Case Study: How Church of the Heartland Made Their Rebrand Stick With Affordable, High-Quality Merch
When a church goes through a rebrand, the challenge isn’t just updating the logo or changing signage—it’s helping the entire congregation embrace a new identity. That was the opportunity facing Church of the Heartland when they unveiled their new name and branding.
To make the rebrand tangible, they needed high-quality, affordable merchandise that would help members feel excited to represent their church both inside and outside the building. That’s where Church Wear came in.
The Merch Lineup
Together, we developed a diverse lineup that reflected the new brand:
Hoodies – cozy and durable, perfect for Midwest winters.
T-shirts – everyday wear that members could proudly rep during the week.
Hats – three different designs so people could choose their style.
Stickers – a small but powerful way to spread the brand everywhere laptops, water bottles, and notebooks go.
From the start, the goal was clear: create merch that feels like retail apparel, not church swag.
Affordable for the Congregation
One of the biggest barriers churches face with merch is pricing. Local print shops often force ministries to sell t-shirts for $40 or $50 just to break even. That’s not fair to the congregation and it creates a bad buying experience.
Because Church Wear works factory-direct, we eliminated the middleman markups. That allowed Church of the Heartland to price their merch affordably while still making a healthy margin.
Members could buy a hoodie or hat without thinking twice about the cost, and the church still came out ahead financially.
The Self-Sustaining Merch Cycle
Perhaps the biggest win from this partnership was sustainability. The church made an upfront investment to get their merch line off the ground. Once it launched, the profits from sales created a pool of money to fund the next order.
Now, instead of merch being an ongoing expense, it’s a self-sustaining cycle:
Launch new merch.
Sell at affordable prices.
Roll profits into future drops.
That means future hoodies, hats, and t-shirts don’t require new budget approvals or fundraising—they pay for themselves.
Expanding Into Ministries and Conferences
The success of the initial launch opened new doors. We’re now working with Church of the Heartland to create:
Heartland Women Conference merch – apparel designed specifically for their women’s ministry.
Heartland Kings (men’s ministry) hats – strong, bold designs tailored for men.
Potential kids’ merch – helping even the youngest members rep their church family.
By creating unique merch for each ministry, the church is building identity and unity across every group.
Every Sunday, Everywhere
The true proof of success is in what happens after Sunday. Each week, you can walk into Church of the Heartland and see people wearing hoodies, hats, and t-shirts with their new brand. Beyond that, members wear them to work, the gym, or the grocery store—turning every outing into an opportunity to represent their church and share their faith.
Final Thoughts
Church of the Heartland’s rebrand wasn’t just about a new name—it was about a new season of ministry. By investing in fully custom, affordable church merch, they gave their congregation a way to proudly embrace the change.
With quality pieces, fair prices, and a self-sustaining profit model, they’ve turned merchandise from a cost center into a tool for community-building, outreach, and long-term financial stewardship.
If your church is considering a rebrand or planning an upcoming conference, merch can play a powerful role in uniting your people and extending your message.
