Starting in Spring 2010 Freshjive will “no longer use any brand logos or names on any of the Freshjive product.”  The Hundreds interviewed Rick Klotz the man behind Freshjive, as well as,,, Reserve, RMK, Gonz, Warriors of Radness, about the move…

“I know it’s a very punk move, but I’ve never been shy about pulling the trigger on a controversial idea. I’m only gonna rest on the laurels of our relationships with stores, customers, and the design of the actual pieces in the line. Sometimes I consider it like a big commercial experiment, but that’s exciting to me. To step in to the darkness of the future with a new idea, not knowing what the outcome is going to be.“

- Rick Klotz

Read the rest at thehundreds.com

I appreciate what Rick is doing, especially that he is “only gonna rest on the laurels of our relationships with stores, customers, and the design of the actual pieces in the line.”  Lately I find myself wearing almost no graphic/logo ts besides an occasional rockers or crap t.  In fall 07 I had approached a similar idea as a reaction to the prevailing trends of the time, with MINOR VARIETY a small line that I put on hold midway through 2008 to focus on Ampal.

Under the MV “label” there was no visible branding, other than a small rectangle of material sewn in an inconspicuous location, and a hand sewn hangtag with a little info.  For being such a small endeavor the reaction was overwhelmingly positive with individual orders coming from all over the US and even a few from Europe, and selling out 3 times at our friends’ boutique in La Jolla.

I have to wonder, that even having a “blank” rectangle where a logo or label would normally go, consists of branding the product.  If Freshjive really wanted every piece to not be branded, shouldn’t there be nothing on the exterior that would give away the company?