Behind the Design: Nine Lives
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One cat. Nine lives. No apologies.
Every label needs a face. Ours is a grey tabby with an amber beanie pulled low, half-closed eyes and absolutely no interest in being liked. His name is Ember. Nine Lives is where he lives.
The Beanie Cat
The design that started everything. A portrait of the cat, straight on, unimpressed, illustrated in heavy ink linework. Every whisker, every stripe in the fur is its own line. Printed large across the back, with a small version on the chest.
There are four of them, and the beanie tells you who is who.
Ember wears amber. The face of the label, first out the door, last one to get tired.
Rogue wears red. Goes first, asks later, comes home with a story.
Ghost wears cream. The quiet one. Watches from the top of the stairs before he comes down.
Shade wears olive. Sticks to the edges of the room. Sees everything, says almost nothing.
Pick the one that feels like you. Or the one you'd like to be on a bad day.
The rest of his lives
Not every life is a portrait. Some are sprayed. Built From Solitude. None of Them Talked. Still Out Here. Nobody Asked. The cat in graffiti type, rougher and louder, the way he'd look on a wall at 3 AM.
And sometimes he is just a badge. Small on the chest, worn close, for the days that don't need a statement.
Why a cat
Because a stray gets it. Comfortable alone, never closed off. Takes what he needs, ignores what he doesn't. And when something is wrong, he doesn't look away. That is the whole idea of Stray Hero in one animal.
On what
Hoodies on the AS Colour 5161, heavyweight, brushed inside, relaxed fit. Tees on the Comfort Colors 1717, garment-dyed and heavy. Everything is made after you order it.
He's used a few lives already. He's not counting.