It’s Throwback Thursday, and we’re tossing it allll the way back to the mid-90s with some freaking good tees.
We’re not going to dwell on the fact that we’re 40 years old now and that, since launching in 2013, Cotton Bureau has been both the foreground and background of an inconceivable 30% of our lives. We’re really not.
Let’s just chill and reminisce about the time when the most difficult thing we had to do in a day was try to beat Goldeneye (🎵) on 007 mode after school. This is a celebration. We’re just happy to be here, and we’re glad you’re here too.
If you’ve been waiting for the perfect moment to snag a mug, t-shirt, phone case, mug, embroidered hat, or canvas tote, you’d be silly to miss this chance. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Use code HAPPY12 at checkout. (International shipping is half-off, cool?)
Year Two of the Ultra Cheap Birthday Tee
In what we hope will become an annual tradition, we’re heavily discounting a sick, screenprinted Cotton Bureau tee created just for the occasion, this time by one of our good friends and favorite designers, Annica Lydenberg.
For the next week only, limited edition “High Quality, Low Key” apparel is available for sale. Get either vibrant, paint-splattered CMYK or minimalist black foil on your choice of garments including super fresh 100% cotton heavyweight Comfort Colors 1717 tees just the way your remember plus our usual variety of lightweight tri-blend men’s and women’s tees, soft Bella + Canvas fleece, casual tank tops for lounging around the pool. Touchdown!
Tees are available for the low, low, we’re-definitely-losing-money-on-these price of $12 each. Fleece is obtainable for the equally ridiculous price of $25. Get ‘em while they last, because like last year’s Cotton Burro tee to celebrate our 11th birthday and the appliqué sweatshirts and floral tees from our 10th birthday, they won’t be back.
One (?) More Thing
We liked Annica’s work so much, we couldn’t resist dropping a few more styles.
If you’re into simple scripts, we’ve got the shirt (and hats) for you.
Okay, that’s it! Thank you again for 12 phenomenal years. Go shop all styles, and feel free to say something nice to us on Bluesky or Instagram. We’re not above fishing for compliments on our special day.
From phonograph DJs to skateboarding astronauts, his breadth of creativity is unrivaled on Cotton Bureau. You know him as Gamma Ray, but now get to know Grant, the artist behind your favorite designs.
See more on his Instagram and enjoy 20% off all his on-demand items through Sunday, June 1 with coupon code featurefriday20 at checkout. But first, the conversation…
Thanks for joining us Grant. I want to rewind a bit before getting your thoughts on the future of the industry. Back in 2018 you left your full-time gig as a designer to start your own business. A lot of folks get to the point where they want to be independent but aren't ready to fully take on the pressure. Looking back, would you have done anything differently?
Making the decision and then working through obstacles (like worldwide pandemics) to be successful feels so stressful and rewarding. What gave you the motivation to stick with it?
I was in a pretty comfortable spot for the first few years after leaving my job. Therefore, looking back, I think I got a little too used to doing things the same old way instead of keeping up with new trends.
Since going out on my own, one of the biggest challenges as a designer and illustrator has definitely been the rise of AI art. It's had a huge impact on artists like me. That said, as frustrating as it is, I'm starting to see that there might be ways to adapt, maybe even use AI as a tool to help spark ideas, rather than just seeing it as a threat. It's not easy, but I'd rather evolve with the times than get left behind.
As cliché as it might sound, I'm genuinely passionate about turning my ideas into art. That passion has always been what keeps me going, and thankfully, my artwork has continued to support me financially, even through tough times like Covid.
Going back to AI art, it's been a real challenge. It's not just replacing designers in my field, it's also flooding the print-on-demand space. People are uploading hundreds of AI-generated designs a month to the big platforms. That kind of volume makes it even harder for original work to stand out. That's why I'm really grateful for platforms like Cotton Bureau. They're more curated and truly supportive of real artists like me, and that makes a big difference.
Morse Code album artwork by Grant Shepley
You actually beat me to the punch. We've been asking all of our guests about the introduction of AI and how they see it impacting the industry. We're 100% in line with your thinking that it's great as a tool but not for a finished product (and definitely not for tees!).
A more pressing question might be how AI will affect the future of design. I wonder if we'll ever see it prevalent in big ticket advertising or among prestige brands. Do you see it snowballing or is regulation imminent?
Hmm, that's a tricky question. I've already seen a lot of big brands using obvious AI art in their ads, probably because it's faster and cheaper than hiring a real illustrator or digital artist. I have a feeling it's only going to become more common over the next few years. That said, I've heard an interesting theory that AI art might eventually sabotage itself by constantly training on other AI-generated images, which could water down the quality over time. As for regulating it, I'm not really sure how that would even work. Some apps are trying to protect artists by blocking AI from scraping their work, but it still feels like a bit of a grey area right now.
There's no doubt that usage has increased, even among well-known brands. For now it seems like there's still some trepidation for advertisers to buy all the way in though. Almost like we're in the testing phase. Hopefully it doesn't become the norm.
That's also an interesting theory on AI art becoming watered down. Adapting is key for any artist (human or otherwise) to stay relevant. You mentioned using AI as a tool to spark creativity. How else has your process changed since you first began designing? Being independent I'm sure you've developed some new techniques and picked up a few tricks along the way.
It's changed A LOT since I started designing and subbing designs to Threadless as far back as 2009. Before I had a sketch tablet I used to sketch my rough idea on paper and scan it, haha. I would then print the sketch at lower opacity and draw a neater version over it and repeat the process. Sometimes I would do that like 5-7 times until I had the final artwork to scan and clean up in Illustrator and Photoshop.
These days the process is way more streamlined. I usually sketch one rough idea and then I'm straight onto the sketch tablet to complete it digitally. Back in the day I often used to forget a lot of my concepts, so I've made a habit of noting them immediately and then going through them all weekly to see which ones look the best to start.
Yeaaah things are just a bit different in the tablet era. I think we can agree that's an advancement for the better.
With everything being more streamlined, how does your routine work? You pump out a lot of t-shirts, and we're not complaining. But you also create brand identities, provide UI/UX design, and illustrate book covers, among other projects. How do you pick and choose what's best? Is there any method to prioritizing your time?
I don't pump out as many Tee designs as I used to 3-5 years back. I have begun focusing more on commissioned freelance (because of the changes in the tee industry as mentioned earlier… AI etc). I will always prioritize paying freelance first. Although creating tee designs under Gamma-ray will always be my true passion 😄
Future of Work book cover art by Grant Shepley
It's hard to pass on paying freelance work, we get that. Whether it's commissioned jobs or t-shirt design, I'm curious about how your cultural background impacts the final product. Being in South Africa, does your design approach change based on the target audience's location? Are there any specific challenges to overcome when producing work for the States, Europe, or other particular regions?
South Africa is pretty westernised, especially in the bigger cities like Cape Town, where I live. So my approach to design isn't all that different, really. I'm pretty flexible when it comes to different styles, even cultural ones if needed. I guess the biggest challenge is working with clients in the US. The time difference can be tough since they're about 6 to 9 hours behind.
Grant in Egypt, one of his favorite travel destinations.
That makes sense. I'm always interested to see how designers cater their work to different locations, regardless of how similar their home area is.
Ok let's get out of here on a fun one. Your current work setup provides a lot of flexibility, so when you're not collaborating with clients or designing apparel, what are you getting up to? There's so many amazing sites in your part of the world. Any travel in particular you'd recommend?
South Africa, although it's been in the news for the wrong reasons and some inflated, but putting politics aside, is honestly an incredible place to visit. Everyone's heard of the big highlights like Kruger National Park, Table Mountain, the Garden Route, and the Drakensberg, and they really are worth the hype. Then there are more low-key hidden gems too. Scarborough, for example, is a tiny seaside town just 35km from Cape Town - peaceful and beautiful.
Then there's Swellendam and Bonnievale, about 150km out, offering a slower pace and loads of charm. The Cape region especially has a bit of everything - hiking trails, mountains, surf spots (the water's chilly though!), lush greenery, adventure sports, and a buzzing nightlife.
It's a mix that keeps things interesting for any kind of traveller.
Well I might have just found my next international destination! It truly sounds like a magical place to live.
Thanks so much for taking the time to chat with us, Grant. Best of luck with the freelance work and know that we're always looking forward to the next Gamma Ray design!
💡
P.S. Use code featurefriday20 for 20% off all Gamma Ray products now through Sunday, June 1!
Howdy, howdy, howdy. We’ve got a few videos for you today, a Frank Lloyd Wright original*, a sports story (of course), and a Bookstarter that’s ending tomorrow.
RiverRock House
It depends on who you ask, but there may be a new Frank Lloyd Wright house. Based on plans completed shortly before he died in 1959, the RiverRock house was built just outside Cleveland earlier this year and is now available for short-term rentals. If you’d like to visit, be prepared to drop ~$1,000 / night, minimum two nights.
Fully funded with less than 24 hours to go. You can’t beat a cloth-bound book with a debossed, foil-stamped title.
The book Six Centuries of Type & Printing briskly tells the story of the evolution of type and printing, starting with early documented efforts and surviving artifacts from China and Korea, and introducing Gutenberg and his innovations. It then takes you through each generation of increasing sophistication in metal and relief printing until the abrupt 20th century shift into flat offset printing, which was made possible through photographic and digital improvements, and phototypesetting and digital composition.
Here’s the trailer if you’re into that sort of thing. (I’m not — I want absolutely zero spoilers of any kind. Don’t even tell me what movie we’re watching.)
I’m no scientist, but how did it take this long for “make the sweet spot bigger and sweeter” to become a thing in baseball? The equipment improvements in golf and other sports have been relentless. I realize baseball tends to be more change-averse, but really? Anyway, congratulations to Aaron Leanhardt for building a better bat.
Before Cotton Bureau was a twinkle in anyone’s eye, Jay and I started a little web design shop here in Pittsburgh called Full Stop Interactive. This was back in early 2009, around the time of what some people now call “The Global Financial Crisis”. (No reason in particular to mention this.) Despite the dire times, our pitch to anyone who inquired about our services was simple: we make the best websites in Pittsburgh, period.
While our branding was locally-oriented, our ambitions were anything but. We felt our work was as good as you could find on the Internet. So when asked what we did, it was easy to describe and easy to understand. We owned a small business making websites. Jay was the designer; I was the developer.
Cotton Bureau 1.0
Fast forward to 2013 and the launch of Cotton Bureau. We now had a new thing, which meant a new way of thinking about ourselves and communicating that concept to others. Still, keeping it simple and in line with our principles, we weren’t shy about telling people who Cotton Bureau was for, and, equally important, who Cotton Bureau was not for. We helped designers and design-adjacent communities sell t-shirts, typically in two week pre-order periods.
A funny thing started to happen though as soon as we drew that line in the sand. Every time we told someone that we made t-shirts, they invariably replied “Oh? I need t-shirts.” To which we were forced to reply, well, I’m sure you do, but actually we don’t help just anyone make t-shirts. You need to be a designer.
The first time that happens, it’s just awkward. The next few dozen times it happens, at least you know what’s coming next and can steer the conversation appropriately. Once you get into the hundreds, you really start to dread answering at all. Eventually you begin to wonder, isn’t there some way that we could help all these people who clearly just need someone reliable to lend a hand?
Cotton Bureau 2.0
The story of the next generation of Cotton Bureau has been told before, so I won’t belabor it. In 2015, we sold our first on demand t-shirt, though at the time they were limited to kids tees. In 2018 and 2019 we fully embraced on demand as the future of online apparel retail.
Since then we’ve carefully vetted partners and expanded our catalog to include phone cases, totes, drinkware, mugs, and embroidered hats. The Cotton Bureau 2.0 era has now, impossibly, been roughly the same length as the Cotton Bureau 1.0 era. Pre-order campaigns were our entire identity from 2013–2019. The last six years has seen a migration to on demand and a diversification of product types.
Sitting here in early 2025, we still see several viable categories that make a lot of sense to add, and we have multiple projects in flight to bring even more high quality products to the lineup. Which is why it’s time to talk about the third evolution of the Cotton Bureau platform.
Cotton Bureau 3.0
As the list of offerings has grown, the conversations have, perhaps not surprisingly, continued to bewilder friends, family, and potential Cotton Bureau creators. While we insist on maintaining an exceptionally high rate of rejection (at least three quarters if not 90% of all submissions are summarily dismissed), we found ourselves wondering, isn’t there a way to let the parent-teacher association for your kid’s elementary school sell a t-shirt without it compromising the integrity of the website? If you need a dozen mugs for your company Christmas party, is it absolutely essential that the artwork adheres to our admittedly esoteric design approval standards? When you’re pulling hundreds of people together to run in a charity 5K, don’t you deserve the same unwavering commitment to quality that defines our on demand embroidered hats?
When we realized the answer to all of those questions was a resounding “yes”, it became clear that we needed to find a way to expand access to Cotton Bureau without sacrificing any of what mattered most: searching and browsing Cotton Bureau should showcase only the best designs. We remain fully committed to curating that experience. We believe a meaningful part of the value of Cotton Bureau is narrowing the aperture not widening it.
Custom
Which brings us to the major change to how Cotton Bureau works that we are announcing today. Previously, all accounts were manually approved by a Cotton Bureau team member before going live on the site. While that remains true for the core Cotton Bureau experience, we are opening a second point of entry to Cotton Bureau for those who don’t fit neatly into our design-focused audience.
Introducing Cotton Bureau Custom. The full power of Cotton Bureau is now available to everyone.
Say hello to Cotton Bureau Custom. Custom offers access to our entire catalog of on demand and pre-order products. We’ve even streamlined the product creator. With no account approval required, you can now be live in minutes, possibly even seconds depending on how quickly you can drag-and-drop. If you want, you can make money selling t-shirts and other goods on Cotton Bureau Custom, but you don’t have to. Cotton Bureau Custom is free to use whether you are fundraising, team building, or making a one-off design for a private party.
Bottom line: whether you sell on Cotton Bureau or Custom, your account works the same, looks the same, and includes the same exceptional level of service you have come to expect.
What’s the catch?
While it’s tempting to say “no catch”, there is, in fact, a pretty big and important catch. All Cotton Bureau Custom products are unlisted. They won’t appear if you search Cotton Bureau. They won’t show up in our featured products on the home page or in the shop gallery. For all intents and purposes, Custom products are not “on” Cotton Bureau. Think of Cotton Bureau Custom as an alternate universe. It looks like Cotton Bureau, but you’ll need to travel through a special wormhole to get there.
You can link to Cotton Bureau Custom products, of course, and it’s even possible to view all the products from a single account on the account owner’s page, but when we say Custom is the backdoor to Cotton Bureau, we mean it. In some ways, it’s really more like a code to get into the garage, except the door to get in the house itself is locked and you don’t have a key.
We view this as an unequivocally Good Thing. Over the years there have inevitably been marginal cases that have been difficult to adjudicate. Does the notoriety and/or importance of the creator require a softening of the design standards? If the first design is good, but future designs are mediocre, should the account be removed from the site? When splitting hairs between “good enough” and “not good enough”, it’s inevitable that not everyone sees eye to eye. With Custom, we’re free to continue to raise the bar on Cotton Bureau without completely foreclosing access to the tools we have created for those who need them.
So. We’re pleased to finally have a simple answer to a simple question.
It should go without saying that even Custom accounts must abide by the Cotton Bureau terms of service, and we reserve the right to remove any account at any time for content that is offensive or inconsistent with our principles.
Hey, everyone, it’s the one-year anniversary of Hand-Picked Links. The first edition was published on April 1, 2024. There were a total of 17 links posts in the past year. Without further ado, please enjoy this week’s #content.
As someone born, raised, and still residing in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, I’m quite familiar with and have personally benefited from the philanthropy of one of the giants of the first Gilded Age, Andrew Carnegie. The global network of libraries he funded helped democratize information and remain committed to the goal of cultivating learning in local communities over a 125 years later. (Today’s infuriating system of digital rights management prevents free distribution of ebooks today, doing the exact opposite.)
Over 6,000 words and 600 photos from Marcin Wichary, author of Shift Happens, on Gorton, a strange family of letters engraved directly into a multitude of materials across the globe and even into outer space.
If you’ve ever played a casual round of Scrabble with friends, you know at the end of the day whoever has memorized the most words is going to win. What if you had a photographic memory? You could be the best Scrabble player in the world, even if you didn’t speak the language of the country you were playing in, like Nigel Richards.
