Our Story

Our story begins not in a grand showroom, but in the vibrant, creative corridors of Etsy. Here, our small but passionate team introduced IronCladApparel to the world. What started as a spark of creativity quickly ignited into a roaring success. Within our first year, we were thrilled to witness our brand race past a milestone of 500 sales, a testament to the quality and appeal of our products. 

Hi, I'm Jay, the founder of IronClad Apparel, and my journey into this business is driven by my lifelong passion for customizable cars and gaming. Growing up, I spent countless hours immersed in games like Need for Speed and Juiced, flipping through Max Power magazines, and religiously watching Pimp My Ride. That was how it all began.

But alongside my love for cars, my dad has always been my biggest role model. I watched him struggle when I was younger, doing everything he could to support our family while working hard to pay off debt. Building a successful business is no walk in the park, and seeing him persevere through tough times only motivates me more. He eventually built his own successful business working from home, and now, after all those years of hard work, he gets to enjoy life with his family, doing the things he loves. I couldn’t be prouder of him, and he’s not just my dad—he’s my best friend. Though I won’t mention his business here, he’s always in the background, quietly guiding me as I build IronClad Apparel.

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Family Over Money!

I’ve worked for various companies, earned a Level 5 Marketing Certificate, and even learned coding along the way. At one point, I was laboring in the film industry, earning a solid income of £4-6k a month, and I loved it. But despite the money and the experiences, something was missing — time with my family. I realized that money had lost its meaning when I couldn’t be with the people I loved most.

After a while, I switched gears and started working as a chef at my girlfriend’s workplace, not just for the convenience of managing our two kids but also because I needed a job that would allow me to explore my passion. It was around this time that my interest in cars shifted toward JDM culture, and I found myself captivated.

YouTube channels like Matt Armstrong’s only deepened my obsession. I’m not a mechanic, and I don’t claim to know everything about cars, but something about them has always sparked excitement and motivation in me.

I Made it!!

When I opened my Etsy store, I had one of the biggest moments of my life. I was so proud of myself that I cried when someone from Germany bought 20 t-shirts and two hoodies in one go! That gave me the "I made it" feeling — nothing in this world has ever made me feel so amazing. A month later, that same customer came back and ordered another 15 t-shirts, and I was absolutely gobsmacked.

On Etsy, I initially had only seven products, but in just one week, I received my first order, and over the course of a year, I achieved 650 sales. But, like many other small businesses, my Etsy shop was unexpectedly closed down without any explanation. It was a tough blow and incredibly frustrating.

During this time, I also started learning graphic design, working with Illustrator to make my designs more customizable. I’m able to do things like color changes or adding custom text to create a more personalized experience for customers. I’ve even had some unique requests, like a guy who wanted a hoodie featuring his crashed BMW, which he had named, with a funny slogan on the back saying, "It’s F*cked." It’s moments like these that make this journey so rewarding.

Leveling Up!

Despite the Etsy closure, I wasn’t ready to give up. I moved to Shopify to start fresh. When I say "we," it’s really just me running the show while juggling family life and a full-time job. It’s challenging, but I won’t quit.

As we grow, I want to let you know that while we used Printify on Etsy, we’ve now leveled up. We’re working with a new manufacturer to bring you top-quality t-shirts, hoodies, and jumpers that truly stand out. The reviews you see on our website come from our Etsy shop, and while the feedback was great, I wanted something that would deliver an even bigger wow factor.

Thank you for supporting IronClad Apparel. Slowly but surely, we’re building something amazing, and I’m excited for what the future holds.