About

At Apparel & Beyond, we’re a bold, veteran-owned small business based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, redefining how people think about custom apparel and sustainable fashion. We specialize in direct-to-garment (DTG) and direct-to-film (DTF) printing — high-quality, full-color prints with no setup fees, no minimums, and fast turnaround. Whether it’s t-shirts, hoodies, canvas, or more — if it’s fabric, we can print it.

But we go beyond custom printing. Our RealCycle Retail space offers curated, high-quality upcycled apparel — vintage pieces, everyday wear, and standout finds — all hand-selected, restored, and affordably priced. We’re not here to compete with thrift stores. We’re here to build a better model for fashion — one that rescues value, not wastes it.

Our mission is simple:
To deliver top-tier custom and curated apparel while building sustainability into every step of our process.

We don’t just say we care — we’ve built the business to prove it.

Our Commitment to Sustainability

At Apparel & Beyond, we didn’t build this business to sell t-shirts for the sake of it. We built it to challenge how apparel is made, sold, and valued — and to make something that reflects the world we want to live in.

The fashion industry is one of the most polluting on the planet. Producing a single new cotton t-shirt can use up to 700 gallons of water. In a world facing drought, inequality, and economic instability, that’s not just wasteful — it’s irresponsible. Add to that the millions of tons of clothing that end up in landfills every year, and it’s clear that the system is broken.

Fast fashion has taught us to expect low prices at any cost. But behind that $5 shirt is a hidden price tag: poor labor conditions, overseas factories with no environmental oversight, and products designed to fall apart so you’ll buy more. We’re not interested in that model.

So here’s what we do differently.

We use Direct-to-Garment (DTG) and Direct-to-Film (DTF) printing — modern, high-quality methods that apply water-based inks directly into the fabric. That means no heavy plastics, no layered-on ink, and none of the chemical runoff of traditional screen printing. There are no expensive setup processes or wasted materials from minimum orders. Everything we make is made to order, reducing waste at every step.

We power our operations with standard energy-efficient equipment, not high-heat curing machines or water-intensive cleaning processes. Even our printer was purchased used — repaired and restored instead of replaced. We reuse everything we can, down to the shipping boxes and the ink cartridges, and we generate less than one bag of landfill waste per month.

When it comes to apparel, we don’t stop at printing. We rescue high-quality clothing — the good stuff, not the throwaways — and give it a second life. Whether it’s a premium piece that someone no longer needs or a rare vintage find, we clean, restore, and offer it at a price that reflects real value, not retail hype. This is what we call “real-cycling.” And it’s better for your budget, your closet, and the planet.

We also keep things local. Our blanks come from U.S.-based suppliers, many of them also veteran- or small-business-owned. That means fewer shipping emissions, fairer labor practices, and more money staying in the communities we care about.

When you order from us, you’re not clicking a button on some anonymous platform. You’re supporting a real shop with real people who care about the details. You’re supporting a business that doesn’t just say it’s sustainable — we prove it with every order, every garment, every decision.

So whether you're shopping for a one-of-a-kind piece, outfitting your team, or just curious about what ethical apparel looks like in practice — we invite you to visit, shop, and see the difference.

This isn’t just custom apparel. This is Apparel & Beyond.

Real apparel. Real people. Real change.