The Hybrid Shop introduces ‘print, cut, and sew’ uniforms

As the island completely emerges from COVID-19, James Aguirre Rabauliman sees an opportunity in producing custom-made sports jerseys.

That’s why his company, The Hybrid Shop, is pivoting toward making what he calls “print, cut, and sew” uniforms specially geared for sports teams and individuals.

“The custom shirt orders usually start with an inquiry. Then, we have a one-on-one exchange of ideas toward the design they envision. They also can come in with an image from the internet or a drawing.”

Rabauliman said The Hybrid Shop uses T-shirt sublimation technology to churn out their innovative jersey designs using the specifications of clients.

“We use dye-sublimation, heat press vinyl, and direct-to-film printing. We first make a digital image and then insert it into a shirt pattern. Then we print it into a sublimation paper, press it into a dry-fit fabric, cut the pattern properly, and then sew all the patterns together to make the shirts,” he said.

And that explains the inventive “print, cut, and sew” term Rabauliman uses to call The Hybrid Shop’s custom jersey technique.

The Marianas High School alumnus and former Dynamic Air flight attendant said as the CNMI puts the pandemic farther and farther away on the rearview mirror, all manner of sports is back with the vengeance and aside from sports equipment, players always need uniforms.

Asked who planted the seed of entrepreneurship in him, the 31-year-old immediately answered that his mother has always been a great influence.

Rabuliman’s mother is Liberty and together with the young James, they sold and supplied mainly vegetables all over the island.

“I always been a salesman. Growing up I helped my mother sell Filipino delicacies at the Sabalu Market and Street Market. Getting orders from my teachers and all the staff at my former schools then giving the orders to my parents,” he said.

The genesis of The Hybrid Shop, meanwhile, was due to Rabauliman suddenly realizing he had a young family to support.

“I knew that I wanted to get into making uniforms, specifically dye-sublimation, which made us the first one on the island.”

He also gained some notoriety when his Tiktok upload on how to make DIY facemasks gained thousands of views during the height of COVID-19, leading to $5,000 in overnight sales.

What he earned from the sales of those facemasks allowed him to purchase a state-of-the-art sublimation printer and heat press.

Aside from dye-sublimation T-shirts and sports jerseys, The Hybrid Shop also sells custom-made varsity jackets, island graphic shirts, custom tumblers, mini and actual size flags of all islands in the Micronesia region, and his newest foray, making high-definition metal prints for just about every image you want to display.

The Hybrid Shop is located along Beach Road right across the UFO and McDonald’s pavilions in Garapan.

It is open Monday to Saturday from 11am to 6pm. For more information, call (670)788-57-22 email: 670hybridshop@gmail.com Instagram: @hybridspn Facebook: @highbreedshop and website: www.shopthehybrid.com.

Rabauliman added that everything sold at The Hybrid Shop can also be bought at the online store and can be shipped to customers.