If you use Home Assistant, ESPHome, or any of the 250+ open-source projects and standards governed by the Open Home Foundation, there is now a direct and surprisingly enjoyable way to give back: the OHF merch store.
Yes, you read that right. You can support the future of open-source smart home technology by buying a hoodie. Let us explain why that is actually a big deal.
Why the OHF Merch Store Matters
The Open Home Foundation fights for the fundamental principles of privacy, choice, and sustainability for smart homes and for every person who lives in one. It does this by supporting the development of open-source projects and open connectivity and communication standards. The projects it owns include Home Assistant, ESPHome, and Music Assistant, along with hundreds of open standards, drivers, and libraries. These tools are free to use, open to contribute to, and permanently protected from corporate acquisition. But keeping them that way requires real resources: developers, infrastructure, governance, and a team dedicated full-time to the ecosystem.
The merch store is one of the most transparent ways to contribute. Every product page shows you exactly where your money goes. You are not donating into a black box. You can see the cost breakdown, what goes to production, and what flows to the foundation. That kind of transparency is rare, and it is exactly what you would expect from an organization built on the principles of openness and trust.
The Beanie That Started It All
Full disclosure: we are not objective here. The OHF team handed out beanies at CES earlier this year, and it is genuinely the best beanie I have ever worn. I am not exaggerating. It is the softest thing in the known explored universe, fits perfectly, and has become a permanent fixture in the rotation. If you are on the fence about ordering anything, start with the beanie. You will not regret it.
The beanie comes in blue and black and is available in both stores. For a piece of headwear that funds open-source software and is actually great quality, that is an easy yes.
What Is in the Store
The lineup is solid across both stores. You will find t-shirts in multiple colorways and designs covering Home Assistant, ESPHome, and the Open Home Foundation brand, along with hoodies, zip hoodies, polo shirts, trucker caps, tote bags, socks, and sticker packs. The apparel is designed to be organic, climate-neutral, and ethically made, so your support is sustainable in more ways than one.
Designs range from the clean OHF wordmark to the fan-favorite "My Home Works With Home Assistant" tee, which is a guaranteed conversation starter at any tech event or family gathering.
Two Stores, One Mission
The OHF runs two separate stores to keep shipping practical for everyone in the community:
- EU Store - store.openhomefoundation.org - Ships from Plzen, Czechia, for fast delivery across Europe. Prices are in Swiss francs (CHF) since the foundation is based in Switzerland.
- North American Store - na-store.openhomefoundation.org - Ships locally for US and Canadian customers. Prices in USD.
Pick the one closest to you and you are good to go.
Where Your Money Actually Goes
This is the part that sets the OHF store apart from typical merchandise operations. Because the foundation is committed to transparency, every product listing includes a breakdown of costs: what goes to manufacturing, what goes to the logistics partner, and what ends up funding the foundation's work. You know exactly what you are supporting before you check out.
That funding goes toward the team keeping Home Assistant and ESPHome free, open, and actively improving, as well as infrastructure, events, and community support. Every pull request merged, every ESPHome release shipped, every integration added to Home Assistant is made possible in part by the people and organizations funding the foundation. Buying a hoodie is a small but direct part of that chain.
Apollo Automation and the Open Home Foundation
We are proud to be the second commercial partner of the Open Home Foundation, alongside Nabu Casa. A portion of profits from our official ESPHome hardware goes directly to the foundation to support this same mission. Apollo co-founder Trevor Schirmer also serves as a board member of the foundation representing the commercial partners perspective.
We built Apollo Automation on ESPHome and Home Assistant. Supporting the foundation that protects those projects is something we feel strongly about, and we encourage the broader community to do the same in whatever way makes sense for them. For a lot of people, that starts with a t-shirt or a very excellent beanie.
Go Get Some Swag
If you have been looking for a way to show your support for open-source smart home technology beyond just using it, this is it. The quality is genuinely good, the mission is real, and you can see exactly where your money goes.
- EU and international: store.openhomefoundation.org
- North America: na-store.openhomefoundation.org
Wear it proudly. The open home community is worth representing.
Apollo Automation designs, engineers, and manufactures privacy-first, locally-controlled smart home sensors in Versailles, Kentucky. All products feature 100% local control with no cloud dependencies or subscriptions required. Apollo is a Works With Home Assistant partner, Made For ESPHome member, and official commercial partner of the Open Home Foundation. Learn more at apolloautomation.com.
