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- How three friends built a hat brand from $750
- Design and message: making fatherhood wearable
- Shopify collaboration: a founders’ edition hat
- How the partnership unfolded
- Marketing without paid celebrity campaigns
- Retail expansion and product roadmap
- Community, collectors and cultural impact
- What the Shopify drop signals for small brands
Bart Szaniewski, Grant Eastey and Ejay O’Donnell turned a private group chat into a cultural moment. What began as late-night texts and shared fatherhood jokes evolved into a brand that reshaped how many dads see themselves — not as caricatures, but as a community. Their small experiment in embroidered caps exploded into a business that draws attention from athletes, musicians and, now, a major e-commerce platform.
How three friends built a hat brand from $750
The story starts with a simple need: hats that reflected real dad life. Tired of the same tired tropes, the trio pooled their money and ordered the minimum run from a factory. They launched a basic Shopify store in under an hour and listed the hats on their personal feeds. The initial batch sold out almost overnight.
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- Initial investment: $250 each, total $750.
- First production: 100 hats, sold out in 36 hours.
- Current scale: Over one million hats sold and more than $35 million in revenue.
Design and message: making fatherhood wearable
From the outset, Dad Gang Co. focused on subtle details. Every cap includes an embroidered “IYKYK” on the side. That little nod helped turn casual buyers into collectors. The brand keeps its aesthetic grounded and low-key, avoiding slapstick or stereotypical imagery.
Why the details matter
- Small cues create loyalty among customers.
- Consistent daily posting on Instagram sustains engagement.
- Community-driven language — like “dad gang” — becomes identity.
Shopify collaboration: a founders’ edition hat
Shopify noticed the brand’s rapid growth on its platform and reached out. The result is a limited-edition hat co-created with Shopify, carrying interior labeling that reads “Shopify X Dad Gang.” Dad Gang produced 2,500 units in dusty rose and dark navy, each priced at $35.
- Selling platforms: Dad Gang’s site and Shopify’s Supply Store.
- Fulfillment feature used: Shopify Collective for shared inventory across storefronts.
- Part of Shopify Exclusives, a program for merchant collaborations.
How the partnership unfolded
Founders say Shopify was deeply involved in every creative step. The company offered input on tags, stitching and overall presentation. Shopify even staged a production shoot at its headquarters, inviting dads and kids to appear alongside Shopify President Harley Finkelstein.
Finkelstein’s endorsement amplified the collaboration. He’s worn the brand publicly and highlighted Dad Gang’s bootstrap origins in statements about entrepreneurship and parenthood.
Marketing without paid celebrity campaigns
Dad Gang’s rise wasn’t driven by traditional influencer contracts. Instead, athletes and musicians began wearing the caps organically. Names like Mookie Betts, Justin Turner, Teofimo Lopez, Post Malone and Teddy Swims showed up in the brand’s gear without formal seeding.
- Organic visibility fueled authenticity.
- One passionate customer reportedly owns 180 hats.
- Daily social posts and word of mouth remain core tactics.
Retail expansion and product roadmap
Moving beyond direct-to-consumer sales, Dad Gang placed products in national stores. The brand launched in Lids locations and expanded quickly after early success. Other retail partners include Scheels, Pro Image Sports and numerous independent shops. The company plans to introduce more than 60 hat styles this year.
- Initial Lids rollout: 93 stores, then expanded to roughly 200.
- Retail channels complement online community growth.
- Big seasonal drops and limited editions keep interest high.
Community, collectors and cultural impact
More than sales, the founders measure success by ordinary people choosing to wear the brand. Seeing a random dad in an airport or on the street with a Dad Gang hat is a sign the brand has permeated daily life. That grassroots adoption underpins the company’s identity.
Key growth drivers: relatability, consistent social content and small branding touches that reward repeat buyers.
What the Shopify drop signals for small brands
The collaboration highlights how a niche brand can catch the eye of platform partners. Shopify’s Exclusives program pairs tech reach with merchant creativity, helping independent labels access broader audiences through curated drops. For Dad Gang, the founders say the partnership validated both their product and the broader appeal of modern fatherhood apparel.
