Meet Dirty Coast

You don’t need to be witty to sell t-shirts. Want proof? Take a stroll down Bourbon Street and see what passes for clever: Drunk #1, Drunk #2, and I Put Ketchup on My Ketchup. As they say: no one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the buying public.

But to galvanize a motley city under one banner, to revel in its glorious contradictions, to celebrate its hard-won triumphs, and to critique its foibles and hypocrisies—all with t-shirts? That takes some talent. But it’s a challenge we’ve gladly taken on.

At Dirty Coast, we strive to create t-shirts that transcend the laundry pile. Our designs aspire to a higher standard than mere recognition, tribalism, or kitsch. At their best, our shirts stoke nostalgia, spark conversation, and make people laugh. They elicit knowing nods at your neighborhood bar and hearty “who dats” in foreign airports.

We make t-shirts because they’re democratic, both in appeal and in execution: everyone wears them, and anyone can make them. At Dirty Coast, we believe they can be civic-minded too.