Life is Good®
Company Overview
Life is Good is a purpose-driven lifestyle brand rooted in the belief that optimism is a powerful force for change. Founded in 1994 by brothers Bert and John Jacobs, the company began with a mission inspired by their mom: spread the power of optimism. What started as hand-printed t-shirts has grown into a globally recognized brand known for its iconic Jake character and his dog, Rocket, uplifting messages, and commitment to doing good.
I serve as Life is Good’s sole in-house embroidery artist and digitizer, helping re-launch the company’s in-house embroidery program and establishing the standards, workflows, and quality benchmarks that support ongoing production. I collaborate closely with the Production team and partner cross-functionally with senior leadership across production, product, quality, and e-commerce to align creative, technical, and operational goals. I use single-head, 4-head, and 8-head Tajima TMEZ embroidery machines to create sew-outs for approvals and product photography, and I troubleshoot technical challenges to improve efficiency and consistency.
Embroidered Braille Campaign, 2025
This campaign started as a concept exploration initiated by the Life is Good marketing team around a Braille-embroidered “Life is Good” t-shirt in collaboration with legally blind influencer Anthony Ferraro. I helped shape and develop the idea, then led the translation of that vision into a functional, production-ready embroidered product.
From the start, I was excited by the challenge - not simply because it involved embroidery, but because accessibility and inclusivity are values I care deeply about. As the lead designer and digitizer, the project held personal meaning for me. My father is legally blind, and that lived experience shaped how I approached the work.
Throughout the process, I utilized ADA guidelines and consulted my father as a lived-experience resource to help validate decisions around scale, spacing, and tactile clarity.
Creative Leadership & Collaboration
I partnered closely with the marketing team to align on both intent and execution. Together, we defined success not only by how the shirt looked, but by how it functioned for someone reading it through touch. My role was to translate that shared vision into thoughtful, technical embroidery decisions, while consistently advocating for accessibility throughout the process.
Accessibility Standards & Braille Guidance
To ensure the Braille functioned as intended, I defined clear guidelines around dot size, spacing, stitch height, and placement based on ADA recommendations and real-world tactile testing. These standards aligned the marketing and production art teams around a shared definition of success for accessibility, ensuring decisions were consistent, intentional, and scalable across future accessible embroidery projects.
Research, Mockups & Accessibility
I created mockups and researched best practices for tactile readability in embroidered Braille. This groundwork shaped ongoing conversations with the marketing team, aligned expectations early, and ensured accessibility remained central from concept through final execution.
Design Challenges
Placement & Usability
I led exploration around placement to ensure the Braille was intuitive for the wearer to find by touch, while still feeling visually intentional on the garment. We tested multiple locations to strike the right balance between usability and design integrity.
I led exploration around placement to ensure the Braille was intuitive for the wearer to find by touch, while still feeling visually intentional on the garment. We tested multiple locations to strike the right balance between usability and design integrity.
Scale, Spacing, and Tactile Legibility
Braille requires precise dot size and spacing to remain legible. I iterated through multiple samples, adjusting scale until the dots could be clearly read by touch without overwhelming the visual design.
Braille requires precise dot size and spacing to remain legible. I iterated through multiple samples, adjusting scale until the dots could be clearly read by touch without overwhelming the visual design.
Embroidery Structure and Durability
I tested stitch density, height, and direction to create Braille dots that were raised enough to be readable, comfortable against the body, and durable through wear and washing. Structural stitch decisions were critical to maintaining dimensionality over time.
I tested stitch density, height, and direction to create Braille dots that were raised enough to be readable, comfortable against the body, and durable through wear and washing. Structural stitch decisions were critical to maintaining dimensionality over time.
Outcome & Impact
The Braille-embroidered “Life is Good” t-shirt launched on World Braille Day, January 2026, and was shared on Instagram as part of a broader conversation around accessibility and inclusion. Launching on this day was intentional, helping frame the work not as a novelty, but as a meaningful step toward more inclusive design. This work also established internal guidelines for future accessible product development.
Accessible Design in Real Time
As part of the launch, I led the embroidery portion of a behind-the-scenes tour for Anthony and his family, inviting him to interact directly with the machines, press the controls, and feel the raised Braille dots as the shirts were being embroidered. Anthony’s excitement and gratitude were palpable, and it was powerful to witness the process through the lens of an influencer who was not only documenting the experience, but genuinely engaging with and celebrating accessible design in real time.
Promotional reel shared by Anthony @asfvision and Life is Good @lifeisgoodco, spotlighting accessibility, inclusion, and thoughtful design.
The project sparked thoughtful engagement and meaningful conversations around tactile accessibility, helping bring visibility to how design choices directly shape someone’s ability to connect with a product. It reinforced that inclusive design is not a limitation, but an opportunity to create work that is both functional and emotionally resonant. The Braille-embroidered t-shirt was met with strong sales and positive customer feedback, further demonstrating the real-world impact of inclusive design.
This project reflected the kind of creative leadership I believe in—leadership rooted in empathy and collaboration. It required slowing down, listening closely, and applying care and intention throughout the process. Ultimately, it represents my commitment to creating work that considers who it is truly for and how it will be experienced. Giving my father one of the shirts and watching him read the Braille and smile became a quiet but powerful affirmation of why this work matters.
Interested in collaborating on a project?
Email me: sjmoecker@gmail.com
Email me: sjmoecker@gmail.com
I'd love to hear your idea!
