Best Hollow Knight Merch Guide

Hollow Knight is a highly acclaimed single-player metroidvania game published by Team Cherry in 2017. Since then, its popularity has only grown. Although many people consider it easy to start playing, the game can be hard to master. To learn the story and the lore of the game, players need to devote a fair bit of time to try and understand all of it. Fortunately, the gameplay and art style, combined with the mystery of the beginning, proves compelling enough to convince players to invest hours.

This beloved game has warranted its popularity and, with that, has created quite a bit of merchandise that fans can enjoy, but there can never be enough. Beyond what merch has already been made, you can take it a step further and make your merchandise – you just have to give yourself a chance to try and practice what may become a new hobby. Welcome to a Guide to the best Hollow Knight merch.

BLUF

Official and Unofficial Merch

Team Cherry only has two official merchandise sellers for Hollow Knight: Fangamer and The Yetee. 

Because Hollow Knight doesn’t have a massive fanbase, which does limit how much merch there is and what kinds there are. However, that doesn’t mean we can’t look at fan-made and produced merchandise. Branching out beyond officially-licensed merchandise broadens our horizons significantly.

Concerning fan-made merchandise, it’s important to remember that these products are often made by hand and are priced as such. They’re not overpriced – we’re paying an artist for their time, materials, skill, and effort.

Buying Tips

Whether you’re buying as a gift or for yourself, what follows are some tips to keep in mind when you’re looking at a potential purchase.

  • Set a budget for yourself. Going all out for a friend, a partner, or your kid is great, but it shouldn’t break the bank. The thought matters more than the price tag (also, it’s just bad etiquette to tell someone how much their gift cost).
  • Search out trustworthy sellers. Looking at reviews is an excellent way to determine the quality of the product – even more so if reviewers have attached photos.
  • Consider shipping time. It can, understandably, take a while for items to ship out – especially if they’re made to order. However, if you’re looking at custom or made-to-order items, consider buying at least two months before the date they’re needed. It will give you and the maker plenty of cushion time if things go wrong.

Gift Specific

  • Ask them. Yeah, that’s right. Ask the person getting the gift. Understandably, you might be scared that this will ruin the surprise, but you might be surprised how much you can get away with if you think to ask some creative questions.
  • Consider their interests. Obviously, if you’re here, they like Hollow Knight. But take some time to figure out what kind of things they like. Do they wear a lot of graphic t-shirts? Perhaps they adore bags and tote them around everywhere. Maybe they like knick-knacks – in this case, figurines or other display pieces are perfect. If they love art or design, consider getting them an art piece.
  • Secretly take a peek at their room. Or just ask them to show you what they have (this will probably be the easier and more considerate option, though it does run the risk of them guessing what you’re getting them).

Selection Criteria

There are a handful of things I took into consideration when picking the best of what existed for official Hollow Knight Merch. Admittedly, while there isn’t much out there for each category, I considered a handful of things:

  • Quality and Durability
  • Collectability
  • Subtle versus Obvious
  • Can be official and unofficial
  • The price is fair
  • Shipping time isn’t overwhelmingly long
  • Suitable for most age demographics

Apparel and Accessories

Definitely, some of the go-to merch options for fans, clothing, and accessories are some of the most accessible and widely produced pieces of merch. They’re some of the easiest ways to display your interests to the world and, in turn, meet other fans! This is one of my go-to merch options and is all-around well received if given as a gift. The hardest part is making sure that you’ve gotten the sizing right.

T-shirts

With so many different T-shirt designs, it’s hard to pick the best of the best. Most of the T-shirts that Team Cherry sells come in sizes ranging from XS – 5XL, so getting a size that makes you feel comfortable shouldn’t be too difficult.

Most of the screen prints done for Hollow Knight T-shirts require minimal care and are done in a way that promotes long-lasting colors and durability. So, unlike cheap copycats, wearers don’t have to worry about the print cracking and flaking away.

For designs that are more intricate, Team Cherry includes a care card to make sure that you can get the most out of your shirts. For the most part, the market for this type of merch is dominated by depictions of Hornet and the Knight, and I can’t complain – I love them both dearly.

troupe master grimm t-shirt hollow knight

Long-sleeves

Jackets and sweaters are the best – especially if you live in a colder area. The Hollow Knight Sweater is a great way to subtly show off your love for the game, with a small embroidered Knight and a small tag at the bottom with the game’s name. If you’re looking for something bolder (like me), then the Vessel Hoodie or Kindred Souls shirt is the perfect way to go.

Both have big and bold patterns that any Hollow Knight fan would love. As a bonus, the Vessel Hoodie even glows in the dark! Who doesn’t love glow-in-the-dark?

hollow knight sweater

Jewelry

This is one of the categories where we need to look at unofficial merch sources to find products. The necklaces available for Hollow Knight range from simple references to the game to statement pieces.

Personally, I prefer the references in sold metal colors rather than the bright figures – but to each their own!

king's brand hollow knight necklace

Extra

There are a few other items of apparel and accessories that don’t have enough merch to justify their own category, yet I still feel the need to include because you would seriously be missing out if you didn’t know about them!

hallownest pajama pants hollow knight

Decorative

This category is broader than Apparel and Accessories, encompassing display pieces, things used to decorate other objects, and non-wearable accessories. This is my favorite merchandise category because I love knick-knacks and bobbles. Some might see them as clutter, but I deeply enjoy all of my decorative pieces of merch – both fan-made and officially licensed alike.

It helps that there’s so much that can be explored and, if you get creative enough, can even be utilized in ways other than what was intended (if you really wanted, you absolutely could turn a set of keychains into jewelry).

Figurines and Standees

I would play through the White Palace several times over for a figurine (not the Path of Pain, though). This is one of my favorite types of collectibles – they make perfect display pieces and are fairly durable. I use them to decorate my desk and my bookshelves. They are perfect decorations, and it’s so satisfying to see a collection grow. Fangamer makes their figurines out of PVC, with two being specifically crafted from resin and handpainted.

The PVC figurines will likely be able to withstand more duress, but resin figurines will generally be of higher quality and have had far more time put into them (given the fact that they are painted by hand). Resin figurines, if broken, can also be repaired easier.

the knight resin statue hollow knight

Art

I never understood why people weren’t allowed to hang posters and artwork on their walls – especially when methods like blu tack or command strips are available. Personally, decorating my walls with artwork from the various things I love, Hollow Knight included, is one of my favorite ways to indulge. It’s often something that others don’t see, meaning that it’s critical to pick something you’ll enjoy looking at every day.

blooming adventure hollow knight art

Pins

I love enamel pins. I have an entire corkboard solely devoted to my ever-growing enamel pin collection. One day, I am going to add every single Hollow Knight enamel pin to that board – and there are a lot of them. From character heads to full bodies, Hollow Knight has a lot of pins. Unfortunately, enamel pins also tend to be the more expensive options for decorative merchandise.

Fortunately, however, they also tend to be the most durable forms of merchandise, so it balances out in the end. Fangamer also seems to recognize just how collectible enamel pins are because they offer a bundle deal: Every enamel pin added (from that specific series) after the first is slightly cheaper. So, if you have the funds, I wouldn’t hesitate.

bug heads series 1 hollow knight

Keychains

Keychains are a great way to subtly display your love for Hollow Knight. They can be attached to your car keys, zippers, bags – whatever has a handle or ring, it can probably hang off of.

It’s a fantastic way to carry a piece of the game with you when you can’t wear a graphic T-shirt or adorn yourself with enamel pins. So, if you regularly have to work in a professional environment, I highly recommend angling for a keychain.

Keychains hollow knight

Interactable Merch

Although this type of merch can function just as well as decorative pieces, it carries some extra oomph because it has some element that allows you to interact with it and bring the world of Hollow Knight just a little bit closer to your own.

This type of merch is perfect for a wide variety of people, from kids to adults. Some types are better suited to adults, however, and probably shouldn’t be in the hands of children without proper supervision and/or instruction, such as the DIY Merch options.

Music

The music of Hollow Knight is one of the most enjoyable aspects of the game. The compositions are beautiful and incredibly enjoyable, and Hollow Knight merch takes this in stride. The majority of merchandise offered consists of Vinyl records, though those of us that don’t collect records (or own a record player, for that matter), can still enjoy the CD and artbook combo.

If you’ve been taught the piano, you can celebrate your love of Hollow Knight with the sheet music book. It is worth noting, though, that while the music may seem easy at first, most beginning players will find it grows more complicated and harder to play.

piano sheet music book hollow knight

Stationary and Books

Admittedly, these items will probably end up more as display pieces than they will actually be used. At least, I know that’s how it would be for me. The Wanderer’s Journal adds a lot of insight into the world and lore of Hollow Knight but looks excellent as a table piece. The Wanderer’s Journal is undoubtedly something that any fan of Hollow Knight could flip through and marvel at.

As the only book obtainable outside of the Collector’s Edition, it is a must-have item. The stationary set and stickers, although perfectly usable, are so adorable I would probably find myself staring at them more than using them.

stationery set hollow knight

Plushes

Hollow Knight has some of the most unique and adorable plushes I have ever come across. It helps that the sprites in Hollow Knight are also unfairly cute. Some of these plushes will sing to you, some have eyes that glow, and others are just downright cuddly.

There is an area where it briefly crosses over into the keychain area with the Critter Clings, but considering their fabric nature, I’ve opted to include the best of them under the plush category.

musical shade plush hollow knight

DIY

Do you want to know what’s slightly better than buying pre-made merch? Making your own! Of course, actually plotting out and making patterns and instructions for how to make it is hard.

As an avid cross-stitcher, trying to make your own patterns is more difficult than one would think. Fortunately, some have already taken the liberty at plotting out how to make these adorable pieces of merchandise that you can pour your heart and soul into.

path of pain cross-Stitch pattern hollow knight

For those with access to a 3D printer (whether you own one or have access to a workshop or library with one) consider some of these projects! You can print figurines or even one of the many weapons seen throughout the game! After printing, you can go ahead and paint them however you’d like!

the hollow knight 3d figure

Extra

I cannot finish off a list of the Best Hollow Knight merchandise without putting the Collector’s Edition of the game on the list. The Collector’s Edition not only comes with the game, but it also has artwork, a figurine, the Quirrel comic, a map of Hallownest, an instruction manual, and a gorgeous box.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted to get the Collector’s Edition solely for the artwork and the brooch figurine. If you or someone you know loves Hollow Knight, then you could not go wrong with the Collector’s Edition (unless they already have it, of course).

collectors edition hollow knight

Extra 2.0

It’s not the collector’s edition, but it absolutely deserves a spot on this list: Hornet’s Needle and the Knight’s Nail. These do need to be assembled by the buyer, but instructions are provided, and honestly, if done right, you will get an amazing product in the end.

Side by side, these products would be amazing display pieces, or if put together well enough, you might be able to play fight with them (I generally wouldn’t recommend that, though).

hornet's needle hollow knight

FAQs

Question: Is Hollow Knight a Hard Game?

Answer: Although the game is easy to play without too many complex controls, the mechanics can be difficult to gain mastery of. Given enough time and patience, however, anyone can learn the controls and may find themselves cruising through the different platforming challenges.

Question: Does Hollow Knight Ever End?

Answer: Hollow Knight has five different endings – it just takes some time to reach them. On average, it will take about 30 to 40 hours to reach one of the base game endings: Sealed Siblings, Dream No More, or The Hollow Knight.

Question: Is Hollow Knight Kid Friendly?

Answer: The game has minor fantasy violence and an ESRB10+ rating. This means that Hollow Knight is good for ages ten and up. However, it’s worth noting that Hollow Knight isn’t an easy game, so it may be difficult for those with slower reaction times or a great deal of patience.

Conclusion

Hollow Knight has a lot of merch, and a lot of it is really amazing. It doesn’t seem like there’s a whole plethora out there – and compared to the fanmade merch, the official does lack – but what is officially licensed is pretty dang cool (and cute). Whether you’re looking for yourself or for a gift, you will undoubtedly find something that sings to you (like the shade plush does).

There’s a lot of it that I’m so tempted to buy for myself, but my budget keeps stopping me. Hopefully, you’ll have a far easier time picking your favorites and the best of the best than I did. There’s way more fan-made merch than what was included on this list as well, so don’t hesitate to explore it. You’ll be supporting a small business, likely an independent artist, and you will get a pretty awesome piece of merchandise that had someone’s heart, and soul poured into its making.

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