The limited edition, designer space rock T-shirts everybody wants

I’ve been ‘absent’ recently. There’s a good reason. And, no, I haven’t been abroad to have cosmetic surgery. Nor, thank God, has my cancer returned. I've been a proverbial sounding board for my partner who has launched his own small business, selling limited edition, designer space rock T-shirts.

A limited edition T-shirt by space rock brand Hawking Seeds.

Honestly, I didn’t see it coming. He’s a dedicated Monday to Friday kind of guy, been in the same job for literally years and normally can just about summon the brain power to rewire a plug. All of a sudden, he’s bursting with ideas, making things and putting together a business plan. Even our daughter was taken aback. 

You see, in his spare time, he’s an avid space rock music fan and a wannabe artist. He decided he wanted to marry those two things together to create something unique. As well as selling photo art and vinyl stickers, he got into printing his own T-shirts.

You’ve got to picture my dining room. It’s not what it used to be. New additions include two identical printers. One is used for photo art and vinyl stickers, the other for sublimation prints. Go upstairs to the spare room, and you will instantly spot a sublimation press. A shoe cabinet that once dominated our hallway has been repurposed to house stationery, lint rollers, butcher paper, and all manner of printing inks. It’s been wheeled into the living room, rendering umpteen pairs of shoes ‘homeless’ and making a mess of my feng shui. It's real grassroots stuff.

Are designer space rock T-shirts even a ‘thing’?

Designer T-shirts from brands like Bench and Burberry were once popular fashion statements. But, now? Money isn’t as fluid as it used to be. People have been tightening their belts. Who can afford £50 for a designer space rock T-shirt? Not me! (Although, I can now get one for free!).

This is where some genius comes in. My partner isn’t selling limited edition T-shirts for £50. He’s selling them for under £15! What’s more, he’s promising to never produce more than 50 shirts featuring the same design. I like that idea. Imagine wearing something you can almost guarantee nobody has seen before. 

He launched his website a month ago and, honestly, it hasn’t been a disaster. I’m joking when I write about ‘space rock T-shirts everybody wants’. He’s had orders, though, and he’s had great feedback. He’s even had a 5-star TrustPilot review, penned by his first international customer who lives in the USA. But it’s still early days. It’s going to take months for the website to gain any traction on search engines and he can’t rely on social media to get the word out. The next six months are going to be ‘make or break’.

My main input has been to suggest he creates some designs that have more general appeal, i.e. a summer one featuring a camper van. Space rock, in my opinion, has a very limited audience. I don’t know what you think. He also offers matching shopping bags for a fiver!

One of my partner's limited edition space rock T-shirt designs..

Why start a space rock T-shirt business now?

Over the past few years, we have discovered just how quickly life can change. I’ve had cancer twice and my sister’s husband is currently undergoing treatment for an incurable brain cancer. It’s been a brutal time. I think my partner has decided to follow his dreams while he still can. You never know what’s around the corner. Space rock T-shirts happen to be his goal in life. 

At the moment, he’s busy brainstorming his art portfolio to come up with new design ideas. In a few months’ time, he is going to be a volunteer steward at a major music event. I just know he’s going to get plenty of fresh inspiration from that. 

For now, all I can do is offer words of encouragement, share his passion with my audience and make sure I’m there to offer sensible advice whenever he asks for it. This is his ‘baby’ and I want him to succeed. I’ll also be there to pick up the pieces if things don’t work out.

Starting a new business isn’t easy. It can take months or even years to see any kind of return. And, let’s be honest, most new businesses fail. That’s why I like highlighting new brands in the beauty market - they need as much help as they can get to see them through that difficult first few years of existence. It’s a time when exposure is controlled by social media and search engine algorithms, and reaching the right people can boil down to having deep pockets. If bloggers like me can help for free, we should. 

Want a designer space rock T-shirt for £13.95? Here's a link that will grant you your wish - Hawking Seeds T-Shirts.