Three local teens became self-employed last month when they launched “Ep!dem!k,” a T-shirt company marketed primarily toward participants in action sports such as skating or snowboarding.

Juniors Andy Marca and Peter Riz, along with former student AC Castro, initially came up with the idea to start a T-shirt company last summer.

“We wanted to make money in a way we would enjoy,” Marca said. “We figured starting our own company would be a good way to do it.”

They deliberated over possible company names at the beginning of this school year before deciding on Ep!dem!k, which they chose because of its striking sound and interesting spelling variation, Marca said.

The founders raised about $100 dollars each to fund the company. After signing a partnership contract with one another, they purchased a bulk buy of 36 shirts from ABC Shirts, a customizable clothing service.  They purchased black, gray and blue shirts, each with the word “Ep!dem!k” printed in a colored font on the front. The black shirts with purple text are the most popular, Marca said.

The founders sold all of the shirts from their initial purchase by hawking them for $20 dollars each at Whitman and at various skate parks, Marca said.

“We went to a couple of skate parks and asked some good skaters if we could film them while they wore Ep!dem!k shirts,” Marca said. “We’re producing a video montage of them, and we’re hoping it’ll get us a lot more customers.”

Marca, Riz and Castro are also planning to sell more shirts at snow parks this winter and create a video showcasing freestyle skiers and snowboarders wearing Ep!dem!k shirts.

“We just want Ep!dem!k to be a company that makes gear that any homie can rock, whether he be a skier, musician, skater, surfer or just a regular everyday person,” Castro said. “And I think that’s what makes us sick compared to other companies.”

The skaters enjoy being sponsored and are happy to support Ep!dem!k, said freshman Kelly Clough, a BMX biker who participated in the film.

“Getting free shirts while helping out the company is a pretty good deal,” Clough said.

And that’s just the beginning, Marca said. The founders recently filed a trademark on the name Ep!dem!k, and hope to enter a partnership soon with ABC Shirts that would allow them to make larger gross purchases of shirts for less money. They also plan to create an Ep!dem!k website and sell Ep!dem!k shirts in various clothing shops in D.C.

“We’re looking to branch out,” Marca said. “We want to reach a greater audience than we would by just selling the t-shirts in person.”

Eventually, the company will offer hoodies, socks and other Ep!dem!k clothing items with unique patterns and designs, Marca said. For now, the founders are working on stylizing the currently plain text Ep!dem!k logo with a more interesting design.

The founders plan to continue operating the business throughout high school and afterwards, despite Marca and Riz’s hopes to attend college.

“We’re good friends, and the contract is a good deal for all of us,” Marca said. “We can make it work.”

Marca, Riz and Castro have enjoyed owning a successful clothing company so far.

“It’s cool to see this idea we’ve had for a long time of creating a company turn into reality,” Riz said. “Plus, meeting and sponsoring great skaters is pretty sweet.”