Growing up, extra money was hard to come by. I always liked the look of graphic apparel, but we just never had the budget for those kinds of clothes. While I wanted them back then, I didn't plan on making them—I just appreciated the craft.
As a bearded man and a father to some beautiful children, I wanted to bring that perspective into my own work. That’s how the Protective Dad brand started. It’s built for the guys who show up for their families every day.
I’ve always been someone who loves trying out new hobbies. I bought a laser engraver and started testing materials just to see what was possible. When I came across leather, it blew my mind.
I used to think of patches as just "font art"—simple letters and basic scripts. I wasn't really into them until I saw the fine-detail art that a laser can actually produce. Once I saw that level of detail, I was hooked. I didn’t invent the leather patch; I’m just putting my own touch on it and turning it into something more.
I don’t believe in marketing gimmicks. I want you to know exactly where your money goes when you support this brand:
The Margins: On every t-shirt and hoodie, I make about $3 to $4.
The Business: $2 of that profit goes directly toward business expenses and keeping things running.