Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Farrell.
Justin, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was in California for the holidays with my in-laws. We were walking/shopping along the beach, you know the small little shops. I had seen a couple of patches that I thought were really cool, great designs. But, the problem was that I didn’t have anywhere to put them.
I’ve attempted to put patches on packs/clothing/etc. but I didn’t want to ruin what I had. Plus, why couldn’t I move that patch somewhere else? So, I passed on purchasing the patches.
Then my brother-in-law had given me a blank hat for Christmas. I kept thinking that those patches would’ve been great together with this hat. But, didn’t want to sew or iron on and “ruin” the hat in the process.
Hank Darby Co. emerged from the idea of replaceable patch wear. Why couldn’t you have a patches that were replaceable on hats?!
I merged my design skills (my background is in graphic design & marketing) with the simple idea of velcro patches that you could replace.
We developed the product in mind for individuals that could collect patches and keep that favorite hat that fits well. For businesses, it’s a scalable solution that allowed them to increase their product line, control their overhead and add value to increase sales with additional patches. Plus, we do custom/unique designs if they desire.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Absolutely not. Struggles along the way are both in product development and education.
Product development – We’d seen a similar/prototype product on the market, but targeted to a completely different market. There are a hundred and one different companies out there that make hats, hat’s with logos, hat’s with patches, etc. But, there’s not a single company out there that does what we do. We combined a couple of different processes to create our hats.
Education – just as every new product hits the market, you have to educate them. We’ve created a sleuth of videos (that aren’t so serious), to show how our hats and patches work together. When people see how it works, they immediately hop on it.
Please tell us about Hank Darby Co.
Replace the patch, not the hat. Hank Darby Co. • Replaceable Patch Hats
Name of product: 1986 Retro Trucker Hat by Hank Darby Co.
URL: https://hankdarby.co/collections/hats/products/1986-retro-trucker-black
Website Name: Hank Darby Co. (https://hankdarby.co)
Description: Where your favorite hat is now every hat. While you can buy a hat just about anywhere, you are only ever buying just one hat. With our signature patches, every Hank Darby hat you own can be as many different hats as your collection of patches allows.
Our low profile trucker hats fit more true and give you the flexibility for breath during the summer months. That’s where the story began: 1986. Hank made his first mark on the world in 1986. Kicking and screaming, this isn’t a tale from a galaxy far, far away. It’s one that has its roots in something more than fiction.
We specialize in the creation of replaceable patch wear. We are most known for our replaceable patch hats.
We’re not any ordinary hat company, we’ve got a unique brand with awesome designers to curate and create amazing apparel.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Research. We would’ve started with more research to uniquely target our market.
Pricing:
- Spend $35 and get Free shipping
- Hat & Patch Combo set is $32.00
- Our individual patches start at $6.99
- Use promo code DALVOYGEM and get 15% OFF your order (https://hankdarby.co/discount/DALVOYGEM)
Contact Info:
- Address: 701 Commerce St
Ste 500
Dallas, TX 75202 - Website: https://hankdarby.co
- Phone: 214-775-0706
- Email: hank@hankdarby.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hankdarbyco/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hankdarbyco
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/darbyhank
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