Impact
Trend Snapshot: Texture Party
When it comes to custom apparel, the type of decoration is often what takes a garment from simple to standout. As customers continue to look for products that feel more elevated, tactile, and unique, dimensional decoration techniques are having a major moment. From textured stitching to vintage-inspired patches and eye-catching embellishments, these techniques add depth and personality to custom apparel while creating a more premium, collectible feel. Here are five decoration trends to watch. Embroidery (Images courtesy of Pinterest, Love Olive Co., and Zara) Embroidery continues to be a go-to decoration technique, but today’s applications go well beyond the traditional logo. Detailed artwork, oversized designs, tonal stitching, and dimensional elements are giving embroidery a fresh, fashion-forward feel. The tactile quality of stitched artwork adds dimension to even the simplest garment, making it especially effective for logos, collegiate-inspired graphics, outdoor designs, and premium branded apparel. Trend tip: Try oversized embroidery or a tonal design for a more elevated take on this classic technique. Felt & Chenille Appliqué (Images Courtesy of Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie) Felt and chenille appliqué are bringing varsity-inspired texture back into the spotlight. With their bold shapes, tactile surfaces, and nostalgic connection to collegiate and athletic apparel, these techniques give custom graphics a substantial, premium feel. Chenille offers a particularly plush, dimensional texture, while felt creates a cleaner, graphic look. Both can be used for lettering, numbers, icons, and larger graphic elements; and they work especially well when layered with embroidery or other decoration techniques. Trend tip: Lean into collegiate-inspired typography, oversized lettering, and vintage athletic graphics for a classic look with a current feel. Rhinestones (Images Courtesy of Guess, Nike, and Pinterest) Rhinestones are getting a modern makeover. Rather than being reserved for overly embellished designs, rhinestones are being used selectively to add sparkle, dimension, and unexpected detail to apparel. Small amounts of rhinestones can highlight specific elements of a graphic, while larger applications can become the focal point of the design. They pair especially well with fashion-forward typography, western-inspired graphics, and nostalgic Y2K aesthetics. Trend tip: Use rhinestones as an accent rather than covering the entire design. A strategically placed sparkle can make a graphic feel more elevated without overwhelming it. Patches (Images Courtesy of Anthropologie, Golden Goose, and Zara) Patches are one of the most versatile ways to add dimension and personality to custom apparel. From embroidered patches to woven and printed options, they give designs a tactile, collectible quality that feels particularly relevant to today’s vintage and workwear-inspired trends. Patches can also create opportunities for more intricate artwork, allowing a design to feel like a piece of memorabilia rather than simply a printed graphic. They’re a natural fit for outdoor brands, clubs, events, teams, and lifestyle collections. Trend tip: Consider layering multiple patches or combining patches with embroidery and print to create a more dimensional, curated look. Puff Print (Images Courtesy of Pinterest, Shore Society, and Alan Jones) Puff print is bringing dimension to screen printing. By expanding during the curing process, puff ink creates a raised, tactile surface that transforms traditional printed artwork into something you can see and feel. It’s especially effective for bold typography, simple graphics, and vintage-inspired designs where texture is part of the aesthetic. Puff can also be used selectively within a larger design to create contrast between raised and traditional printed elements. Trend tip: Use puff on key elements of a graphic—like lettering or a small icon—to create dimension without sacrificing the overall clarity of the design. Add Dimension to Your Next Custom Design Texture is becoming an increasingly important part of the custom apparel experience. Whether it’s the tactile quality of embroidery, the nostalgia of chenille, the sparkle of rhinestones, the collectible feel of a patch, or the dimensional impact of puff print, these techniques can help a garment feel more distinctive and valuable. Ready to bring your next idea to life? Reach out to your sales rep to explore these decoration techniques and start the customization process or click the button below to Get a Quote. Get a Quote Today
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Inside the GOEX Factory: A Live Look at Haiti and Kansas City
GOEX President Jessica Ray hosted a live Zoom call connecting our Kansas City warehouse with our factory floor in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Ariane Manual, General Manager of GOEX Haiti, and Shelby Williams, Operations Director in Kansas City, walked supporters through what it actually looks like to make and move a GOEX order, cutting table to checkout.
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Say No To Fast Fashion
Why Should We Say No to Fast Fashion? According to the World Bank as of 2025, 1 in 10 people globally are living in extreme poverty at just $3.00/day. Researchers across organizations have agreed that less than 2% of workers in the global fashion industry earn a livable wage, most earn less than $2 per day putting them in extreme poverty. Estimates of global garment workers vary from 100 million to 300 million depending on if you count the entire supply chain or just those in garment factories. Whichever number you choose, apparel is a major contributor to poverty even though the employees typically work long hours 6-7 days per week. This is not a work ethic problem or even a lack of job opportunities problem – this is a value proposition problem. Consumers do not perceive clothing to have the same value as other items. Inflation statistics are very telling – while the average CPI in the US rose 24% from 2020 to 2025, apparel prices rose only 11%. This is driven largely by fast fashion which keeps prices low by sacrificing quality of fabrics and fit, creating garments only meant to be worn a couple of times and then discarded. Prices may seem low but the cost per wear is increasing rapidly. Fast fashion has significant adverse effects on the environment, labor conditions, and consumer behavior. Here are a few of those effects. 1. Environmental Degradation Water Pollution and Waste: The fast fashion industry is responsible for 20% of global wastewater – the second-largest water polluter globally – due to dyeing and textile treatment processes. Factories often discharge untreated water filled with toxic chemicals into rivers and oceans, particularly in developing countries like Bangladesh and India. Carbon Emissions: Fast fashion contributes to 10% of global carbon emissions —more than aviation and maritime shipping combined. This is exacerbated by the use of synthetic fabrics derived from fossil fuels, which are energy-intensive to produce and non-biodegradable. Add shipping to that and the total is even more shocking. 2. Textile Waste Landfill Overflow: Approximately 85% of all textiles are discarded each year, with most ending up in landfills or being incinerated. Globally, consumers generate 92 million tons of textile waste annually, a figure projected to rise to 134 million tons by 2030 (UNEP, 2025). Microfiber Pollution: Washing synthetic garments releases 500,000 tons of microfibers into the ocean annually–equivalent to dumping 50 billion plastic bottles into the sea. 3. Exploitative Labor Practices Low Wages and Unsafe Conditions: Less than 2% of garment workers globally earn a livable wage. Many work up to 16 hours a day in unsafe environments for as little as $2 per day, particularly in countries like Bangladesh and Vietnam. Child Labor and Forced Labor: The industry employs millions of children in low-skill roles, often under coercive conditions. Forced labor is also prevalent, with workers subjected to wage theft, gender-based violence, and hazardous chemical exposure. False Claims Related to the Above: Brands like Shein and Temu are masters at hiding their labor practices. They contract factories to produce who contract all of their labor paying them by the piece. The brand can then claim people make decent wages but don’t unpack that they earn those higher wages only by working 10-12 hours per day 7 days per week. 4. Consumerism and Psychological Impact Throwaway Culture: Fast fashion promotes a “disposable” mindset by encouraging frequent purchases of low-quality garments that are quickly discarded. This cycle fosters overconsumption while diminishing the perceived value of clothing. Social Pressure: The industry leverages influencer culture and social media to create an insatiable demand for new trends, leading consumers to feel dissatisfied with their existing wardrobe. These impacts highlight the urgent need for sustainable alternatives such as slow fashion, which prioritizes ethical labor practices and environmentally friendly materials. So how is GOEX setting an example in the apparel industry of how to do things differently? Our fabrics are made in the USA and our garments are sewn in our production facility in Haiti. This means higher environmental standards than found in developing nations and a low carbon footprint from very short shipping lanes.All of the polyester used in our garments is either recycled or made with Ciclo® technology. Ciclo® polyester biodegrades like cotton in ocean water or a landfill meaning harmful microplastics do not live forever in ocean water or soil like with conventional or even recycled fibers. In our production facility in Haiti, our work week does not exceed 48 hours and any overtime work is consensual without exceeding 60 hours. We also believe that our workers have a right to compensation for a regular work week and we exceed the minimum wage while also complying with all legal requirements on wages, and provide any fringe benefits required by law. You can learn more about our code of conduct here. Protecting and empowering people throughout our supply chain is our top priority. Every supplier we partner with shares our values in caring for people and planet. We want you to be absolutely confident in these claims. To that end, we also opted into an additional customs review on each import checking that our supply chain is free of risk for human trafficking or child labor. We use quality fabrics and produce quality garments. We actually want you to wear your garments over and over again and use high quality, made in America fabrics to ensure it will look great wash after wash. Ready to join the movement? Open a Wholesale Account today to get your order started.
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Trend Snapshot: Streetwear Graphics
Streetwear has become one of the most influential forces in apparel design, shaping everything from fashion runways to local brand launches. What began as an underground movement has evolved into a global style language, but its roots remain firmly planted in authenticity, community, and self-expression. For brands creating custom apparel, understanding streetwear means looking beyond oversized silhouettes and trendy garments. The graphics themselves—the artwork, typography, print placement, and storytelling—are what give streetwear its identity.Here's a look at where streetwear came from and the graphic trends shaping the next generation of custom apparel.
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How to Create the Perfect “Vintage” T-Shirt
In the world of graphic tees, there’s nothing better than reaching for your favorite vintage t-shirt. The nostalgic graphics bring back happy memories, and the soft, worn-in fabric feels instantly comfortable and familiar.
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Feel Good Father’s Day Gift Guide
At GOEX, we believe every purchase has the power to create opportunity. That's why we've partnered with incredible fair trade brands and artisan groups that share our commitment to dignified work and sustainable impact. This Father's Day, celebrate the dads and father figures in your life with gifts that are thoughtfully made, built to last, and create positive change around the world.
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Foster Care Awareness: Supporting the People Who Show Up for Children
Behind every product is a bigger story. And this month—Foster Care Awareness Month—we’re reflecting on the people and organizations who step into some of the hardest moments in a child’s life and choose to stay. At GOEX, our work is rooted in a larger mission through GO Project: to help break what we call the orphan cycle—a recurring pattern of family destabilization where relational, economic, and societal pressures push children out of families and into systems that often strip them of dignity.
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GOEX Embroidery 101: FAQ and Best Practices
Since adding embroidery to our custom decoration options last year, we’ve expanded our knowledge, expertise, and team; and we wanted to share some of our biggest takeaways along the way. Whether you’re new to embroidery or looking for the best way to incorporate it into your products, we’re excited to help you get started.
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Feel Good Mother’s Day Gift Guide
Mother’s Day is a chance to celebrate the women who have shaped us, supported us, and shown us what care really looks like. This year, consider giving a gift that reflects those same values: one that’s made with intention, dignity, and respect for the people behind it. We’ve gathered a few of our favorite fair trade pieces that not only look beautiful, but also tell a story worth sharing. From GOEX Apparel: For the Mom Who Loves Effortless Style Rose Flowy TeeSoft, breathable, and easy to wear, this tee is a go-to for everyday comfort. The relaxed fit makes it perfect for layering or wearing on its own and the color makes it the perfect piece for transitioning from Spring into Summer. SHOP NOW Heather Grey CardiganA closet staple that pairs with just about anything. Lightweight yet cozy, it’s ideal for cool mornings, late nights, and everything in between. Our favorite part of this cardigan? It’s made from remnant rib materials to reduce fabric waste, making it a gift you can truly feel good about. SHOP NOW Say No to Fast Fashion Lavender TeeFor the mom who cares deeply about how things are made, this tee makes a statement in the best way. It’s a wearable reminder that fashion can be both stylish and responsible. SHOP NOW From Rosie’s Boutique: For the Sentimental (and Slightly Funny) Mom Thanks for Keeping Me Alive CardA little humor goes a long way. This card strikes the perfect balance between heartfelt and playful, plus it is handmade in Haiti and provides a living wage jobs to the artisans who make them. SHOP NOW Tea Trio TinThoughtful, giftable, and beautifully packaged, this set feels special from the moment it’s opened. A great option if you want something a little different but still meaningful. This tea is sourced in partnership with Avanti Coffee, another Haitian Fair Trade brand. SHOP NOW Earring Club SubscriptionThe gift that keeps showing up. Each month brings a new pair of earrings crafted with care, perfect for moms who love a little surprise and trying something new. SHOP NOW From Deux Mains: For the Mom Who Values Story & Impact The Story Gift BundleMore than just a gift, this bundle shares the story of the makers behind it. Designed and crafted in Haiti, each piece reflects resilience, creativity, and the power of fair wages. SHOP NOW From The Green Shepherdess: For the Nature-Loving Mom In Bloom NecklaceDelicate and timeless, this necklace adds a soft, elegant touch to any outfit. Created by the Starfish Project, what makes this piece even more meaningful knowing it supports women on a path to independence. SHOP NOW Bee Fair Trade TeePlayful and purpose-driven, this tee is perfect for moms who love nature and want their wardrobe to reflect their values (and is was made by GOEX making your purchase support not one but two Fair Trade organizations) SHOP NOW Houseplant Tote BagEqual parts practical and charming, this tote is ideal for errands, farmers markets, or carrying her favorite reads while showing off a little plant love. SHOP NOW Every item in this guide supports ethical production, fair wages, and safe working conditions. When you choose fair trade, you’re not just giving a gift—you’re contributing to a more equitable and sustainable world.
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