Nothing But Net

Ready to Wear

by Nikki Davis

WILL SHILLING PHOTO

Just a few years ago, customizable product websites like Café Press and Zazzle started giving anyone with an idea and a dial-up connection a chance to create their own T-shirts, hats and coffee mugs.

Now, 2.5 million users are offering more than 35 million unique products on Café Press. But ironically, these sites have become victims of their own success, with an unwieldy array of options and a noticeably longer turnaround time for your orders.

This is where Daniel Fox enters the picture. At a commanding six-feet, four-inches tall, with a dry wit and coming very close to having the baristas at a local coffee shop remember his signature drink, the 26-year-old Westerville native is a mischievous jumble of ideas, humor, business savvy, pragmatism—and a fierce dislike for fashion dictators.

Thus the founding of Skreened.com.

It's similar in concept to older on-demand sites—you design your shirt, and Fox handles the rest (printing, shipping, web hosting). The only other comparisons are the handy charts outlining how much time and money you'll save.

Although users create everything online, Fox shares a Clintonville storefront with two other local artists. As a "design democratizer," Skreened is setup to allow bands and artists create bulk merchandise for upcoming shows and exhibits. Of course, anyone has the option of personalizing just a single shirt.

The site offers a turnaround time of one or two hours for one shirt and up to 72 hours for bulk orders. Skreened uses only American Apparel tees, hoodies, baseball jerseys and onesies, with the added benefit of having nearly twice as many color options as Café Press.

And if you think others would appreciate your designs, Skreened.com allows you to establish your own "shop" on the website. There are currently more than 100 Skreened shops, ranging from Paul Robinett's cheeky designs and Disco Paul Crap's trippy octorabbit illustrations to Mr. T's House of Pain.

February 15th, 2007