Thanks for stopping by White Dog Outfitters, I’m glad that you are here and have given me the opportunity to tell you a little bit about where we came from (and why we are here).
I’m Lloyd, and I have a passion for creating apparel designs. I have a background in graphic design and have worked in the wearables and screen printing field for...let’s say “many” years. Even when the work became tedious, there was still an element of pride in every design I created, a reward in seeing that I created something that helped convey an important message, support a worthwhile cause, or simply made someone laugh or smile.
When I retired from full-time design work, I began to miss the satisfaction that comes from creating something cool, attractive, or funny… taking an idea or thought, or maybe a collaboration with a friend or colleague and shaping that idea into a finished product that could be shared with others. And of course, the ultimate satisfaction that comes when someone compliments you by favoriting, sharing, or purchasing your creation.
Retirement found my wife and I embarking on a major health and fitness journey. How does this relate to the story of White Dog Outfitters? Well, during my journey from a morbidly obese and sedentary me to a much healthier and more active me, I started enjoying outdoor activities that I was physically unable to participate in previously. I began running, hiking, mountain biking, strength training, etc. We also started living at Disney World traveling to enjoy our new-found physical freedom. All of this opened new doors of inspiration. I became a part of many of the groups that now inspire the designs in my shop, and interaction with group members has been invaluable in developing new designs or tweaking existing designs on the fly.
My mind was overflowing with ideas, but I had no way to produce and market them. After some research and a little trial and error, I was able to partner with a print-on-demand affiliate who could produce my products... on-demand. This allowed me to create my designs and offer them for sale on Etsy, without the risk of a large inventory of pre-printed items. Thus, White Dog Outfitters was born.
My hope for WDO has always been to offer items that I would be proud to wear. Items that align with my hobbies and interests… not just pretty pictures, but designs I am personally connected to. Which means when you purchase one of my runDopey or other Disney running inspired designs, I might be wearing the same shirt, right next to you in the starting corral (at 4am lol). I might be sitting right next to you at the Flora-bama, wearing my Pirate Life shirt and enjoying a Bushwhacker (or two). Personally, I think that’s kinda cool.
I’m glad you are here, and I hope you enjoy my designs as much as I enjoy creating them.
Happy Trails!
Lloyd