When Tron Swanson, one of the founders of Krillan, picked his brother Trey’s name out of a hat for their family gift exchange this past Christmas, he immediately knew exactly what to give him.

Tron’s younger brother, Trey Swanson, has had the nickname “Bear” since he was little, and has embraced this moniker given to him by some of his older siblings. “Almost everybody I know calls me ‘Bear,’” he said. “It’s actually kind of weird when I hear people call me ‘Trey.’” He appreciates his nickname so much, in fact, he has even gotten three tattoos of bears – his favorite being one on his shoulder blade depicting a bear paw with a human handprint embedded inside of it that can be seen in the Disney movie, “Brother Bear.”

Tron decided that the perfect Christmas gift for Trey (his own “Brother Bear”), would be a customized piece of apparel both designed and created with his own hands. Tron started by creating the perfect design: the same “Brother Bear” paw print as Trey’s tattoo, and the words “BEAR” and “Swanson” placed together to create an interesting and eye-catching design. He then decided on the best type, style, and color of apparel for Trey’s gift – a black hooded sweatshirt with some lacing near the neckline for added interest. For the letters used to spell “BEAR,” Tron decided to use an embroidery technique called “applique,” where pieces of material are cut and then embroidered onto the shirt to create a larger, bolder effect. For the rest of the wording and the paw print on the sweatshirt, Tron used standard embroidery techniques.

The entire process took Tron about four hours to complete, but was well worth every minute. “I could tell by the look on Bear’s face when he opened his gift that he appreciated it. He knows how much work I put into the shirt and that it truly is one-of-a-kind, which makes him appreciate it even more,” Tron stated.

When asked about his amazing one-of-a-kind hoodie, Trey said, “It’s so awesome that Tron decided to make this for me. I am proud to wear it and I get compliments on it all the time! It really is one of the best Christmas gifts I’ve ever gotten.”

If you’re looking for the perfect gift idea for somebody, personalized custom-create apparel is a great option. Although the sweatshirt that Tron created for Trey would typically cost around $200 when completed (based on the materials, personalized design, amount of time required, and techniques used), we have many alternatives and are more than happy to work with you to create a gift that is sure to be one of the best gifts your recipient ever gets. Contact us with questions or to get started!

Let Krillan know what you think about Trey’s custom-created shirt by clicking the title of this post and leaving a comment, or head on over to our Facebook page and drop us a line! We love to hear from you!