Honouring the Artists Who Shaped Tattooing While Shaping Its Future
For nearly three decades, tattoo artist Donavan Moore has watched the tattoo industry evolve. Machines became quieter. Pigments improved. Needles became more refined. Artists began creating work that once seemed impossible.
Yet one part of the tattoo experience remained virtually unchanged: the client experience.
Long sessions often meant cold hands, shivering, exposed skin, and a body slowly reaching its physical limit. “After five or six hours,” Moore explains, “every tattoo artist knows the signs. Clients get the cold chills, their body starts going into shock, and you know you’re getting close to the end of the session. Shandell and I talked about what she does as a nurse to combat shock in the hospital, and a blanket was step number one.”
Using their combined understanding of the issues facing large scale tattoo collectors as well as the physiological effects of long tattoo sessions the Moore’s began asking how they might offer a solution. This innovation should not only address the physical stress of tattooing but also increase the comfort level for clients getting tattooed in areas of their bodies that prior to Tat2zie would have required the client to be completely exposed. “Some clients are comfortable at tattoo conventions being exposed while getting tattooed in front of thousands of spectators and some are not, and now clients have a choice,” says Moore.
Their solution became Tat2zie.
Developed and patented in Canada, Tat2zie is a garment engineered specifically for tattooing. Strategic two-way zippers allow artists to expose only the area being tattooed while keeping the rest of the client covered, warm, and comfortable. The dual-layer construction creates an insulating air gap that helps regulate body temperature throughout long sessions.
For clients, Tat2zie provides comfort and privacy. For artists, Tat2zie offers unfettered access to 100% of the client canvas meaning artists can work faster and easier, all while keeping clients comfort and dignity at the highest level of service. “We launched Tat2zie to the Canadian tattoo scene in 2025 and the response has been fantastic. We wanted to get Tat2zie into the hands of serious large scale tattoo clients and their artists, so we started sponsoring ‘Best of Show’ at Canadian conventions and the client feedback yielded a significant addition of the hood zipper and snap system that turns the hood into bib that keeps clients chest covered during back piece sessions” says Moore.
Client tested and client approved Tat2zie is now ready for world wide release coming to the US in the fall and European markets starting at Tattoo Royal in Lugano Switzerland this September.
More Than Apparel
Although the technical design solved a practical problem, Moore soon realized the garment represented something more. “As people started wearing them around conventions, I realized they weren’t just wearing clothing anymore,” he says. “They were wearing art.” That realization sparked the creation of the Tat2zie Icon Artist Series. Instead of treating the garments simply as a tool to assist in the client experience, Moore envisioned them as limited-edition canvases featuring artists who helped shape modern tattooing. “The Artist Series is very personal to me,” Moore says. “It gives me the opportunity to pay homage to the artists who inspired me to become a tattoo artist almost thirty years ago.”
One name sat at the very top of that list. Canadian tattoo legend Kurt Wiscombe.
“When I was coming into tattooing in the ’90s,” Moore says, “seeing someone from my own hometown travelling the world and creating work at that level was incredibly inspiring. Kurt was number one on my list.”
Wiscombe wasn’t simply interested because it was another product. “I saw the Tat2zie at one of the conventions,” he recalls. “I immediately thought it was such a cool idea. You know, it’s such a neat idea, and they had a bunch of designs. I could immediately see it would be so fun to design one of those. You know put some artwork on something new, something different, and I feel like since these are for the tattoo community, I could contribute to that. Put some art from tattoo artist on Tat2zies that are made for tattooing, right?”
For Wiscombe, another moment stood out. At one convention, he found himself wearing his own Tat2zie while tattooing because the venue was freezing cold—a common reality at Canadian tattoo conventions held in the middle of winter.
“It was pretty wild,” he laughs. “An artist wearing his own art while creating more art. It’s full circle.”
The Tat2zie Wiscombe collaboration wasn’t built around creating new tattoo artwork.
Instead, Wiscombe selected existing paintings from his personal collection and transformed them into a limited edition wearable piece. Each Icon Artist Series release is limited to only 250 pieces, making every release both functional equipment and collectible artwork. “We wanted these to become collector’s items,” Moore explains. “A way for people to own something unique from artists they admire. The first 100 of the Icon Artist Series clients get a signed copy of the artwork.” For Wiscombe, the project even rekindled another creative outlet. “The artwork we used was actually from two acrylic paintings I completed during the pandemic,” he says. “I hadn’t painted much after that, but being part of this project has really inspired me to start painting again.”
Keeping Clients in the Green Zone
Both artists agree the garment’s greatest value appears during long tattoo sessions. “I’ve had several clients wear them,” Wiscombe says. “They’re really comfortable. Really warm.” “For some people, it’s almost like a security blanket. They put it on and immediately feel secure.” That comfort often translates into better tattoo sessions. “I’ve got a couple of clients who are notoriously poor sitters,” said Moore. “It’s almost like Superman stepping into the telephone booth. Once they’re in the Tat2zie, they’re ready.” For artists who specialize in large-scale, bodysuits, and multi-day projects, that difference matters. As artists who create large scale tattoos Wiscombe agrees with Moore, “after a certain point the body starts going into that shock response.” “I always think of it like a traffic light.” “You want to keep clients in the green zone.” “When they start getting the cold shakes, they’ve moved into yellow” says Moore
“And once they hit red, the session is over.” “When you’re trying to complete really large projects, every extra hour helps.”
Art Inside Art
For the serious tattoo collector there is no single addition to the tattoo regime that will add more value and positive outcome in the tattoo experience than wearing a Tat2zie. And when a client zips into an Icon Artist Series Tat2zie, they experience artistic appreciation on a whole different level. “It’s almost like they’re already wearing a bodysuit,” Moore says. “Then you unzip a sleeve and see untouched skin underneath.” “It actually motivates people to finish their projects.”
Built Beyond the Studio
Although Tat2zie was created for tattooing, owners quickly found other uses. Camping. Snowmobiling. Ice fishing. Travel. Cold-weather events. “The dual-layer construction creates a little pocket of air between the layers,” Moore explains.
“It helps regulate body temperature whether you’re trying to stay warm or avoid overheating.” “It’s nice because once your tattoo is finished, you still have something you’ll actually keep using.”
Honouring the Past While Building the Future. For Moore, the Icon Artist Series is about more than apparel. It’s about recognizing the artists whose work built today’s tattoo industry. “There are so many artists I looked up to for decades,” he says.
Signing Kurt Wiscombe to our brand and offering Kurt’s clients and fans the opportunity to own a truly unique piece of Kurt’s art is a homage we are honoured to provide. “In September of this year we are proud to offer our European debut at Tattoo Royale in Lugano, Switzerland and I am excited to meet with the rest of my personal tattoo influences and to offer those icons this same incredible opportunity.” “My hope is that one day collectors will be able to choose a Tat2zie the same way they choose their favourite tattoo artist.”
“A wearable piece of art that celebrates the people who helped shape our industry.”
The Tat2zie Kurt Wiscombe Icon Artist Series is available now in a strictly limited edition of 250 pieces worldwide. The full Tat2zie collection, including the Icon Artist Series, can be purchased through the official online store at Tat2zie.com. Orders ship internationally, making the garments available to tattoo artists and collectors across the globe.
