09/01/2026
A little reminder about what âshopping localâ really meansâŚ
Shopping local doesnât necessarily mean getting something custom-made for way less.
Small businesses have expenses too â materials, equipment, supplies, software, maintenance, packaging, utilities, payment fees and, most importantly, the time and hands-on work that goes into creating something specifically for you.
Sometimes you may see a lower price online, and absolutely â shop where it makes sense for you. We all have budgets, and we completely understand wanting to make your dollar stretch.
But before assuming something online is cheaper, make sure youâve factored in shipping, customization charges, setup/design fees, minimum quantities and other add-ons that may not appear until checkout.
Thereâs also something else that can be harder to put a price on: personal service.
With many online shops, youâre expected to have your artwork ready to go, upload it and place your order. When you work with a small local business, thereâs often much more collaboration involved â talking through ideas, making adjustments, answering questions and working together to make sure the finished product is something youâre genuinely happy with.
At Darkside, weâve always tried to keep that process simple. We donât charge design fees, and we donât believe in nickel-and-diming our customers for every little thing. We do our best to offer fair, straightforward pricing while still providing truly custom work and personal service. We also make every effort to turn things around quickly, which means longer days and nights for last-minute requests. (Remember that many others have planned ahead but still have deadlines, so accommodating the last-minute orders means meeting more deadlines, and not charging a rush fee is another little bonus we offer đ)
And we genuinely love being able to do that. We make every effort we can to be generous as well because, well, we love our customers and like to SHOW our appreciation, not just say it.
Weâd just love people to remember that what we make look quick and easy often involves a whole lot of work behind the scenes.
Designing. Editing. Sizing. Sourcing. Ordering. Preparing. Printing. Pressing. Testing. Fixing. Packaging. Messaging. And sometimes doing it all over again until itâs right.
Behind every finished shirt, hoodie, mug, sign or custom piece is time, equipment, materials and quite a few steps you never have to see â because our job is to make the process feel easy for you.
And just like everyone else, small businesses are navigating rising costs too. Blank garments, transfers, ink, supplies, packaging, equipment and pretty much everything involved in producing custom work costs more today than it did a few years ago.
Lately, weâve noticed a growing expectation that custom work should cost very little. We completely understand why â everything is expensive right now, and everyone is trying to be careful with their money.
We simply ask that when you choose to shop local, you also recognize the time, skill, materials and real costs behind customized products.
Because supporting local isnât necessarily about finding the cheapest possible price.
Itâs choosing to support the person designing your order, answering your messages, making the adjustment you asked for, sourcing what you need and creating your team shirts, memorial piece, birthday gift, business apparel â or the ridiculous inside-joke shirt that makes everyone laugh. â¤ď¸
And we know we wouldnât get to keep doing what we do without the people who choose us.
So to everyone who continues to choose Darkside, recommends us, tags us, shares our posts, comes back for another order or tells a friend about us:
We appreciate you to the moon and back. đđ
Truly.
Thank you for supporting small business â and for understanding the work, people and heart behind it.
