About

Jayki is a new Sydney based street-wear label founded by Jonathan Key. When Jon isn't writing an about page in the third person, he is usually designing, listening to music or drinking tea (sometimes all at once)

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Everyone’s a Dreamer...

"So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they soon become inevitable."

The idea for Jayki started when I was 16, I had become absolutely obsessed with art and graphic design - so much so that I was spending more time reading design books than focusing at high school. I was the kid who sat at the back corner with his head in the clouds. Eventually this obsession would lead to going out to find jobs, some of these involving t-shirts. Out of all the things I had created, t-shirts had a lasting impact. The idea that something you had created would be worn by people voluntarily just blew my mind.

So I wrote down a date. 11 November 2011, a date I could look towards to launching my very own t-shirt company. At 16, I was under the impression that people could achieve anything they wanted to if they liked it enough (and I still believe this.) Unfortunately not everything went to plan. I wasn't getting many jobs designing t-shirts, I didn't have the money and with school work and the HSC in a year, I had to figure out an escape.

So I took a risk, I dropped out of high school and dropped into CATC Design School, a beautiful building next to Sydney Harbour. Here I could continue to grow creatively and make some money on the side freelancing. Then… I worked like crazy…crazy hours but I enjoyed all of it. The pain and suffering of the all nighters were just part of the journey.

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

Jayki has never been about anything more than getting the opportunity to make more t-shirts. I don't sell t-shirts to make money, I make money so I can make more t-shirts.

I think if we enjoy what we are doing, we really can't lose. Thus we should simply worry less and enjoy.

Whenever possible, we try to use 100% organic cotton for our shirts.

In coming seasons, Jayki is set to expand its line of garments to scarves, jeans and jackets, while staying true to our overlying style and philosophy.