Scarves

[TwoMeters]

I'm not sure what the extent of the official Aztex merchandise is going to be this year, but I'm sure of one thing: I want a scarf.

So I did a little research, and found a couple places that will make custom scarves. Nick Laveglia of the Borough Boys (http://boroughboysnyc.com/) told me about SoccerSupporters.com, based in Washington, DC, and Store4Fans.com, in Poland. (I also wrote to the Sons of Ben, but never heard back.:()

Anyway, the one I found first was a German company called Wildemasche (http://wildemasche.com), which I liked because their site lets you do some simple interactive designing. So I messed around a bit, and came up with this (pretty simple) result:
http://aztexan.net/images/scarf_sm.jpg

The way I understand their pricing, it would cost a total of about 210 Euros to make 15 scarves like this. That includes one-time setup, shipping, etc. At current exchange rates, that would be about $330, or $22 per scarf.

So, is there any interest in going in on something like this? Among, say, approximately 14 of you? ;)

And by all means, if anyone wants to contact those other sites, or work up other designs, be my guest!

[Roma_Wolves]

I'll buy one. Two if necessary to fill the order.

[Scooter Pete]

I'm happy to get in on the order with you guys but I don't see myself wearing it to many June or July home games.

[Mikey mouse]

We battery fans used this company and they were great.
http://www.sportsscarf.com/

$8 ea, and about 15 days from the time they got the design to the time it ended up on my doorstep

I have also heard good things about this company which will do smaller orders
http://www.ruffneckwear.com/

[FrogHammer]

I'm happy to get in on the order with you guys but I don't see myself wearing it to many June or July home games.

I totally agree. Maybe we can get Aztex sombreros instead.

[rickbendes]

We battery fans used this company and they were great.
http://www.sportsscarf.com/

$8 ea, and about 15 days from the time they got the design to the time it ended up on my doorstep

I have also heard good things about this company which will do smaller orders
http://www.ruffneckwear.com/

$8 sounds much better then $22 :) I'd go for that.

[duality72]

I'm good for two.

[chapulincolorado]

So, is there any interest in going in on something like this? Among, say, approximately 14 of you? ;)

And by all means, if anyone wants to contact those other sites, or work up other designs, be my guest!

If you want to pursue the option by MM, I am up for it. :)

[TwoMeters]

We battery fans used this company and they were great.
http://www.sportsscarf.com/

$8 ea, and about 15 days from the time they got the design to the time it ended up on my doorstep

I have also heard good things about this company which will do smaller orders
http://www.ruffneckwear.com/
Thanks for the info, MM!

Unfortunately, it looks like the SportsScarf's minimum order size is 150 (and Ruffneck's is 50). So, $8 does sound a lot better than $22, but we'd be ordering 10x the amount. Moneywise, that's an initial outlay of more like $1200, as opposed to $330...

[Mikey mouse]

Thanks for the info, MM!

Unfortunately, it looks like the SportsScarf's minimum order size is 150 (and Ruffneck's is 50). So, $8 does sound a lot better than $22, but we'd be ordering 10x the amount. Moneywise, that's an initial outlay of more like $1200, as opposed to $330...


Thing must have changed with Ruffneck, I thought they had a min. of 15 sorry. I know SportsScarf was 100 when I ordered so they must have went up.

You should try contacting them to see if they will do smaller orders. most of these places are smaller run business that are willing to work with the customers.

Also I had to order a second batch of scarves because the first batch went so quick. right now I have about 5 out of about 200. I traded a quite a few with visiting fans and gave some to players and staff but sold the rest fairly quickly.

Just some other things you might want to consider. As I designed and ordered the Battery scarves, I was careful not to use anything that may have considered copyrighted (logo, name,) So I used Charleston on one side, and Battery on the other, I used the crossed cannons from the Battery logo as opposed to the logo itself. and of course used the Battery colors. I wanted a scarf but I didnt want to be sued or told not to sell and be stuck with a 100 scarves (in South Carolina no less!)

In retrospect the club really liked the scarfs and didnt have a problem at all. I probaly could have put my mind at easy and not sold them out of the back of my car in the parking lot at first had I just asked the Front Office. Most smaller clubs in the US Im guessing will take what ever free publicity it can get, as long as its done tastfully. I recently designed a t-shirt for our Carolina Challenge Cup and the Battery gave our supporters group premission to use the Battery logo. We sold all 75 t-shirts in 3 pre-season games and could have sold more if we had more of certain sizes.

a little off topic but see if you guys can get a table set up at the games for your supporters group. We have one and we sell raffle tickets at each match for an autographed peice of Battery gear (donated by the Front Office). We also used that area to sell the t-shirts and the scarves (once I knew I wasnt going to get sued!) We use the money for tailgates, making banners and bus trips.

and finally, for those that are debating on buying a scarf because you wont wear it in the summer, many here hang them from a belt or like a headband and Im trying to get a few girls to wear them like tube tops, only one was interested but here friend talked her out of it...

now that I rambled on, good luck and look forward to making a trip out that way for a game one day.

[Roma_Wolves]

Might depend on SoccerUSA's sponsorship agreement too. Whether they have exclusive apparel rights or somesuch.

[Barbaro]

So, are folks just interested in there being scarves, or in taking some ownership of them? Because I'm guessing we could talk the club and/or store into taking on the project, and maybe even providing an initial order amount at cost or close to it, if we wanted to try that route.

[VioletCrown]

I guess it depends on what kind of scarves we're looking for.

If we're supporters, and are wanting scarves for our as-yet-unnamed bunch of supporters, then we're going to have to work it out ourselves.

But if we're just wanting Aztex scarves, I would certainly think that Rawlins has some connections with a company over in England that could knock out a few thousand for us.

I guess it's a big question whether those nice thick English scarves would be useful over here in August, though. Even wearing it on your head, or as a tube-top (please, chapulin, don't you DARE!) it would be a pretty toasty proposition.

I keep wondering if there's any company that makes thinner versions of them.

All that wondering aside, if Aztex scarves show up at the Soccer USA store sometime, I'll definitely buy one. I use my Sam's Army scarf all the time in the winter. Advertise all year round, I say!

[duality72]

Even wearing it on your head, or as a tube-top (please, chapulin, don't you DARE!) it would be a pretty toasty proposition.

I'm willing to wear it as a loin cloth for the ladies' benefit. The ladies may not see it that way.

[VioletCrown]

I'm willing to wear it as a loin cloth for the ladies' benefit. The ladies may not see it that way.

Among the group of us that I've seen, you *might* be able to pull it off.

But please, for our sake, don't.

...now where'd that girl go that was lurking?

Oh, baseball season's started. I'm sure she's long gone.

[Art Vandaley]

You guys might want to check with the front office about using their logo. It would be bad news if you ordered a bunch and then had to get rid of them or get in trouble.