💈✂️ Full Circle Barbershop x Frisco Threadz 🌁🧵

San Mateo Hometown Heroes: Full Circle Barbershop💈

Some projects mean more than just making something look good. They’re about the people behind the brand, the stories they carry, and the community that brings it all together.

Codie Louie with his father and brother Drew at Full Circle Barbershop on Baldwin Avenue. 📸 : https://www.sanmateocelebrates.com/the-work-of-generations/full-circle

I grew up in San Mateo, and I still call it home. I’m a bit older than Drew and Codie Louie, the brothers behind Full Circle Barbershop, but I have a lot of respect for what they’re building. They’re young, successful Fili-Am entrepreneurs creating something meaningful in the same city that helped shape me. 🤎

With October marking 🇵🇭Filipino 🇺🇸American History Month, their story feels especially worth celebrating. From their great-grandfather’s roots in barbering to their father’s artistic influence and Codie’s early days cutting hair in his parents’ garage, Full Circle represents generations of creativity, hard work, and family coming together. The brothers have taken that foundation and built something of their own, earning recognition from the City of San Mateo along the way.

It’s the kind of story that reminds me why I love working with small businesses and independent brands. Behind every logo, product, or storefront are real people, personal histories, and years of work that most folks never get to see.

That’s where my work comes in.

A big part of what I do is help bring ideas and identities to life through branding, graphic design, art direction, and custom apparel and goods. I enjoy the challenge of taking something that already has a strong identity and figuring out how to translate it into a tangible product that feels true to the people behind it.

For this project, I had the honor of creating custom embroidered Full Circle shirts for Drew and Codie.

Their logo was already dope, but taking artwork from the screen and translating it into embroidery is a different kind of design problem. Thread has limitations that digital artwork doesn’t, so I had to make some creative adjustments to get the shapes and details working properly in stitch. I’m especially juiced about how the gradient fade effect came out. It’s always satisfying when you can work through the technical challenges without losing the character of the original design.

That’s one of the things I love most about being a designer and custom goods producer: it’s not just about making things look good. It’s about problem-solving, finding the right approach, and creating something people can wear, use, and feel connected to.

And this particular project came with a personal connection, too.

Funny enough, I stopped going to the barber almost 20 years ago when I settled into my permanent hairstyle. 😂 But every once in a while, for a special occasion, I’ll get in the chair for a straight-razor shave, beard lineup, and mustache trim.

Codie got me right 🪒 the morning before I flew to the 🇵🇭 Philippines for the first time — the Motherland. That’s a memory I’ll always appreciate.

I’ve always believed there’s something special about doing business with people you do life with. People you can share a laugh and a drink with, build real relationships with, and genuinely root for beyond the transaction. The Full Circle crew embodies that kind of community. A lot of these barbers have been my customers and fellow bar mates over the years, so the respect goes both ways.

Shout-out to Zaydoc, Doc of the Bay aka Ethnic Blendz. Much respect to the OG. Like me, you started a new chapter later in life, and now we’re fortunate enough to be in a position to create. There’s something powerful about reinventing yourself and finding new ways to put your gifts into the world.

Barber Ritz aka Beasty Cutz — mad respect for your content creation skills. A fellow 40-something dad friend recently told me he found some guy through a TikTok special who’s really good, and I told him I knew exactly who he was talking about, he was impressed that I knew you. You already know I got you whenever I find another XL! 🦍

And to our San Diego veteran and Full Circle fam, @popajoef — glad we got to meet, and I appreciate the support!

Big love to Drew, Codie, their pops, and the entire Full Circle family. Thank you for representing San Mateo, supporting the Paré movement 🇵🇭, and giving us another local story worth celebrating.

I’m grateful I could contribute a little of my own craft to something that represents family, legacy, and community. That’s the kind of creative work I want to keep doing: making things with purpose, working with good people, and helping bring meaningful stories to life.

San Mateo is lucky to have you, fellas. Keep it going.

Different generations. One community. All connected by the Threadz. ♾️🧵🤎

Read the original story: Full Circle Barbershop — San Mateo Celebrates!