Band & Music Merch
Merch design that sells.
Band merch is not a t-shirt with a logo on it. It’s the one thing a fan takes home from a show. It has to survive a pit, a wash cycle, and still look good three tours later. I design merchandise for bands, labels, game studios, and music brands — apparel, cover art, digipacks, tour drops, the full package.
My clients include Chimaira (Ohio metal, Roadrunner Records), Malefice (UK metal, Nuclear Blast), Caparison Guitars (premium Japanese guitar manufacturer), Polychop Simulations (DCS game developer), and a long list of other metal, hardcore, and death metal acts across the UK, US, and Europe.
15+
Years designing for bands and labels
50+
Release packages, tour drops, and apparel collections shipped
#1
All-time merch record at the Cleveland Agora (Chimaira)
Real Results
Record-breaking merch sales.
Working with Jon has been a pleasure across every project — each one with different aesthetic needs and creative direction, and he's delivered on all of them. Thanks to his skillset and work ethic, Chimaira broke not only our own merchandise records but the all-time merch record at the Cleveland Agora, a venue that's been standing for over 50 years. We're now the highest-selling band in Agora history, largely thanks to Jon's design work.
What I Design
Every merch product, done properly.
Apparel Graphics
T-shirts, hoodies, long-sleeves, zip-ups. Design built for screen print and DTG, supplied print-ready in every format the printer needs.
Album & Release Art
Cover artwork, digipacks, slipcases, vinyl sleeves, CD booklets. Full layout through to pre-press, ready for replication plants.
Tour & Event Merch
Tour-specific designs, one-off drops, anniversary editions, splatter variants. Fast turnaround for announcements and support-act schedules.
Band Branding
Full logo systems that survive at patch-size, stitch down cleanly, and still read on a stage backdrop. Built for merch-first brands.
Label & Licensed Work
Design for labels, game studios, and licensors. Brand-safe work with full revision trails and licensor approval built into the process.
Illustration-led Design
Custom illustration when the concept needs it. Character work, anatomical pieces, krakens, airframes, spot art — all print-ready at merch scale.
Selected Merch Work
Bands & brands I work with
Industries
Who this is for
Most of my merch work has been with heavy music — metal, death metal, hardcore — but the approach transfers. Game studios, guitar companies, and apparel brands with a similar attention to visual identity all benefit from design that takes the product as seriously as the fans do.
Process
How merch projects run
Discovery
Album, tour, one-off drop? Print method, fabric, budget, timeline. I need to know what the printer needs so the design is built for it from day one.
Strategy
One or two concept directions with reference to band history or release theme. Honest feedback welcomed. Revisions built into the quote.
Design
Full production: separations, placement, colour counts, file setup for the specific printer or replication plant. Nothing handed over half-finished.
Deliver
Print-ready files in every format needed, plus web versions for your store, press kit, and socials. Quick-turn revisions if the printer needs adjustments.
Questions
Common questions
Do you only work with metal bands?
No — metal is where I've done most of my work and it's a good fit for the aggressive, illustration-heavy style I default to, but I've also designed for game studios (Polychop Simulations, Nuclear Option), guitar manufacturers (Caparison), sustainable apparel brands (Ahimsa Clothing), and a wide range of other music acts. If there's a merch product and a design problem, I can help.
Can you handle the full album package — cover, digipack, everything?
Yes. I regularly deliver end-to-end release packages: cover art, digipack panels, slipcase, vinyl layouts, CD booklets, and matching merch drops. Files are delivered print-ready to the pressing plant or merch printer, with spec sheets.
I'm a small band on a budget. Can we still work together?
Depends on scope and timing. I take on a small number of projects at a time and price per-project, not per-hour. If you're a small act with a clear brief and realistic timeline, send me the details and I'll come back with something honest. If it's not a fit, I'll say so.
Do you work with US bands from the UK?
Yes. I'm UK-based but most of my clients are international — the US, mainland Europe, Australia. Time zones are handled, communication is email or Discord, deliverables go wherever the printer is. Chimaira (Ohio) and Nuclear Option (US) have been long-running collaborations.
What files do I get at the end?
Everything print-ready in every format your printer needs — separations, layered PSD/AI, PDFs with crop marks and bleed, and high-res RGB/CMYK variants. Plus web-ready versions for your store, social, and press kit.
Got a release, tour, or drop coming?
Send me the brief — band name, release date or tour window, and what you need designed. I'll come back with a proposal within 48 hours.
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