The Design Process

The Half Sumo design process begins with the simplest tool: a line on paper.

Before a dogi, rashguard, grappling short, T-shirt, hoodie, or accessory becomes part of a finished collection, it starts as hand-drawn artwork. For co-founder and designer Luigi Scarcella Perino, drawing has always been a natural form of expression. Half Sumo Collective grew from that instinct, shaped by childhood afternoons spent reading manga, years of martial arts training, and a visual world built from Japanese woodblock prints, ukiyo-e, irezumi-inspired tattoo art, graffiti, street art, and combat sports culture.

Every Half Sumo collection is designed to tell a story. The artwork might begin with an old illustration, an intense facial expression, a mythological figure, a martial arts symbol, or a moment seen while moving through New York. From there, the idea is developed by hand and refined using digital tools such as Photoshop. The process is practical, fast-moving, and independent. Much of the brand's photography, video, and creative material is captured on mobile, built with the same energy that defines Half Sumo as a small martial arts brand.

That independence continues into production. Half Sumo works with Inkify in Walpole, Massachusetts, where many products are screen printed and embroidered in the USA. The printing process is traditional and hands-on. Screens are prepared in the dark room, designs are registered carefully on press, and each colour is aligned to preserve the detail of the original artwork.

For Half Sumo apparel, water-based ink plays an important role. Unlike heavier plastisol prints that sit on top of the garment, water-based printing dyes into the fibres of the fabric. The result is a softer, more breathable finish that feels integrated with the T-shirt rather than layered over it. Over time, the print wears with the garment, developing a vintage character while keeping the artwork alive.

Embroidery adds another level of craft, with every job requiring attention, adjustment, and experience. Whether printed or embroidered, the goal is the same: to create martial arts apparel that feels considered, durable, and personal.

Half Sumo's design process is not about mass production. It is about building limited edition fightwear, lifestyle clothing, and collectibles with meaning. Every line, print, stitch, and package carries the hand-built spirit of an independent brand. The result is technical combat sports clothing with artwork that belongs to the mat, the street, and the people who wear it.