Sarah ArnoldHere at Clutch MOV, we are always grateful when we are able to form new partnerships with talented folks from across Ohio and West Virginia. Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to meet Matt Overholt, Owner of 7thirty8 Apparel and all-around great guy. In an effort to bring our product line much closer to home, 7thirty8 Apparel now prints all of Clutch MOV’s super-soft graphic tees and our brand new felt pennants. Beyond printing for others, however, Matt has been designing and printing his own line of witty and Ohio-based products since 2012 in his home-based studio in Zanesfield, Ohio.
I asked Matt to tell us a little more about himself and 7thirty8 Apparel:
Why did you initially go into printing?
I initially got into printing back in school because I thought it was so cool to be able to wear a shirt that I designed and printed. I remember I had friends that had a band my senior year and I did their shirts. So everyone was wearing shirts that I created – it was pretty cool. You could say that feeling never really went away because 12 years later I bought a small one color start-up kit for something to do in my spare time. Since then, it’s snowballed into what is now my full-time job. It took four years of hard work, but I’m now my own boss and I couldn’t be happier!
Why do you think it’s important to support local makers and artists?
I think it’s super important to support local small businesses for a handful of reasons. To me, I know how hard it is to start your own business and these people sacrifice a whole lot to do what they do. If you ignore the smaller shops are in turn shutting out what makes your community truly yours. Every town has the same big box stores and chain restaurants, but it’s the “mom and pop” shops that set your town apart from the next.
What has been the most fun project to design and create?
Last summer I started a line called “Ohio Adventure Club” which is just an outdoor themed line of shirts and things and it has been by far the most fun and personal thing I’ve worked on. It has really taken over any of my creative ideas. Anymore anything that pops into my head bas been related to that OAC brand. I enjoy hiking, paddle boarding, kayaking, riding my bike and just being outdoors so that line is pretty close to me.
What have you noticed about the network of makers and small start-ups across the state?
I have been designing and printing Ohio themed shirts for about four years now and it has become a very competitive market the last couple of years. That being said, I love that it forces me and everyone to be super creative because there are a whole lot of options out there for people to choose from. You really have to be on top of your game and carve out your own niche with what you do in a pretty saturated market. So even though people have a plethora of options, only I do what I do and that’s how everyone that creates a product for a living should feel.
What would be your dream project, or who would be your dream client?
I have to say that I’ve been thinking about this question for some time and I don’t have an answer. I have realized that is just tells me that I’m doing something right. I am a busy entrepreneur that gets to work out of my garage doing what I love. How much more could I ask for?
You can find Clutch MOV’s graphic tee’s and new felt pennants at Wit & Whimzy in Downtown Marietta, OH, as well as one of Matt’s original designs! Shop the rest of Matt’s collection here, and be sure to follow him on Instagram for new designs and adventures.
