Okay Bears, a PFP NFT collection that launched on Solana in April 2022, just announced its T-shirts are being sold at 1149 Zara stores across 74 countries and regions around the world.
The move comes shortly after the studio behind Okay Bears said it was hoping to expand into the licensed apparel sector with the aim of integrating its brand into mainstream culture. Now it appears that goal has become a reality.
The feel-good NFT project founded on the message of spreading hope through art and code originally sold for 1.5 SOL (or around $150) back in 2022. The current floor price for an Okay Bear NFT is just above 27 SOL, or around $1,625. As of writing, the collection is holding down the #7 spot for top collections on Magic Eden.
The move to showcase Okay Bears on T-shirts comes as the price of Solana continues to rebound, up 45% on the month and over 342% on the year (as per CoinGecko.) With its feel-good tagline “We’re All Gonna Be Okay” (#WAGBO), Okay Bears appears to have weathered the bear market while many other PFP NFT projects on Solana have struggled or switched blockchains (ie. y00ts and DeGods).
One way the brand has thrived through the tough times is by partnering with famous athletes like basketball superstar Lonzo Ball to give back to the community. Recently, its ‘Zo Bear 1/1’ NFT project raised $18,000 to renovate a basketball court for local youth in Los Angeles. It also partnered with the United Nations and RED to provide relief to families in Turkey displaced by earthquakes, and to fight pandemics.
According to the Okay Bears’ website, the two NFTs selected for the Zara drop will earn their holders 50% of profits generated from sales, an example of how Web3 can be used for IP licensing innovation.
The collaboration with Zara is being billed as a celebration of culture, innovation, and the ability of a strong community to inspire positivity and hope.
NFT Collections Move from Digital to IRL
The collaboration between Okay Bears and Zara should give holders a reason to celebrate. But Okay Bears isn’t the first collection to transform its digital assets into physical merchandise. At Rarity Sniper, we’ve covered several projects launching similar initiatives.
Here are some related headlines:
• Cool Cats is Launching Toys with Toikido
• The Hundreds Partners with Cool Cats NFT for Merch Drop
• Pudgy Penguins Partners with Retail Monster for IRL Toys
• Pudgy Penguins Escape from Web3 to IRL
• Pudgy Penguins Debuts ‘Igloo’ IRL Clothing Line
• Pudgy Penguins Debuts Toy Collection in Walmart Stores
VeeFriends, the NFT collection from entrepreneur and influencer Gary Vaynerchuk, has also adopted a similar strategy. In September, it announced it was teaming up with toy company Mattel to create physical collectibles.
One thing these NFT projects have in common is their friendly, feel-good vibe. This is one reason they are able to expand their brands by showcasing their NFTs at family-friendly stores around the world.
Only time will tell if the T-shirts from Okay Bears will give the collection the sort of boost it’s hoping for. But for now, it’s hard to be anything but bullish on Okay Bears. At Rarity Sniper, we’ll be on the lookout for any updates to the story.