smaller logo being more attractive to my ummmm 'fashion sensibilities'. I hear your worries about if it's too small it would almost be pointless as an identifying mark to fellow UKb'ers but lets not forget, we're all pretty awesome and can spot a hairstreak egg where a 'normal' person would barely notice the tree it's on! I may be too late but this just me emtying my head of my thoughts on the subject

[ScottD]

Hi Pete, sorry that it has taken me so long to see this but I have a good contact for embroidery (different 1 from the 2 that I know that BC have used) - been doing BC Scotland stuff for us for a couple of years & I know that they also did some stuff for BC W(?) Midlands branch. Always worth getting another quote - if interested drop me a PM & I'll give you the details.