Over 400 entries came in from decorators, creators and artists around the world, all working on our blank canvases of sweats, headwear and canvas.
The standard was exceptional, and narrowing that down to ten was tough.
From our Top 10 shortlist, the judges will choose 2 finalists. The winner will then be decided by a public Instagram poll, live from 9:00 AM NZST on 1 September and running for 24 hours.
Keep an eye out and be ready to vote.
Meesha Graphics | United Kingdom
5161 Relax Hood
Decoration: Featuring a 3D-printed embroidery look technique developed in-house, combining print and high build to replicate embroidery and create a raised, dimensional surface with a distinctive tactile finish.
“Winning $10,000 RRP in AS Colour credit would give us the freedom to develop our 3D-printed embroidery concept into a wider commercial offering. We would use the credit to test and refine the technique across a broader selection of AS Colour garments, headwear and canvas products, allowing us to understand how it performs on different fabrics, weights and product shapes and what would be possible on the heavier weight and accessory based products.
It would also enable us to create a comprehensive sample collection that we could present to retailers, designers, brands and creative agencies. This would make it easier for clients to understand the possibilities of the techniques available at Meesha Group and would reduce the product costs associated with experimentation and development.
The savings generated through the credit would be reinvested into more products for development and marketing. This would help us attract new clients and turn an original concept developed by the Meesha Group team into a repeatable and commercially viable decoration service based on the products we already use and introduce new ranges!”
Vivus Supply Co | United States of America
5533 Canvas Cord Collar Jacket
Decoration: Featuring an 11-colour screenprint, discharge printing, 283,524 stitches of embroidery, puff embroidery, chain-stitch embroidery, felt appliqué, DTF transfers, custom-sewn reflective tape, and velcro nametag elements.
“We would love the opportunity to give back to our community while building meaningful, lasting relationships with those who appreciate quality garments and the artistry behind them. AS Colour’s support would directly help Vivus continue investing in our creative and artistic endeavours, while also allowing us to give back to our community. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who believes in Vivus, values our craft, and supports our vision. Together, we’re creating something that extends beyond clothing-we’re cultivating a strong, connected community built on creativity, quality, and shared passion.”
Crewel and Unusual LLC | United States of America
1161 Frame Foam Trucker Cap
Decoration: Featuring embroidery & patches to create 3D interactive effect.
“We would pass along the credit to our custom embroidery offerings especially for local non-profits and other micro small businesses that need help with their promotional products and merch offerings to boost their community awareness and reach.”
The Fabric Printer | Australia
5145 Heavy Crew
Decoration: Featuring a 9 colour screen print (designed, illustrated and colour-separated in-house, using plastisol, water-based metallic shimmer, neon glow and colour-changing inks that shift from black in natural light to purple in sunlight, with hidden highlights under black light), combined with DTG-printed and appliquéd Canvas Carrie Tote panels and 3D embroidery on the sleeves, all packed into one Heavy Crew.
“10k of AS Colour credit would help us take TFP on the road! It would be the push we need to get this idea out of our heads and on the road, freeing us up to invest in a custom print cart, portable equipment or even a little embroidery machine. The dream is to pop up at more festivals, breweries and local events, making merch live, getting AS Colour stock into people’s hands and showing them just how much can be done with a great blank, all while bringing a bit of TFP printing chaos along for the ride!”
Philadelphia Learning Academy North | United States of America
5171 Box Hood
Decoration: Featuring DTF transfers applied with a heat press, across well over a dozen placement areas on the front, back, hood, sleeves, shoulders, chest and pocket.
"Winning $10,000 in AS Colour credit would help Wellness Works Print Lab grow into a sustainable, student-powered social enterprise. Facilitated by a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, the Print Lab combines therapeutic support with hands-on training in apparel design, screen printing, embroidery, production, and entrepreneurship. We serve students in Philadelphia alternative schools, including justice-impacted, over-age, and under-credited youth.
Premium blanks would let students practice their craft, build collections, and fulfil real orders, freeing our limited funds for equipment and training instead of ongoing blank purchases. Beyond technical skills, students gain communication, teamwork, and problem-solving experience, with each finished garment proof they can create something valuable and see it through.
The credit would also let us launch student-designed collections and take on larger orders, with revenue reinvested into supplies and programming, building a cycle of creativity, wellness, and workforce development.
AS Colour's support would give these young people a premium canvas to tell their stories, build confidence, and start seeing themselves as artists and professionals."
Black Dog Ink | Australia
Canvas Overalls, Canvas Apron, Zip Jacket, Canvas Bomber Hood Jacket, Canvas Chore Jacket, Canvas Shorts, Pocket Tote Bag and Canvas Access Caps. Made Hood, Made Crew, Heavy Hood and Men’s Active Shorts.
Decoration: Featuring screen print, embroidery, woven patches and DTF.
“We would split the $10,000 credit into two parts. The first would be used to create practical “go bags” for YP Space MNC to distribute to young people in our area who are living rough or at risk of homelessness. Each backpack would contain essential AS Colour clothing, including a jacket, track pants, tees, a beanie, cap and socks. These items would provide practical support while helping the recipient feel comfortable and cared for.
We would also create “Ready for Work” packs with interview appropriate clothing from the AS Colour range. We believe that having the right 'fit' can help a young person walk into an interview with confidence and take an important step towards employment and financial stability. The remaining credit would allow us to expand our Help Ya Neighbour, buy one, gift one campaign. For every shirt purchased, we gift another featuring the same design to someone in our community. All proceeds are donated to YP Space MNC.
The credit would allow us to grow the campaign and support more young people without placing additional financial pressure on our small business. It would strengthen our community partnerships, create ongoing production work for our team and help turn Help Ya Neighbour into a sustainable, long-term BlackDog Ink initiative.”
Impact Apparel & Merch | New Zealand
5524 Canvas Chore Jacket
Decoration: Featuring screenprint and printed patches.
“We currently design and sell T-shirts in collaboration with a local charity that protects endemic species. The funding would help us expand these projects, create more collaborations and direct more money towards meaningful New Zealand projects.”
Palm Bay Skates | United Kingdom
5533 Canvas Cord Collar Jacket
Decoration: Featuring different stitch types, textures and densities, combining traditional satin and fill embroidery with chenille.
“Winning the $10,000 AS Colour credit would give Palm Bay Skates something incredibly valuable for a small independent studio: the freedom to experiment.
A lot of our day to day work is producing embroidery for other brands, artists and musicians, which naturally means working to an existing brief. I would love to use the credit to develop more of our own ideas and create a library of samples and experimental garments that really show what we can do.
I would use the blanks to explore oversized embroidery, chenille, patches, appliqué, unusual placements and combinations of different embroidery techniques. Having the freedom to experiment without every garment needing to be commercially viable would allow us to try new things, make mistakes and hopefully discover ideas and techniques that we might not otherwise have the opportunity to explore.
It would also allow us to create physical samples that clients can see, touch and wear. That is particularly important with embroidery because photographs rarely communicate the texture, weight and detail of the finished work.
Ultimately, the credit would give Palm Bay Skates the opportunity to be more creative, more experimental and more ambitious with what we produce, while helping us show potential clients what is possible beyond traditional embroidery.”
Fully Promoted | New Zealand
4145 Women’s Heavy Crew
Decoration: Featuring print, embroidery and hand-painted textile art.
“The credit would give our business the support we need to survive the current economic situation. It will also enable us to genuinely experiment and push our creativity further, allowing us to develop more artistic and innovative apparel and potentially establish our own merch line while building a stronger range of samples that truly showcase our capabilities. This opportunity would not only help our business grow but will also allow us to give back in a way that feels purposeful and aligned with what we value.”
Ivo Jankowiak | Europe
5111 Standard Hood
Decoration: Featuring bleaching and re-dyeing techniques, along with digital printing of original hand-painted artwork.
“For me, the biggest impact would be the freedom to create first and think about limitations second - giving my art a completely new form through AS Colour.”
A huge thank you to everyone who submitted their work and helped make this year's Little Help Project our most impressive yet. Be sure to follow along on our social channels to see the final winner announcement and stay up to date with future community initiatives.