Barbershop Merch and Branding: Tees, Hoodies and Towels
By The Velocity Wear Team
A good barbershop has regulars who've been coming for years, a vibe, and often a strong visual brand. Merch lets clients rep the shop, and branded towels make the service itself feel premium. Together they're a small investment with outsized impact.
Staff kit
Barbers wear black for good reason: hair, product and dye don't show. A black tee or polo with an embroidered or tonal logo looks sharp in the mirror and in every video the shop posts. Keep it consistent across the team.
Retail merch that sells
- Heavyweight tees with the shop logo or an illustration.
- Hoodies for winter.
- Caps with 3D puff embroidery.
- Gift bundles with grooming products at Christmas.
Branded towels
Hot towel shaves and backwashes are the parts clients film. An embroidered logo on black towels puts the brand in every clip. See barber shop towels for sizes and stock levels.
Design ideas
- Vintage barber pole or razor illustration.
- Your shop's founding year and town.
- A bold wordmark with a small icon.
- A line that suits your shop's personality.
Display
Hang a tee and hoodie on the wall by the waiting area. Clients spend time waiting; that's when they browse. Put a small price card nearby.
Pricing
Tees start from $13, hoodies from $31, caps from $12 each at 20 pieces; towels from £6.50 for hand size at 50. Check the calculator.
Multi-site and franchise shops
Groups with several shops should keep one merch range and one uniform spec. It strengthens the brand and simplifies reorders.
Mistakes to avoid
- 1Light-coloured staff kit that shows hair and dye.
- 2Merch hidden behind the counter.
- 3Overly detailed vintage logos that don't stitch well.
- 4Running out of towels on a Saturday.
Quick checklist
- Black staff tees or polos?
- Retail tee, hoodie and cap?
- Embroidered black towels?
- Wall display by waiting area?
- Christmas gift bundles?
Building a barbershop brand people want to wear
The barbershops with the best-selling merch treat their brand like a clothing label. They have a strong logo, a consistent colour palette and a look that fits their clients: classic gentleman's barber, modern skin-fade specialist, or tattoo-and-vinyl vibe. Merch should match. A traditional barber might use a crest and serif type; a modern shop might go with bold minimal lettering on a heavyweight black tee.
Social media content from the chair
Barbers post fade videos, beard trims and hot towel shaves daily. Everything visible in those clips is branding: the barber's tee, the towel round the client's shoulders, the cape. Consistent branded kit makes every video recognisably yours, even when it's shared without your handle. Over time, that consistency builds a look people associate with your shop.
Gift sets for Christmas and Father's Day
Barbershops that sell grooming products can bundle them with merch: beard oil, a comb and a branded tee, or shaving products with an embroidered hand towel. Present them in a box or bag behind the counter from November and early June. Clients buy them as gifts for partners, dads and friends.
Stock levels for a small shop
Start with one tee design and one cap at the 20-piece minimum, plus 50 branded towels for the chairs. Track which merch sizes sell, and reorder bestsellers rather than adding lots of new designs. A clear rail of three items looks more premium than a crowded shelf.
Apprentices and new barbers
Give apprentices and new barbers a set of branded tees when they start. It welcomes them to the team and keeps the shop looking consistent from their first day on the floor.
Get started
See custom t-shirts, caps and wholesale towels. Production takes 10 to 15 working days from artwork approval.
