Hey there, I’m Matt and nobody knows I sell t-shirts!

 I love t-shirts, their comfort and versatility and, more importantly how they have always allowed me to express myself, to wear my personality.  Over time I have owned many t-shirts, I like tees that are humorous and edgy at the same time, something that pushes the envelope a bit.  I have found it’s a good way to break the ice or start a conversation in any social situation.   

nbk is a brand that celebrates what makes all of us unique.  We embrace diversity, the weird, the humorous, as well as life’s little ironies.  We recognize that it is our differences and diversity that keep life interesting and add depth and value to our world, a world that we all share, and a world that we must preserve and protect.  In an effort to contribute to our world, at nbk we seek to add laughter and levity, not take ourselves to seriously, and support a cause personally close to our hearts, mental health, more specifically youth mental health.

I’m a single father of two amazing teenagers.  The concept of nbk was born back in my college days, hanging out with friends at the pub one night a good friend of mine suddenly blurted “nobody knows I’m socially awkward!” to which everyone had a raucous laugh as this particular friend had always been quite social.  This vein of conversation continued and as the night carried on, everyone contributed their own ‘nobody knows’ quips.  The idea that some of these should be printed on t-shirts was born, alas as with many good ideas this one took its place on the shelf.

 Time marches on.  I followed a girl out to the west coast, got married, had kids, bought a house, and eventually also split up.  My ex had suffered from depression her whole life and, after our split, was diagnosed as bi-polar.  It was a battle that she eventually lost, taking her own life, and hopefully finally finding peace.  Picking up the pieces and trying to support the kids through this trauma has been a learning experience and has also encouraged us to help others, especially youth, who are struggling with mental illness.  Being close to our hearts, and wanting the business to give back in some way, we decided that $1 from every sale will be donated to a national youth mental health program in Canada or the United States (depending on where you order from) and we’re working on setting something up in the UK as well.  Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth 10-24 years old, and is devastating for those left behind.  Mental illness is treatable but unfortunately the majority of those suffering do not seek help, due to a continuing stigma around the illness and the isolation it creates due to it’s deeply personal nature.    

 It has been an incredible ride getting the store up and running, we hope you find something in our product line that tickles your funny bone and you enjoy as much as we enjoyed creating it!  Also, make sure you let us know what you think of our tees, we love to hear from you!

 Awesome to meet you,

 Matt