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When your brand is built on color, creativity should come naturally. For Meldrim’s Paint and its sister stores, Vermont Paint, that meant finding a way to make their look stand out beyond the store shelves — and into everyday life.

“We’re always looking for ways to stand out and create a destination experience for our customers,” said Kaitlyn Head, Director of Operations for both brands. “With The Dunstan Group, we found a partner who immediately understood that vision.”

The connection began earlier this year at the AllPro trade show, where The Dunstan Group caught the attention of the Meldrim’s and Vermont Paint team — thanks, ironically, to the hats on display at The Dunstan Group’s booth. “Those hats literally brought people to us,” The Dunstan Group’s Brian Young laughed. “Once we started talking, we saw right away that this was a group ready to think differently about branded merchandise.”

That conversation turned into a creative collaboration that transformed what might have been just another contractor giveaway into a retail-worthy sensation.

Traditionally, paint retailers hand out plain white tees with a logo on the back — practical, but not particularly exciting. Brian and the creative team at The Dunstan Group flipped that idea on its head. “We challenged them to think about how people connect with a brand,” said Brian. “We asked, ‘Who’s your favorite band?’ and when the answer was The Killers, that gave us our direction.”

The result was a contractor T-shirt that looked more like a vintage concert tee than a work uniform — complete with a back design featuring every Meldrim’s location, styled like a tour schedule. “It looked like something you’d buy retail,” said Brian. “People couldn’t believe they were being given these.”

The project’s success led to another round of creative thinking — this time for Vermont Paint. Drawing inspiration from its proximity to the University of Vermont, The Dunstan Group designed fully custom sun hoodies in the school’s iconic green and gold colors. Inside the hoods, a step-and-repeat pattern featuring the brand’s logo and Benjamin Moore’s triangle added an extra level of detail.“

The goal was to connect with local pride,” Brian explained. “We wanted something that felt like Vermont — that people would actually want to wear on game day or around town.”

It worked. The hoodies and tees became instant favorites among staff, customers, and even contractors. “The demand has been amazing,” Kaitlyn shared. “Our staff, friends, family, and customers can’t get enough — and they’re always asking what’s next.”

Since then, the collaboration has grown to include even more custom projects — from hoodies to varsity jackets — all built around designs that feel fresh, authentic, and uniquely local.

“The creativity and professionalism from The Dunstan Group have made all the difference,” said Kaitlyn. “They helped us bring our vision to life.”

For The Dunstan Group, that’s exactly the goal. “It’s not just about putting a logo on a shirt,” Brian added. “It’s about making something people want to wear — something that makes them proud of the brand they represent.”

For 24 years, the 24 Foundation has been a late July ritual in the Charlotte community. As the nonprofit prepares for its 24th annual “24 Hours of Booty” event, organizers want to make certain this 24-hour cycling and walking fundraiser is the summer’s must-do charity event.

Katherine Murphy is Executive Director of 24 Foundation. We checked-in with her to talk about the organization’s mission and the exciting plans for this milestone year. “We raise funds that make an immediate impact on the lives of those with a cancer diagnosis,” Murphy explained. “That means untangling the maze of appointments and information and helping provide funding for treatments and programs that insurance typically doesn’t pay for but are just as important as chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, research, etc.” Since its founding, the foundation has raised over $30 million, all of which stays local to support the Charlotte community.

Like Murphy said, the 24 Hours of Booty event is a 24-hour celebration of hope, healing, and community, starting Friday evening and running through Saturday evening. Participants ride, walk, run, or ruck as much as they want during the 24-hour period. Along the way, they’re supported by meals, snacks, and a vibrant expo area featuring sponsors and community partners. Murphy described the event as “a big party for the cancer community,” adding, “it’s hard to explain it unless you’ve experienced it, so we always tell people just to show up whether it’s as a participant, volunteer, sponsor, donor, or someone just coming out and cheering people on.”

The Dunstan Group’s role in supporting the foundation has grown over the years, most recently highlighted by a special custom backpack created for the 24th anniversary event. Murphy was visibly excited about the collaboration, during our interview: “We love working with Dunstan Group. They help us create products that not only look great but also embody the spirit of our event and mission—they just get us!”

The backpack plays off a popular retail design that Murphy and her team enjoy, but takes it several levels higher. It’s a completely customized product, designed with thoughtful branding and practical features –all the way down to the color of the zipper pulls and placement of the tag. Yes! The Dunstan Group can get that granular when it comes to detail and design. Just give us the time, and we’ll make the magic happen.

Over the years, The Dunstan Group has provided a range of branded apparel, awards, and promotional items that help unify the event experience and boost visibility for the foundation and its sponsors. Murphy noted, “They really understand our needs and work with us to make sure everything matches our brand and feels special for the community we serve.”

Naturally, we had to ask Murphy was else was planned to celebrate year 24. She said to expect new on-site experiences to enhance the event’s impact and engagement, including a “Lighting of the Loop” ceremony—a nighttime program with special guests and surprises—and expanded family-friendly activities like a kids zone and a dunk tank. Murphy shared, “We’re going big for year 24, and The Dunstan Group’s support helps us bring all these new ideas to life with cohesive, professional branding and quality merchandise.”

And there’s still time to get involved. For more information about 24 Hours of Booty, including how to participate or support the event, visit 24foundation.org.