Our Story

Built Project started where most of our best ideas do — in the garage.

For years, I was that guy in the driveway at midnight, chasing the dream of the perfect build. My weekends were filled with scraped knuckles, back-and-forth runs to the parts store, and swapping stories at car meets. But when it came to what I wore, nothing felt like it truly represented me. The brands out there either didn’t get the culture, or they treated it like a gimmick — surface-level “car shirts” without any real connection to the lifestyle.

I created Built Project because I was tired of wearing clothes that didn’t support my passion. I wanted something made for the project car guy — the ones building lifted trucks, slammed imports, track toys, and showstoppers right out of their own garages. This isn’t about just selling clothes. It’s about building a community — a tribe of gritty, grease-covered gearheads who share the same obsession, the same grind, and the same pride in what they’ve built.

Every piece we make is inspired by the culture: bold designs like “Stock Is Not an Option” and “Turnin’ Heads & Wrenches”, high-quality fabrics that hold up to long days in the garage, and a style that works whether you’re under the hood or at the meet.

Our motto is simple: 

“Wear What Drives You.”

 Because this isn’t just fashion. It’s a badge of honor for the builders, dreamers, and DIY wrenches who live the project car life every single day.

 I see Built Project not just as a clothing brand, but as the go-to name in car culture fashion — collaborating with legends like Donut Media, connecting a massive global community of builders, and creating a space where every project — finished or still in progress — gets the spotlight it deserves.

Built Project exists for the ones who build, not buy. And if that’s you, welcome to the tribe.

Martin Zapata Jr.
Founder/Owner