From numbers to inks
I’m Juan Diego Morala, (my friends call me Juancho), founder together with Ana Muñiz of Qustommize.co.uk. I will tell you our story without making you yawn, or so I hope!
Ana and I met during a Master in Graphic Design after completing our studies in Computer Engineering and Business Administration and Finance, and soon we started talking about music, literature, life and how to make a living.
From the beginning, our business ideas revolved more around product production and sale, rather than graphic design itself, and we started experimenting with ways to channel them. It all started as a hobby for two young people with ambitions, and I think that perspective was key to its success. We made our own designs and sold products at fairs, flea markets and festivals (sometimes we also offered vegan hamburger sandwiches – yes, we were that eclectic). At that time, we focused on badges for clothes and T-shirts. We produced the badges ourselves with a manual machine in a small workshop lent to us by relatives. We had limited resources, but plenty of enthusiasm. For the T-shirts, we relied on a local supplier.
You to Londres, and me to London
Friends and acquaintances started asking us if we could make products for them, and through word of mouth, we began to receive orders from both companies and individuals. Suddenly we were producing thousands of badges, and we had the luxury of taking a (modest) trip to London with the profits. That was the moment we realised things were getting serious.
We saw a gap to fill: an online shop created by professionals in the graphic design world, tailored for businesses, without neglecting the end customer.
Our online project: Q-art
In 2007, we brought the first version of our website to life, called ‘Q-art!’ (many of you still call us that!). Back then, we focused exclusively on selling custom badges and similar products, as they were the only items we manufactured. The results were encouraging, so we decided to take the leap and open a small shop, investing in basic machinery and immersing ourselves in the basics of online sales, which at that time was still in its infancy. Concepts such as Adwords, SEO and e-commerce became part of our vocabulary, and we explored them little by little.
In the beginning, the business was a jumble of ideas: we sold some T-shirts with our own designs, customised products, printing services... But, as we addressed our own needs and listened to feedback from customers, we began shaping the business, both in the physical shop and online. In the shop, we became a conventional digital printing service, supporting all kinds of projects and constantly acquiring new skills and machinery. Online, we created an accessible website where customers could shop anytime, with transparent pricing for instant quotes and short production times. All this, without compromising on quality standards and offering competitive prices. As incredible as it may seem, at that time, there were hardly any online shops like this on the market (certainly not in Spain). We decided to specialise. Instead of offering all the products we could manufacture, we chose to keep a small catalogue with tried and tested, high-impact, low-cost products.
Consolidation: Qustommize
After several very rudimentary versions of the website, in 2013, Qustommize was born as the brand we know today. At the same time, our local business found its place under the name ‘Gráficas Que Arte’. We focused on constantly improving the e-commerce experience and took our first steps towards internationalisation.
Since then, the company has experienced significant growth. In response to increasing demand, we decided to take a step forward, and in 2016, we acquired a larger production facility and incorporated new state-of-the-art machinery. This allowed us to diversify our offerings and produce a wider range of products, although, once again, we introduced them gradually online, as our goal remained to keep a small, well-curated catalogue.
In 2024, after many (MANY) hours invested by us and our team of programmers and staff, we launched a new version of the website, perfecting everything that worked and fixing some weak points.
All of this progress wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our incredible team of employees, who not only believed in our vision but fully immersed themselves in the development of the business. Teresa, Saul and Carlos have been with us practically from the very beginning, and David and Guillermo are now part of our family. Let’s not forget Óscar, Vicky, Belén, Amparo and Sara, who have seamlessly joined the team, as well as everyone who has passed through over the years. Thank you! We have the best team with us.
This is the journey of Qustommize, a journey we continue with enthusiasm and dedication.