Heya, some great news from springleap. We just launched our picture gallery. Here's one of my fav pics so far:

http://www.springleap.com/photos/view/id:60

Let us know what you think?

Eran,

Just wanted to thank you for your response to this post. It's awesome to get both sides of the story, and hear directly from the folks at SpringLeap.

I have to say that from my own experience, you guys are great just because of the level of participation in the t-shirt community at large.

Hi Liz

Thanks for the mention regarding this review.

Firstly let me start off by saying that we believe it is in everybody and anybody's best interest to enter at springleap and that we have certain points of interest that set us apart from the pack.

Regarding the prize - the top prize every month is about US$1000 - that is $250 more than Design by Humans. In addition the winner gets a stack of other sponsored prizes, all the shirts of that month (worth several hundred dollars), as well as massive exposure and royalties.

The issue at hand with Alan - with all due respect as we perhaps need to be clearer - is that the model at springleap.com is not limited to a run of 108 units and that there is greater depth to the royalties and exposure.

Springleap.com is in it's infancy, making bold strides in a market where the big players have a 5-6 year lead on us. We are currently entirely self-funded and provide a completely different and new product.

Our first runs are only 108 units. Our aim is to grow that number exponentially so that the royalties skyrocket.

Part of the beauty of springleap is that we are building a catalogue of amazing designs that we will offer retailers around the world on almost any conceivable product ranging from beach towels to laptop covers. We intend to create a place where the designers are not only able to earn cash upfront, but in a sense, absorb all the risk of starting a new business on their behalf - selling their designs in a huge way while making them stacks of royalties over time as well as incredible exposure.

We are looking at rather allowing the designers to choose their t-shirt they win, and in point of fact where some artists have requested specific tees, we have provided.

Regarding exposure - firstly we are HUGE on creating exposure for artists. It's all well and dandy to win some cash but exposure is worth tenfold to a designer. Some of our designers have been on the radio, in the newspapers and magazines thanks to being a runner-up or winner. Some have also been approached for freelance work and we have opened many corporates to our designers with no cost as agents or involvement save providing introductions. In other cases where a corporate entity or business wanted some amazing shirt designs we have opened our catalog and hooked them up with the designer and produced the t-shirt. The designer would charge a freelance rate and there s the promise of more work.

The outer back of springleap t-shirts bears the username of the artist as well the title of the work - we are NOT Threadless or Almightees, Emptees and so forth. Our aim with this is to really expose the public at large to art in a gallery without walls - to remember the immense value that the creators of aesthetics and graphica have in their lives.

We don't want people to wear a brand name on the outside of the tee the value of a brand's product is that designer's talent - so for us, we are a brand that emphasizes the artist as a brand unto themselves.

We are - in a sense - picking up where Andy Warhol and the Pop Art movement left off - exposing the average man to Art. Getting everyone involved. Very few people go to art galleries anymore, and while those galleries serve a fantastic purpose - the t-shirt is the most relevant canvas for our era.

We want people to go to shops looking for an artist's name - not just a brand-stamp.

To this end we also include a postcard with every springleap t-shirt. The front bears a high res image of the design on the tee and the back bears the picture of the artist, a short profile on them as well as a few thoughts they have about their design.

Each springleap t-shirt is also bundled with a monthly catalog as well as a well finished button-badge (beating the design or an element thereof) with a saftey pin so you can pin it to your cap, bag, jeans, cargos - well anywhere your heart desires!

Over time we will organically grow the prizes - we would love to be giving the biggest and baddest prizes on the net - but these things take time.

As for US$1000 - we haven't heard the winners complaining lately :)

With regards to our t-shirts themselves : the t-shirts are 165g combed cotton and a slim-cut fit. We have jst undergone a change in the cut creating lower necklines for ladies and adjusting the slimcut pattern for the men based on the feedback of the community and purchasers. The cotton of the shirts is manufactured specifically for us and the shirts are not stock tees.

We love criticism and comments - it helps us improve. So if you love us, hate us - whatever - please tell us why : we are evolving based on this feedback.

We have a long way to go but we also offer a very special and new platform for the empowerment and reward of talented, emerging and established artists.