Brand designer set to graduate from Rollins College
Triston Fell, a senior studying business management with a concentration in supply chain and operations at Rollins College, is co-founder of a merchandising company built to help social media influencers and online creators design, manufacture, and ship high-quality custom merchandise.
Triston Fell is a Kissimmee local with dreams that stretch beyond the city limits. Fell, a senior studying business management with a concentration in supply chain and operations at Rollins College, is co-founder of a merchandising company built to help social media influencers and online creators design, manufacture, and ship high-quality custom merchandise.
The company, merchmthd, creates custom graphics, color ways, and fits without using a template. Influencers can make selections ahead of the production process including screen printing, embroidery, or full cut and sew. Merchmthd then warehouses, packs, and ships orders worldwide—offering an easy and seamless process.
Fell and co-founder Dev Babani attended high school together where they studied Mandarin, later bonding over Cathay Pacific dan dan mian. While Fell continued on to Rollins College and Babani to University of Florida, the two never lost touch. Their dreams to start a business together came to fruition with merchmthd.
“We’ve always talked about starting a business together, as male adolescents tend to do, but the can got kicked down the road until he agreed to start up merchmthd with me,” said Fell. “Merchmthd was started as a side gig… I’d like to keep it going post-graduation and hopefully be able to run it fulltime with Dev someday.”
The co-founders split responsibilities as Fell handles production and logistics, and Babani focuses on the brand and client.
“The business really came from a mix of both of our backgrounds. Over the past two falls, I spent time interning in China in the garments industry, which gave me a much closer understanding of how manufacturing works and helped me build connections in that space,” said Babani. “Triston, on the other hand, had been learning a lot about supply chain and operations. When we looked at how many creators either had no merch or were stuck with low-quality and generic options, it felt like there was a real opportunity there. My familiarity with garments manufacturing combined with Triston’s operational mindset made merchmthd feel like a very natural business for us to build together.”
Fell moved to Osceola County in 2009 when his family relocated from Hawaii. Residing in Kissimmee, Fell commutes to Rollins College by SunRail from Poinciana.
“The internet connectivity is the main draw to me, as well as the affordability and convenience,” said Fell. “I like to use the internet to get work done whenever I can, for both Rollins and flight school.”
Graduation from Rollins College this May is Fell’s top priority—though if his hobby of flying takes off, he would consider making it a career. Both co-founders say they plan to continue building merchmthd beyond graduation.
