Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew & Sarah Kwa.
Hi Matthew & Sarah, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Things Above Custom Apparel started with our first brand, KNGS & KWNS. Back then, we were just trying to find a solid place to print our shirts — but nothing really fit what we were looking for. We even tried dropshipping, but the quality wasn’t there. At the same time, we were doing pop-up shops like the 626 Night Market, but life was shifting. Sarah was pregnant (sometimes too pregnant to be hustling at pop-ups!) and Matt was working full-time at an LED company.
During that season, friends and family kept asking us where they could get their shirts made too. That’s when we started praying about it. The answer became clear: we needed to create the solution ourselves. That’s how Things Above Custom Apparel was born.
We actually started right out of our home, making shirts in between raising our little family and learning the ropes. Eventually, God opened the door for us to move into a little warehouse shop in Arcadia, CA. From there, we focused on Direct-to-Garment (DTG) printing, making sure we sourced the best quality shirts for our clients. Later, we added Direct-to-Film (DTF) printing, and most recently, embroidery — because our clients asked for it, and we wanted to keep growing alongside their needs.
What started as us trying to figure out shirts for our own brand has grown into a business where we get to serve other people’s visions and ideas — and that’s been the biggest blessing of all.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road! We’re still a small shop, and honestly, we’re figuring things out as we go. One of the biggest blessings has been partnering with other small businesses and schools, but we’ve also had our fair share of challenges — especially with marketing and ads. On top of that, customer service has been a huge learning process for us. We always strive to deliver the best, but along the way there are hiccups. Sometimes a customer isn’t fully happy with the end product, and when that happens, we do everything we can to make it right. We’ve had to pivot, apologize, and keep learning how to better serve people.
Social media has also been a big area of growth for us. We know how powerful it is, but with only 1–3 people running the shop on any given day, it can feel like a lot to keep up with. Even so, we’ve seen God’s faithfulness in the way people have found us organically through Google or word-of-mouth, and it’s been so encouraging to see happy clients come back again and again.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We’re your local go-to shop for custom apparel! Unlike most print shops, we focus on quality and care with specialized services in Direct-to-Garment (DTG) printing, Direct-to-Film (DTF) printing, and embroidery. Whether it’s your personal design, your brand, or your organization’s logo, we bring it to life on apparel, tote bags, and accessories like hats.
As a family-owned business, we truly value making sure you’re happy with every order. On our website — www.thingsaboveca.com
— you can upload your own artwork or even design your shirts directly online. If you need a little extra help, we also offer artwork services to make sure your design is print-ready with the best resolution possible.
We love working with individuals, small businesses, nonprofits, schools, and churches. You can always connect with us online, or stop by in person to browse our samples and feel the different shirt options we keep in stock.
What’s next?
We’re excited about the future of Things Above Custom Apparel and look forward to growing our team. Our goal is to become a trusted staple for custom t-shirt printing — starting with serving our local community and, over time, expanding our reach worldwide.
In the next few years, we plan to add dropshipping as a service for our clients, and who knows — it may come even sooner. For now, though, our focus is on what matters most: providing the highest quality prints and the best experience for every client we work with.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thingsaboveca.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thingsaboveca
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@thingsaboveca
