The market for anime and video game apparel in Australia can be a mixed bag. If you stick to the major purveyors of pop culture merchandise, it can be hard to find much, if anything, for your favourite franchise, especially if it falls outside the mainstream. Because of that, my merchandise collection has typically been limited to figures imported from Japan. My wardrobe, meanwhile, is pretty lacking in general. So when the team at Sydney-based brand Lonely Kids Club recently reached out to offer me a chance to check out some of their products, I was curious. Their range covers anime, pop culture, Australian memes, and more, and the brand also promotes ethical, sustainable production and involves a range of artists. Could they convince me to change my fashion game from drab to… well… at least something not consistently drab?
When you look through Lonely Kids Club’s range, the first thing that strikes you is the variety. Among the thousands of designs listed, you can find everything from pop culture and internet meme references to a celebration of Australiana; for example, the Get In The Van Tee, which features a certain Healthy Harold known to many Australians who grew up in the 1990s and 2000s. The artists are clearly given credit next to their designs, which is a nice addition. In this wider selection, the anime collection currently includes well over one hundred items, including general anime-themed artwork and tributes to popular series, with Studio Ghibli films especially well represented. What drew my attention was the hand-drawn characters in the designs; they look like illustrations created with the tee in mind, not promotional images transferred onto the fabric, and their lively character made it surprisingly hard to choose. In the end, I went with the Calcifer Tee and the Bonsai Cat Tree Tee, both featuring artwork by Pepe Rodriguez.
Even once you choose a design, the decisions don’t end there, given the bespoke, custom nature of the offerings. Depending on the shirt, the colours extend beyond the usual black and white into muted shades that complement the artwork. The range also offers Regular, Oversized, Maple, Crop Top, and Long Sleeve fits. I found sizing typically ran from XS to 5XL, though availability varies by cut. The gender-neutral approach is another welcome consideration, reducing ambiguity and, overall, being an inclusive practice more fashion brands should adopt. Ordering clothing online always carries the risk that something will arrive and simply not fit. I went with the familiar combination of Regular fit and black for both, although in hindsight, I would have liked to try some of those other colours.
Thankfully, the shirts themselves lived up to the appeal of the designs, with a high print quality. Over the past couple of weeks, I have been wearing both as part of my out-of-office clothing roster. Over that period, I washed each shirt approximately two or three times, following the instructions to wash them inside out in cold water and avoid the tumble dryer. After those washes, neither print showed any visible degradation. Sure, that is the bare basics of early wear, but it’s still reassuring when the illustrations are such a large part of the appeal.
They were also very comfortable, with the quality extending to the base shirts themselves. I found Lonely Kids Club’s sizing guide easy to understand, and both shirts fit comfortably in the sizes I chose. I didn’t need to add an extra buffer “just in case”. The product listings describe both Regular tees as mid-weight, 180 GSM combed cotton. The fabric has a reassuring thickness and solid feel, giving it more substance than a cheap tee whose only selling point is the picture on the front. That thickness does come with one personal consideration, however. Living in Queensland, where temperatures can get more than a little uncomfortable, I probably would not reach for these during the hottest part of summer. In other seasons, I can comfortably see both becoming part of my regular clothing rotation, offering the fun artwork and comfortable everyday wear I was hoping for.
At the time of writing, both the Calcifer Tee and Bonsai Cat Tree Tee cost $49.00 AUD each in Regular fit. That puts the pair at $98, above the $85 threshold for free Australian shipping, which is always a nice plus. Having worn and washed both, I would happily pay that price myself. The artwork initially drew me to them, but the comfortable fit, substantial fabric, and quality printing make them feel worth the asking price as shirts I will actually wear regularly.
While my hands-on experience was limited to the tees, Lonely Kids Club’s design and artist collaborations extend to hoodies, hats and caps, children’s clothing, tote bags and more. They even offer a custom Badly Drawn Pet range that turns a photo of your pet into a deliberately wonky illustration. That sounds fun, though my lack of a pet presents a fairly obvious obstacle; they offer more than a couple of other custom options, which I hope to try in the future. The brand also says its entire product range is vegan and that it is committed to providing employment for neurodivergent people and people with other disabilities. Alongside its emphasis on ethical sourcing and printing to order to reduce waste, these are welcome considerations for consumers. The main disappointment is the limited opportunity to browse in person. At the time of writing, the website lists just six stockists across New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia – none of which are near me. Browsing the online range is straightforward, but I hope their physical presence will keep growing.
I’m more than pleased with what Lonely Kids Club offers and the overall ethos of the company. The range of artwork makes browsing a pleasure, and the comfortable shirts, good print quality, and simple sizing system make the two T-shirts I tried worth recommending. Queensland summer aside, I am already keen to pick up more. Next time, I might even choose a different colour.
I would like to acknowledge Lonely Kids Club for providing me with some samples in order to facilitate this review.
