The Story Behind ITG Clothing: Trusting God Through Every Season

May 12, 2025

By Elmari Viljoen, Co-Founder of ITG Clothing

Today, I’d love to share the story of how our brand came to life—how a simple dream, some unexpected turns, and a whole lot of faith brought us to where we are today.

A Dream Begins

It all started when my husband had a dream. One morning, he woke up inspired—he had dreamed of printing Christian t-shirts. At the time, he was newly saved and found it difficult to find t-shirts that expressed his new faith. But in that dream, God showed him a vision: printing t-shirts and starting a Christian clothing brand.

When we got married, he shared that dream with me. I thought, “That’s nice—maybe for the future.” But God had other plans.

Divine Appointments

About a year later, Riaan spoke to a colleague at work. They started talking about t-shirts, and—believe it or not—she mentioned that she owned a screen printing business she wanted to sell. Even more incredible: the price she was asking matched the exact amount we had in our savings. We truly felt it was confirmation from God.

But things didn’t get easier right away.

A Season of Change

Around that same time, I lost my job. We were living in a bachelor flat with a lovely view of the sea, and suddenly we received notice to move out. We had two months to find a new place, and it was a challenging moment. But we prayed and trusted God for direction.

Not long after, we found a small house with a big yard—perfect for getting a dog, something we’d hoped for. Even better, there was a Wendy house on the property, just big enough to hold our new screen printing equipment. We knew this was from God.

Building the Business

Since I was home, I started learning design tools like CorelDRAW and began understanding what it takes to start a business. Riaan worked at his father’s estate agency during the day and learned how to print t-shirts at night.

That’s how it all began. And now, 15 years later, we’re still trusting God every step of the way.

Why ITG?

You may be wondering what "ITG" stands for. It means I Trust God.

There are days when everything goes smoothly. And then there are days you lose a job or receive life-altering news. On those days, you might find yourself wondering, God, what now?

But sometimes those are the very moments God uses to bring something new into your life.

Looking Back

I remember when I was younger and there was a trend of painting tablecloths with fabric paint. I loved doing that with my mom. One day I thought, Why not paint t-shirts? I painted the fruits of the spirit and even made a “Jesus Freak” t-shirt for a friend.

That memory faded—until years later when we were running our t-shirt business. God reminded me of that childhood moment, and I was struck by how beautifully He had woven everything together.

Are You in a Difficult Season?

Maybe you’re in a season where things seem to be falling apart. You’ve lost something. Doors are closing. God feels silent.

I want to encourage you—He still has a plan. He knows what to do. He can work all things together for good if you’ll let Him.

Maybe, just maybe, this is exactly the right time for something new.

A Word of Wisdom

One of my favorite scriptures is from Proverbs 3:5-6:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight.”

That part—“lean not on your own understanding”—speaks to me deeply. It reminds me that when life goes off script, our best response might just be to pause and ask, God, what do You have planned?