The Dream
For over a decade, Loon Layers has been an idea waiting to come to life, created to break away from the boring Minnesota designs everyone has seen before. Every layer is crafted with elevated design to capture the spirit of weekends at the lake, early morning pickleball games, hiking dusty trails, and nights around the fire with friends.
But life was busy, and like most good ideas, this one kept getting pushed aside. Until recently, when I realized that between my background in design, experience in e-commerce, and a deep love for the North, there was no better time than now to finally bring it to life.
So here we are. Introducing Loon Layers, a laid-back clothing brand inspired by Midwest hobbies, hometown pride, and the small moments that make life feel full.
The Inspiration: Leisure, Design & Life Offline
I’ve spent my career as a designer, working across digital product design, branding, and e-commerce. I know my way around the Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Shopify, and SEO. So from a skills perspective, I was ready.
But more than that I was craving a creative outlet that felt personal. A brand that reflected the things I loved most:
- The outdoors
- Slowing down
- Time with friends and family
- Lakes, tennis courts, trails, and cabins
- Good design with real heart
In a world ruled by screens and scrolling, I think people are starting to look up again. To do things they love with the people they love. Loon Layers is my small nudge in that direction.
Naming the Brand: A Moment Up North
The name Loon Layers wasn’t something I came up with alone. My partner and I were driving up north to the lake, one of those classic Minnesota weekend escapes, tossing around ideas with the word Loon for the brand.
When he said “Loon Layers” out loud, it just hit. I knew immediately: that was the one.
It felt playful yet grounded. It honored Minnesota’s state bird, the layered lifestyle we live up here, and had a rhythm that just worked. It captured the soul of the brand in two simple words.
I checked the domain availability and social handles right then and there, and somehow, miraculously, everything was available.
That sealed it. It was meant to be.
Bringing It to Life: The Design & Photography Process
As a designer, the creative process was where I felt most at home. I used a mix of tools:
- Photoshop and Illustrator for creating bold, vintage-inspired illustrations
- Figma to plan the layouts, and to organize brand elements
- Procreate for hand-drawn elements with character
- Canva for other promotional elements
I’ve always loved the look of old outdoor gear and vintage prints. My goal was to combine those aesthetics with modern typography and layouts, wearable art that feels nostalgic and fresh. I was bored with all the basic Minnesota and Northern designs out there, and wanted to put an elevated design spin on things.
To bring even more life into the brand, I recently bought a Fujifilm X100VI. It’s not just for the business, it’s a way for me to reconnect with a hobby I used to love: photography.
Instead of snapping quick phone pics, I’m slowing down, framing the moment, and embracing the analog-inspired look of the Fuji’s film simulations.
Capturing people wearing Loon Layers with a camera like that feels like the perfect way to visually reinforce our mission: to get back to living life, not just posting about it.
Customization for Crews, Clubs & Lake Life
One of the things I’m most excited about is making personalized versions of the designs for specific groups and places.
Whether it’s a pickleball crew, a boating club, or a family cabin weekend, we can swap in your lake name, town, family name, or organization's name while keeping the same vintage-style illustration.
It adds that little extra meaning so your group can rep something that feels personal and proud.
How I Set Up the Business: A Transparent Walkthrough
For anyone dreaming about launching a brand like this, here’s exactly how I made it happen:
1. Finding the Name
- Brainstormed ideas while driving up north with my partner
- When Loon Layers was said out loud, I knew instantly it was the one
- Searched for domain availability on GoDaddy
- Checked Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and Facebook to make sure the name was free
- Bought loonlayers.com and locked down all matching social handles
2. Setting Up the Business
- Registered Loon Layers LLC in Minnesota
- Signed up for a state sales tax ID
- Opened a business bank account and got a separate credit card for clean accounting
3. Building the Store
- Set up the website in Shopify using a clean, simple layout
- Connected Printful and Printify for print-on-demand fulfillment
- Built product pages and set up shipping, return policies, and legal pages
4. Creating Designs
- Designed the first collections in Photoshop, Illustrator, and Procreate
- Mocked up products and designs in Figma
- Focused on bold vintage-inspired illustrations, clean typography, and a little Minnesota nice in every piece
5. Marketing & Community
- Created all social channels: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook under @LoonLayers
- Set up Klaviyo to handle email marketing and newsletter signups
- Started posting design process, design polls, and sneak peeks of upcoming collections
Looking Ahead: Wholesale & Stockist Opportunities
One of my long-term goals with Loon Layers is to partner with small shops, boutiques, and outfitters across the Midwest and beyond. I want the brand to live not just online, but in the heart of the communities it represents.
As I grow, I plan to offer a thoughtful wholesale program, complete with best-selling styles backed by real sales data, seasonal collections, and opportunities for limited custom runs featuring local towns or lakes.
If you’re a shop owner or buyer and want to be among the first to carry Loon Layers, I’d love to hear from you. You can reach out directly through the contact page or via email.
What's Next?
Right now, I’m focused on launching collections like:
- Pickleball Club Series
- Lake Life Favorites
- Cabin Season Collection
- Trail & Camp Series
- Tennis, Golf & Summer Sport Styles
Each one is made to celebrate the little things, those slow mornings, golden hour walks, impromptu games and quiet nights and weekends at the lake. The ones you remember.
Follow Along
If you’re into good design, Minnesota vibes, and clothes that mean something, I hope you’ll follow along.
Sign up for the email list, follow us @LoonLayers on Instagram, watch our videos on TikTok, and let me know if you want a shirt with your favorite lake, trail, or town. I’d love to help you rep your happy place.
Thanks for reading and thanks for supporting a little Midwest dream 10 years in the making.
