If you’re looking to give to The Daily Orange this holiday season, think about buying some D.O. swag.

The student news organization’s page on Society6 — a website that allows users to upload illustrations and designs that can be printed on (nearly) anything — has become a way for staff, alumni and fans alike to express their love for The D.O.

The online store also serves as a fundraising opportunity for The D.O.: Whenever an item is sold, The D.O. gets a percentage of the sale.

Since being founded in 2014 — it cost just a dollar to set it all up — with just a few items for sale, the online store has grown rapidly. It now features more than 30 designs that can be printed on a variety of items, from T-shirts and laptop covers to comforters and floor pillows.

Chloe Meister (’17), a former D.O. presentation director, realized the potential of Society6 when she was working in-house and decided to add a variety of pieces to the site, including illustrations of The D.O.’s iconic home at 744 Ostrom Ave.

She found the items were popular among alumni because merchandise wasn’t available when those alumni worked at the paper. Prints featuring old D.O. logos and illustrations of 744 struck a chord with alumni, Meister said.

“(Society6) is a really nice way to mix up all the other donation campaigns that The D.O. has going on,” Meister said.

This summer, the online store went through another creative upgrade.

The goal was to revamp the designs and make them appeal to a more diverse audience, said D.O. presentation director Lucy Naland (’19).

Naland, who oversaw the process of the creation of the different pieces, said the ideas were submitted by D.O. staffers and Syracuse University students.

Casey Russell (’19), The D.O.’s head illustrator, created the image of 744’s red door. It’s featured on, among other products, phone cases and stationery cards.

“That door is a big symbol for everyone who works here,” Russell said.

Other designs feature popular D.O. phrases like “PUP food” and “Design meeting.” There’s even an illustration of a gravestone with the words “RIP Knockout,” a nod to a typeface previously used by The D.O. that remains popular among alumni and designers.

Naland said the T-shirts and the tote bags are generally the most popular items on the site.

Many current D.O staffers have purchased pieces from the Society6 page. Naland excitedly bought a T-shirt when she first joined The D.O. to celebrate the fact she would be working in-house.

When Naland wore the shirt while working at a coffee shop in her hometown of Arlington, Virginia, a customer recognized the logo. He was a business columnist the year before and had just graduated from SU.

“That’s incredible,” Naland said.

Check out The D.O.’s holiday gift guide to find the perfect present for the D.O. lover in your life.

Published on November 17, 2017 at 1:19 am

Contact Sandhya: ssiyer@syr.edu