Kickstarter

THE STORY
We were skaters, teachers, and techies, living in the crazy city of Beijing, China, thrown together by a shared vision of design, community, and transformation.

We knew that our time was short. We knew that our message was important.

We all had stories, testimonies that when shared to an open ear and open heart, could plant the seed of hope in a country that desperately needed it. But we were all visitors who couldn't speak the local language well enough to spark the conversation. (And to top it off, it was/is still technically illegal to be a missionary in China.) So how could we share what we knew we had share?

Born from sketches on napkins and conversations over shots of espresso, the answer came in the form of “The Subtitle”. It was a simple message, explicit truth through a verse printed in both English and Chinese on the inside of a t-shirt that, when flipped to the front, delivered the punch we were looking for: opportunity.

Coupled with dynamic designs that drew upon skater, hip-hop, and underground cultures, this provocative yet subtle idea solidified the vision of short+savage. Fast-forward to now, and you’ll find we haven't changed much - our shirts still push the boundaries and we're still trying to deliver the Word in the best way we can.

THE SHIRTS
Can wearing a t-shirt be an act of ministry? With an intriguing design and a Subtitle verse in the right language, we believe it can be.

We are planning to release a lineup of ten (10) designs in the US. The shirts vary in design, but all have bilingual Subtitle verses printed on the inside. Details about each shirts, including verses, languages, and alternate colors can be found here.

PARTNER WITH US
All funds go directly towards printing the shirts. With your support, we hope to bring our first full production run to the US, and from there to the rest of the world.

Our shirts are printed at a local non-profit that employs homeless youth. Aside from the cost of the raw shirt, all costs directly support Sanctuary Screenprinting and their ongoing mission to use the arts as a vessel for creating positive change in the lives of homeless youth in Seattle's University District.

WHO WE ARE
Matt Lu is an art educator, painter, graphic designer, and self-proclaimed ninja for Jesus. He is backed up by Kylene, his muse, editor, teammate and wife of two years.

THE GOODS
Below are the rewards linked to each support level. 

The SHORT+SAVAGE Postcard Series.

Our most popular shirts: 5+2=5000, Eye of the Needle, and the 99 Sheep.

The full SHORT+SAVAGE line up for 2012. Be sure to check out the different colorways in each design on our website.

The Esther poster, hand screened on heavyweight 11" x 17" paperstock.

The limited edition Fill poster, hand screened on heavyweight 18" x 24" paperstock and signed by the artist.

Examples of the custom shoes, designed and hand painted by SHORT+SAVAGE's principal designer, Matt Lu. More pictures and examples can be found here. Matt will work with you on the concept, and then create a design on Converse shoes in your selected size.