Overview
Goal
As the graphic design chair for Kasama, the Filipino-American Student Organization of UNC-Chapel Hill, I was tasked with creating merchandise.
I wanted to create merchandise that people could use in their daily lives to show off their Filipino pride. Throughout the designing and product manufacturing process, I needed to keep the organization’s budget and time constraints in mind, as we were aiming to sell merchandise around Philippine Fashion Week.
Role
Tools
Team
Timeline
Graphic Designer, Merchandise Coordinator
Adobe Illustrator, Procreate, Canva
Publicity Chair, Photographer
March-April 2023 (8 weeks)
Brainstorming
I met with our publicity chair to brainstorm potential designs. At this time, we weren’t sure what kind of merch our members would prefer (T-Shirts, crewnecks, tote bags, stickers, etc.) or what our budget would allow, so we made sure to keep our minds open. After our brainstorming session, I hopped on Adobe Illustrator and Procreate to create SVGs.
Mockups & Voting
Then, I had our executive board members vote on which design they liked best. Here’s a breakdown:
Mahal Kita Heart
Jollibee
Sampaguita Stamp
In Tagalog, “mahal kita” means “I love you”. It is the most common expression of love between friends, family, and romantic partners.
Jollibee is the mascot of a popular Filipino food chain that brings nostalgic joy.
The sampaguita is the national flower of the Philippines and is a symbol of honor.
Manufacturing
The “Mahal Kita Heart” design for the tote bag was overwhelmingly selected, prompting me to initiate the manufacturing process. I had never manufactured merchandise before, so I made sure to do my research and ask around my community. For 3 weeks, I was responsible for coordinating with the screenprinter and my executive board regarding materials, costs, project progress, and delivery logistics.
Photoshoot & Launch
I coordinated with our publicity chair and photographer to style a product photoshoot. The theme of the photoshoot was “nostalgic Filipino puppy love”. Then, I designed Instagram graphics on Canva to advertise the launch.
Sales
Reflection
We sold out within 2 days and made $347.80 in profit.
Being in charge of creating Kasama’s first ever tote bag drop was such a rewarding experience. I learned how to use Adobe Illustrator, coordinate with an external manufacturer, and work within a set budget. To this day, I still see members carrying it around on campus #heartkasama.