The new student-run apparel company DNA Productions shares much in common with its namesake — like DNA, the company's products are well-designed, unique and tailored to the individual.
DNA Productions, run by juniors Darius Bittle-Dockery, Andres Naim and Ben Betcher, initially began as a one-man operation, with Bittle-Dockery making each design by hand in his living room. It has since grown into a bona-fide campus industry with a partnership with a Boston manufacturer and over 400 items sold to various student groups and organizations around Tufts.
The company's production consists of two separate parts: mass production and individual custom design. The mass production aspect of DNA caters to student groups and organizations looking to make shirts, hooded sweatshirts, shorts, bags and even aprons complete with whatever design the group chooses. Once the customer has decided on a graphic, DNA sends the design to the manufacturer in Boston, where the merchandise is produced, either by screen-printing — a technique of shirt design that uses an ink-blocking stencil and an industrial-sized roller to press the ink into the fabric consistently and permanently — or embroidery, depending on the design and customer's preference.
As for custom T-shirts, all of the designs are made by the members of DNA, and each shirt is hand painted by the DNA team using a stencil, with the customers choosing the stencil they want and the color scheme. Because they are hand-painted, DNA's shirts are a bit more fragile than mainstream items, but, according to the makers, if the clothing is taken care of, it still has a long lifespan.
The idea of custom T-shirt design is certainly not a new one on college campuses, but not every small-time company is successful. According to Bittle-Dockery, it is DNA's customer service and price-match guarantee that put them a cut above the rest.
"We work with each customer individually to perfect their design, and we guarantee that if a customer comes back to us with a lower price for the same design, we will refund them the difference," he said.
Even small changes in designs can lead to a lower manufacturing price both on custom items and mass-produced ones, which is why DNA offers free design consultations to any and all customers to ensure that patrons get exactly what they want within their desired price range.
Although giving away price-guarantees and free consultations may not seem to be the best way to make money, the DNA founders don't seem to mind.
"Money is not our main concern at all. We don't make a very large profit; it's just something we like to do," Betcher said.
Naim agreed, noting that this enjoyment probably stems from the founders' penchant for creating shirts for themselves.
"We started making these shirts for ourselves because we got sick of buying the same tired designs at the trendy stores around town, and when people saw them, there was a genuine interest," Naim said.
According to its founders, the true strength of DNA Productions is the ability to combine the product variety of a big company with the customer service and unique appeal of a small organization. When customers buy T-shirts from DNA, they have the choice of several different styles ranging from standard cotton tees to soccer-jersey styles to American-Apparel styled sheer cotton.
Bittle-Dockery, Naim and Betcher said they are proud of their company, emphasizing that when customers buy a product from DNA, they are guided through the entire process by at least one of the founders. In two weeks or less, customers receive their orders — be it a T-shirt, bag or other type of apparel. The trio publicizes the company through the Internet, using e-mail and Web sites to attract customers.
Meanwhile, DNA's commitment to fit any design to any budget has become its slogan: "If you can think it, we can print it."
