The Ultimate 'Non-Clashing Gift': Custom T-Shirts, Still Rarely Given, Are Actually a 'Hidden Gem' with Nearly 80% Satisfaction

■Are custom T-shirts a 'non-clashing gift'? Survey on giving experience and reactions When choosing a birthday or anniversary present, many people have likely worried about wanting to give something that won't clash with what others might give. Custom T-shirts, which allow you to freely design photos and messages, are a memorable gift as a one-of-a-kind item. So, how many people have actually given a custom T-shirt as a gift? Also, in what situations did those who gave them choose them, and for what reasons? Therefore, this time, in collaboration with custom T-shirt printing company 'Crossroad Ltd.', we conducted a survey on 'Experience Giving Custom T-shirts' targeting 500 men and women nationwide. *When citing the content of this press release, please comply with the following: ・State that the source is 'a survey by NEXER Inc. and Crossroad Ltd.' ・Include a link to Crossroad Ltd. (https://crossroad-t.com/) Survey Overview: 'Survey on Experience Giving Custom T-shirts' Survey Method: Internet questionnaire Survey Period: April 7, 2026 – April 15, 2026 Survey Target: Men and women nationwide Valid Responses: 500 samples Questions: Q1: Have you ever given a custom T-shirt as a gift? Q2: For what kind of occasion did you give a custom T-shirt? (Multiple answers allowed) Q3: How did you decide on the design of the custom T-shirt? (Multiple answers allowed) Q4: Why did you choose a custom T-shirt as a gift? Q5: What was the recipient's reaction? Q6: Are there any memorable reactions or episodes from the recipient? *Note: Percentages are rounded to the first decimal place, so totals may not equal 100%. ■4.6% answered 'Have given a custom T-shirt as a gift' First, we asked if they had ever given a custom T-shirt as a gift. The result was 4.6% for 'Yes' and 95.4% for 'No'. While it's not yet a common gift, it could be an option for those looking for a 'non-clashing gift'. ■43.5% of those who gave one did so as a 'birthday present' Next, we asked those who had given a custom T-shirt what kind of occasion it was for. The most common was 'Birthday present' at 43.5%. This was followed by 'Commemorating an event with family/friends' at 21.7%, and 'Surprise/novelty gift' at 17.4%. The fact that birthday presents are the most common suggests that custom T-shirts are chosen as gifts that easily create a sense of specialness. Additionally, a certain number of responses for commemorative and surprise uses indicate they are also used as items for creating memories and livening up an occasion. ■30.4% of those who gave one answered 'I thought of the design from scratch myself' Next, we asked those who had given a custom T-shirt how they decided on the design. The most common answer was 'I thought of the design from scratch myself' at 30.4%. This was followed by 'I used a template from the printing company' at 26.1%, and 'I consulted with a designer or company to create it', 'I used the recipient's favorite character or photo', and 'I created it centered on text/messages' each at 13.0%. The largest group was those who thought of the design from scratch, showing they put thought into the content while imagining the recipient. Furthermore, a certain number of people chose to use templates or consult with companies, suggesting that the ease of creating a design even for those unsure about it is one of the appeals of custom T-shirts. ■65.2% of those who gave one answered 'Because it remains as a memento' Next, we asked the reason for choosing a custom T-shirt as a gift. The most common reason was 'Because it remains as a memento' at 65.2%, far exceeding half. This was followed by 'Because it has a surprise element' at 21.7%, 'Because it becomes a topic and livens things up' at 8.7%, and 'Because it has a unique, one-of-a-kind feel' at 4.3%. It remains as a physical object, and memories come back each time it is worn. This value as a 'souvenir' seems to be the biggest reason for choosing a custom T-shirt. ■78.2% of those who gave one answered 'The recipient was pleased' Next, we asked about the reaction of the person who received the custom T-shirt. 39.1% said 'They were very pleased', and another 39.1% said 'They were quite pleased', totaling 78.2% who reported a positive reaction. Meanwhile, 'It was average' was 17.4%, and 'The reaction was not very good' was only 4.3%. Although the number of people who have given one is small, it is a striking result that about 80% of those who actually gave one reported that the recipient was pleased. We also asked for specific episodes, so we will introduce some of them. Please tell us if you have any memorable reactions or episodes from the recipient. ・I made a T-shirt in Okinawa. They were happy. (Female, 30s) ・I printed a picture of the father drawn by the child, and they were happy, saying it looked like him, thank you. (Female, 30s) ・I printed a photo of the recipient's pet, so they were very happy. (Female, 40s) ・I gave a matching original item. (Male, 40s) ・They were surprised to hear it was homemade. (Female, 40s) ・I sent a T-shirt with a photo of their beloved dog printed on it, and since they were a huge dog lover, I was impressed by how much they appreciated it. I also remember that later, perhaps influenced by this gift, they printed a photo of their dog on a hat and wore it themselves. (Male, 60s) Efforts to materialize feelings for the recipient, such as printing children's drawings or pet photos, seem to leave a lasting impression. The scenes and styles vary, from making them while traveling to giving matching sets, showing that with the giver's ideas, it can become a memorable gift. ■Summary In this survey, only 4.6% of all respondents had given a custom T-shirt as a gift. On the other hand, about 80% of those who had given one answered that 'the recipient was pleased', indicating that it is a highly satisfying gift. Furthermore, the most common reason for choosing a custom T-shirt was 'Because it remains as a memento' at 65.2%. The fact that it remains as a physical object and brings back memories each time it is worn seems to be the unique appeal of custom T-shirts. Because it is not a standard gift, it is less likely to clash with others and makes it easy to create a special feeling. When you are unsure what to give a loved one, why not consider a custom T-shirt as a memorable present? ・The source must be stated as 'a survey by NEXER Inc. and Crossroad Ltd.'