Fans, definitionally, tend to like it when their favs get tapped for fun, trendy projects. But when the object of your fandom is a notoriously cash-strapped online resource, one can\u2019t help but paternalistically try to see the fine print on the deal\u2014like the recently announced one between Wikipedia and the streetwear brand Online Ceramics\u2014before celebrations begin.<\/p>\n
A decade ago, the Los Angeles-based clothing company Online Ceramics was founded by two Ohioan friends, Elijah Funk and Alix Ross. The brand quickly became a staple of the streetwear scene in SoCal and beyond. Initially it was known for its whimsical, drug-friendly, tie-dye, heavy-stock T-shirts\u2014overt homages to the everlasting aesthetic of Grateful Dead merch\u2014each costing $72 or more. But in 2019, the founders branched out into the first of many corporate partnerships with the indie movie distributor A24<\/a>, dropping a capsule of graphic prints showcasing stills from Uncut Gems, The VVitch, Midsommar, and more.<\/p>\n Following the success of that deal, it was off to the collaborative races for Online Ceramics. In the years since, they\u2019ve cross-polinated with other clothing labels such as Marc Jacobs<\/a> and The North Face<\/a> as well as various musicians (or the estates of dead ones) like Andr\u00e9 3000<\/a>, SZA<\/a>, and Fela Kuti<\/a>. And with brand-superfan John Mayer as the Grateful Dead\u2019s current lead guitarist, the company even got to do an officially-sanctioned merch capsule<\/a> for the band\u2019s 2024 Las Vegas run, bringing everything full circle.<\/p>\n Despite the success of their external business partnerships, inside Online Ceramics, discontent was brewing between its founders. A 2024 lawsuit<\/a> filed by Funk accused Ross of \u201cvarious violations, including breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and civil conspiracy,\u201d so Ross departed the company.<\/p>\n With Funk now alone at the helm, Ross\u2019 cash-out hurting the balance sheet, and hypebeasts turning their attention to other brands, Online Ceramics is still putting out collabs, but finding it increasingly difficult to thrive as it did in years past. The company even (unsuccessfully) filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy<\/a> in early 2025. However, the label\u2019s latest brand partnership might offer some insightful tips on navigating lean times, because it pairs Online Ceramics with a beloved entity that\u2019s somehow survived for a quarter century on relative pocket change: Wikipedia<\/a>.<\/p>\n As one might expect, the just-launched capsule commemorating the 25th anniversary of \u201cthe free encyclopedia\u201d features tees, caps, and sweatpants printed with the site\u2019s iconic puzzle globe logo. There are also shirts with the entire page for \u201cOnline and Offline<\/a>\u201d printed on them. Staying true to Online Ceramics\u2019 druggie origins, other merch is on offer showcasing a Wikimedia Commons jpeg of a fractal or one of magic mushrooms.<\/p>\n Though one of collective humanity\u2019s unmitigated triumphs, Wikipedia perpetually struggles to pay its server bills. This perma-insolvency prompts an annual plea for donations from the site\u2019s founder, Jimmy Wales, to help keep the experience free and ad-free. But with financial precarity now so inextricable from the Wikipedia brand, the announcement of the Online Ceramics deal naturally raises questions about what sort of revenue share cut Wikipedia\u2019s getting here\u2014especially since the label makes no mention anywhere of how proceeds will be divvied. In fact, Online Ceramics has historically kept the financial details of these partnerships close to the vest, so there\u2019s nothing published online from a past collab to even hint at what might be in the Wikipedia deal. Fortunately, I wasn\u2019t the only one wondering about these details.<\/p>\n \u201cCurious, does Wikipedia get a portion of proceeds,\u201d asked Instagram user @djnahfr in the comments of a tie-dye tee post<\/a> on the company\u2019s page.<\/p>\n In another post<\/a>, @maya.gauvin asked \u201cright but are you giving them all the proceeds,\u201d which got a supportive reply from @50fiftyclown that \u201cthe people need to know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo any of the proceeds go to Wikipedia,\u201d worried @cashmeats beneath the latest post<\/a> from the brand. At long last, Online Ceramics addressed the elephant in the room with a mildly reassuring reply that, \u201cyes we did this in partnership with them.\u201d<\/p>\n Gizmodo reached out to Online Ceramics for clarification about Wikipedia\u2019s compensation and will update this story if we hear back. In the meantime, fans wishing to cop these items in support of the site (and everyone else) should probably just throw a few bucks into the Wikimedia Foundation<\/a>\u2019s hat to be safe.<\/p>\n