I was thinking, what's some cool free stuff I could just bust out for people? Then I got bored and started browsing reddit on my phone, and eureka! Phone backgrounds! I did a little research and these should work out okay with most phones going now, so feel free to download them and beautify your digital lifeline accordingly.
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Use them wisely.
We've had a lot of requests for the sizing of the Women's shirts, so here it is direct from the manufacturer. Hope it helps! 
Well, it took a minute, but we've finally got our women's shirts up! They're made of the same 100% recycled material as our regular WV Crest shirt, with a v-neck collar, and a form-fitting cut. We're glad that this is the first design we're going with on this style shirt, and could not be happier. We've already got new designs in mind for the next batch!
I've got to say that honestly, there's nothing cooler than working up a design you're happy with, and then seeing some pretty girl rocking it hard with a big smile on her face. Friggin' awesome.
Very excited right now. Just sent the files for the new crest shirt off to SustainU for printing. I was kinda torn about the new look, and was going to do a two sided shirt with a smaller design on the front, and the crest big on the back, but decided to stick with the original layout, and just blast the crest on the front. It might not look like it at first, but a ton of cleanup work and new art has gone into the new crest, not to mention hours and hours of messing with the lines and curves of the "West Virginia" up top. Eh... that's all boring design stuff, though, what matters is the end result. Feast yer freakin' eyes.
For a bit of comparison, here's the old design...
So there you go. Quite a bit of improvement. Man, that Cardinal's head looks so much better. We're going to start off by printing gold ink on navy blue shirts, then move on to a couple of different color schemes shortly afterward. This one's got a LOT of love in it, and we can't wait to get it out to you guys!
Over the past couple days, I've ordered a few brand new stickers. One was a request that I had, to make our "Friends of Coal MINERS" shirt into a bumper sticker. Check it out...
There's another new sticker that's in the works as well, but I'll hold off on the preview and just drop it when it gets here. Now to get back to work on new designs!
So we're launching some new shirts today! Two new designs, Baked In West Virginia and Friends of Coal Miners. Here's the excellent product photos, taken by the always amazing Andy Pickens.
Just a little bit about the designs...
Baked In West Virginia was of course inspired by our unofficial state food, The Pepperoni Roll. It's just little tribute to that most wonderful of foods that has sustained me on many, many an occasion. We kind of take the pepperoni roll for granted here, not realizing what a treasure we have until we're at the beach somewhere, have a craving for a one, and realize that no one knows what the hell we're talking about. I'm also willing to be that your Grandmother makes some of the most amazing ones you've ever had. Love, love, love pepperoni rolls. The front design is just a delicious roll surrounded by heavenly light, with the word "Fresh" on a scroll underneath. There is nothing like a fresh pepperoni roll. (cue Homer Simpson drooling... pepperooooniiii roooolllsss...) The back design is a fresh roll coming out of the brick oven, into a mountain framed sunset. Surrounded by some key ingredients: Pepperoni, Peppers, and Cheese (of course this is debatable, and depends on where you're at, but I thought they warranted inclusion). There's some wheat popping out around the outside, and the indispensable rolling pin anchoring the whole thing. Baked in West Virginia, our love letter to the Pepperoni Roll.
Friends of coal MINERS is of our tribute to the men that do one of the things West Virginia is most known for, coal mining. This is a bit of a response to the idea that it's coal that matters so much to us. Really, it's these workers that go down in the mines here in West Virginia that have been the foundation of our progress and one of our greatest resources. The industry itself comes in to our state, takes the coal from our hills, cashes in on it, and shuts down shop, taking their profits with them. The workers, meanwhile are left to move on and fend for themselves. It's the men that do this work that deserve our admiration and our respect, not the black rocks they dig out of the ground. There's a story that goes with the boy on the front of the shirt, and one that I think encapsulates what it means to decide to haul yourself under a mountain to provide for you and your family. You can read about him and other young miners here. We here at Made In West Virginia are most definitely friends of coal miners.
So that's some of the thoughts that went into the new shirts. We hope you all like them as much as we do. One last thing to note is that these shirts are the first ones that we have partnered with local company SustainU to produce. What does that mean?
That's right. These shirts are made in the USA out of 100% recycled material, and printed right here in West Virginia. All using the most sustainable, green practices possible. By using these shirts, we're committing to not only spreading the message of how great our home state is, but we're making a statement of our commitment to it's future be re-investing in local businesses that are using sustainable practices. On top of all that, they look and feel freaking amazing! Thanks everyone!
~Brian
Business is going well, new design ideas are flowing out of the old brain box, and most importantly, the hills are lush green and beautiful. There is nothing in this world that makes me happier than summer in West Virginia. Sitting by the side of a flowing river, breathing that air as deep into my lungs as I can get it, and listening to that cool mountain water flow over and around those big old river boulders. It's magical. It's the kind of memory I instantly store under "happy place". During the Summer, we're going to be out and about, including doing some vending at various little festivals around the state. We're still a pretty tiny company, only about to print our third design, but we're going to keep our heads down and keep on plowing forward. We believe in what we're doing, and the people we're doing it for. Every time we've come up with a new design, and people are excited about it, I can't tell you how stoked it gets us. Some might even say too stoked. That's dangerous. So, here's what's coming up!
The "Bury Me in WV" shirt. This shirt has it's basis in a sentiment, and a sentence that I've heard hundreds of times over the years, and I think it's a testament to the place that WV holds in most people's hearts. I've had so many friends over the years that have had to move, because of a job, family, or whatever reason pulls them out of this place, and they have always said that they want to come back here when it's all said and done. This is the place they want to be in those twighlight years, and that breezy hillside with the sycamore trees is where they'd like to be once those years are long gone. I don't think there's anything more you could say on someone's dedication and love for a piece of land than that.
"Baked In WV" shirt. EVERYONE from WV soon discovers that an item of food they've loved their entire life is also a special treasure that makes us unique. When you leave the state and ask someone about a pepperoni roll, most of the time you'll get a confused blank stare. "Like, a stromboli?" Nah, bro. PEPPERONI ROLL. Well, this design is our tribute to that most sacred of bread and smoked meat combinations. Coming out of the brick oven with the hills and the sun shining in the back, surrounded by the only acceptable ingredients, pepperoni, peppers, and cheese. This is our love letter to the allmighty Pep Roll. We'll probably print this one with a dark brown or red ink on a lighter red shirt. Coming soon!
(Yum.)
Holy crap. We just let this thing loose onto the internet! I feel relieved, excited and super nervous. This is like jumping off a cliff for me, but I'm happy as hell to finally get something going that combines my love of drawing and my wild n' wonderful home state of WV. It started with a couple of loose ideas, then some t-shirt slingin' at some tailgates and lots of positive feedback from friends and family. When I was kid, I couldn't wait to get out of West Virginia. As I grew up, I came to realize the awesome beauty, history and people that was at my doorstep. My pride for my state, and it's people is unbound and unmatched. We're a rare people in this world. I feel special to have the majesty of this place surrounding me, and to have made friends, sung songs, and reveled in it's natural wonders. That's what this whole project is dedicated to. The realization of how truly special this place and it's people are. That's what Made In West Virginia is all about. Thanks, and Cheers!
~Brian
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