How the Overthinkers Club turned a healing journey into a growing apparel brand

The Overthinkers Club began as something deeply personal for Marissa Grubb: a way to heal, create, and reconnect with herself.

"The brand started as part of my healing journey through sobriety and improving my mental health. The goal was to cultivate more self-compassion and ultimately be an outlet for me to be creative."

What began in Toronto as a personal creative outlet has grown into an apparel brand shipping across Canada and expanding internationally.

Each piece is shaped by Marissa's lived experiences with anxiety, identity, and growth. Every design begins with intention, featuring the words she needed to hear, and the reminders she wishes she'd had earlier.

The result is clothing that feels raw, real, and instantly relatable because it comes from a place people recognize.

"I've had a lot of people say, ‘Thank you for saying the things that I haven't been able to put into words myself."

Turning self-compassion into custom apparel

The real test of any apparel brand isn't just online reach, it's how people react when they see it in person.

At markets and pop-ups across Canada, Marissa gets to watch people discover The Overthinkers Club in real time. In December, the brand had its first physical storefront after winning a grant to host a 30-day pop-up at Stacked Market.

It gave customers the chance to touch, try on, and connect with the pieces face-to-face."I'd watch people walk by and literally say, ‘Oh my God, that's me.' Or they'd turn to a friend and say, ‘Hey, I found a shirt for you.'"

The garments are intentionally cozy, thoughtfully constructed, and designed to feel like something you reach for again and again.

Pieces like the Love Your Mind sweater and the bestselling Take Up Space tee (printed with the words You're not here to be small, you're here to be you) have become staples not just because of the design, but because of what they represen.

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Starting a clothing brand without bulk orders

Like many independent clothing brand founders, Marissa began building The Overthinkers Club with her own savings. Every decision mattered.

In the early days, high minimum order quantities made growth feel out of reach. Most manufacturers required large bulk orders, which simply was not realistic.

"I'm unable to fulfill an order of 50+ pieces at this point in time, and that's typically the starting point I would find for a lot of places."

Even when she found options within budget, the quality often did not match the standard she wanted to set for her customers.

Tapstitch provided a different way to operate. With no minimum order requirement, Marissa can order in small quantities, test new ideas, and refine her collections without overcommitting financially.

"Tapstitch makes it really easy for me to order small quantities and still be able to release new items without breaking the bank."

Instead of waiting until bulk production felt accessible, she has been able to grow steadily and sustainably, releasing one intentional drop at a time.

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Growing sustainably with fashion-on-demand

The Overthinkers Club is built on care, a philosophy that extends beyond the messaging and into the way the garments are produced.

Marissa did not want to create excess. She did not want to guess quantities or contribute to overproduction.

"One thing I really love about Tapstitch is that it allows me to never run out of inventory, but also not overproduce. It's very important for my brand not to contribute to fast fashion."

Using Tapstitch's made-to-order supply chain means she produces what is needed and nothing more. She can experiment, respond to demand, and adjust in real time.

"Only producing what I need is good for the environment and, at the end of the day, good for me as a small business owner. I'm not sitting on tons of inventory that I can't sell, and I can really keep track of what's popular."

It is a way of growing that feels aligned with her values: steady, thoughtful, and sustainable.

The details that elevate custom clothing

As The Overthinkers Club has grown, Marissa's standards have not changed.

Every new product begins with hands-on testing. Before releasing a new drop, she creates made-to-order samples directly from the Tapstitch catalog, allowing her to test new ideas without committing to bulk quantities. She lives in them, evaluating sizing, fabric weight, durability, and construction.

"I sample the sizing, I sample the way it feels, I wash and dry them, beat them up to see how they hold up. And I'm always pleasantly surprised by the end result."

Customers regularly comment on how cozy the pieces feel, how well they fit, and how thoughtfully they are constructed.

But for Marissa, quality goes beyond fabric and print.

She adds one of Tapstitch's custom clothing labels to each garment. Designed in Canva and uploaded directly into the platform, the labels feature her own handwriting: The Overthinkers Club, designed in Toronto by Marissa Grubb.

"They've been such a game changer for me. It made me feel like I moved from just putting my art onto items to feeling like a brand that has standing. The little things make a big difference."

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Building a brand without asking permission

For Marissa, flexibility is everything.

If a customer loves a message but wants it placed differently, she can adjust the design directly on Tapstitch. If she wants to test a bold back graphic with a subtle front detail, she can sample it first. If an idea feels experimental, she can try it without committing to large quantities.

"Your service allows me to do that. It allows me to cater to other people. It allows me to be bold and try new things."

That freedom has shaped the brand's identity. Big statements on the back. Subtle affirmations on the front. Handwritten details. Evolving silhouettes.

In the early days, Marissa questioned whether white-label production made her brand less legitimate. She wondered if she needed tech packs, factories, or formal training to be taken seriously.

"It can be hard starting a brand with all of the noise out there. Tapstitch has actually given me the opportunity to start to dive into other things, like learning about the fashion world. It's so important for me to say to anyone, if you're wanting to create and build a brand and share your art, this is a great way to start, continue and grow."

Scaling a clothing brand with Tapstitch

From her first small sample orders to larger bulk runs for trade shows and her 30-day storefront, Tapstitch has supported every stage of The Overthinkers Club's growth.

As demand increased, so did order sizes. Production remained consistent. Fulfilment stayed reliable. Even international shipping became possible, opening the door to customers beyond Canada.

For Marissa, the relationship goes beyond manufacturing.

"I simply would not be where I am today without Tapstitch. You guys have been foundational for me. We can grow together as businesses, we learn from each other and tailor accordingly."

What began as a practical solution has become a long-term partnership that scales alongside her ambition.

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What's next for The Overthinkers Club?

The brand's first chapter was about healing. The second was about sharing the message in real life, at markets, pop-ups, and a storefront in the heart of Toronto.

Marissa's next chapter is about scale.

She is growing her Shopify presence and learning more about the world of digital marketing so the brand can move into communities around the world. While the brand currently ships primarily within Canada and the US, Tapstitch's global fulfilment infrastructure makes it possible to serve customers wherever they are.

"I wouldn't have been able to grow and scale the way I have been today without the support of Tapstitch. Seeing the transition after getting in front of people gives me so much excitement for the future. I envision the day where this is my full-time job. I can see little inklings of it moving there, which is really awesome."

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If you want to create, nothing needs to stand in your way.

With no minimum order quantities and a flexible, made-to-order supply chain, Tapstitch makes it possible to start small and grow sustainably.

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