Our Story

2012

The Beginning

Our initial inspiration for TVP came from noticing a lack of creativity in nonprofit merchandise and branding. To address this issue, we founded The Vanity Project to produce purposeful, high-quality merch that consumers would be proud to wear. Working with organizations such as the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, we strived to make a difference. Initially, our goal was to be a consumer-facing business, but our path quickly changed, leading us to new and exciting opportunities.

2014

TVP Evolution

Eventually, larger brands started noticing our work, leading us to pivot our business model and work as a partner rather than a customer facing brand.

In 2014, Ryot asked us to design a t-shirt for Ian Somerhalder to promote his foundation at the Teen Choice Awards. Our sales started exploding after Ian’s shirt went viral on Twitter, working with numerous high-profile clients, including celebrities, foundations, and Disney campaigns around iconic films such as Star Wars and Iron Man.

We often found ourselves working behind the scenes, playing an essential role in operationalizing and fulfilling these projects. Though our contributions were often unseen, we took pride in the impact our work had on the causes we supported.

Today

Growth and Expansion

As TVP continued to grow, our fulfillment demands exceeded what our original provider could handle. To ensure we could meet the increasing needs, we established our own warehouse for in-house fulfillment.

Our work with nonprofits opened new doors for us, as companies began requesting dedicated storefronts rather than being part of our marketplace. This led us to explore Shopify theme development, and in 2014, we were invited to join the Shopify Partner Program. By 2015, we became Shopify Plus partners, making us the fastest to transition from a Shopify partner to a Plus partner at the time. This achievement served as a stepping stone for our eCommerce business, allowing us to collaborate with notable companies like Carnival, Chantecaille, Lonely Planet, and Totes Isotoner.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, eCommerce and fulfillment became even more crucial to our business, causing an explosion in demand. Having found our niche, we soared to new heights, working with larger brands and expanding our capabilities.