We're crazy enough to think we can change the world
with a t-shirt...and a whole bunch of kindness.

I often share that I've been saying ‘hi friend’ for nearly 20 years. It all started back in 2003 when I was hanging out with a crew of friends, someone said 'hi friend', and it just stuck. From that point forward I've greeted everyone I encounter with a generous ‘hi friend!’, regardless if I know them or not. The more I said it, the more my friends urged me to trademark it, to which I scoffed…for what!?

Three different times (over the course of 20 years) I attempted the trademark it and finally succeeded in 2017. Once I secured the trademark, I started ordering a bunch of random stuff that just piled up at my house. As my friends began to pilfer the stash, I immediately got calls from them saying ‘hey, everytime I wear this shirt, everybody wants one’. And although that sounded amazing, I clearly didn't own a t-shirt company.

What evolved next shocked all of us. We debuted at a street fair and sold out of every single piece of merch we had. Present day, we are looking for fun places to represent our brand.

What I know now about hi friend - most people buy a shirt to support our small business or because they love the saying. Yet the real magic happens when you walk out your door, forgetting that you're rocking a hi friend shirt. All day long, people pass you by and shout ‘hi friend’, ‘Hi friend!’, “HI FRIEND!” and it simply warms your soul. 

Imagine how different the world would be if we all looked at each other as if we were already friends, regardless of who we voted for, if we did or didn't vaccinate, if we had similar beliefs or polarizing views. On the inside, we're all just human beings trying to navigate this beautiful journey without instructions. 

Maybe we’re all a bit more alike than we are different. 

Share the vibe • Change the world