Bay Area native creates eco-friendly, Oakland-centric line of T-shirts
Oakland Pop Cotton Shirts
Oakland Me.
If you read the colorful T-shirt the way founder Tuan Huynh intended, you see "Oakland And Me."
After creating T-shirts promoting New York and Los Angeles, the graphic designer was looking for a clever way to illustrate the way folks from "The Town" connect to their fair city. The dove as an accent was a way for him to express his wishes for peace on the streets. It’s one of the standout shirts offered by Pop Cotton.
Founded in October 2009 when Huynh quit his job in search of a fun way to utilize more than 10 years in the industry as a graphic designer, the company is slowly building a solid fan base. The one-man operation doesn’t have a store front and isn’t at any of the Farmer's Markets yet, but its online store is always open. And so far the customers are stopping by to purchase. Especially the shirts dedicated to the 510.
“I have to say that for some reason, Oakland people have the most pride about their town more than anybody else in the entire Bay Area,” the San Jose native said. “People in San Francisco don’t wear San Francisco shirts, only tourists do.”
His second Oakland shirt is rooted in yesteryear.
“I think when people are proud of the city, they usually look at the city in a very nostalgic way,” Huynh said. “That’s why I was very inspired to come up with something that was kind of old school looking and retro.”
Pop Cotton also carries shirts with simple words like “Knowledge” and “Peace” and matching imagery. All T-shirts are printed with water-based ink, on American-made products, in the U.S. These three factors are ones that Huynh takes much pride in.
“I think it’s important to emphasize that there are still businesses that are created in the U.S.,” the entrepreneur said. “When you buy a product that is made in the U.S., you support the economy that we have here.”
For more information, visit www.popcotton.com.
NOTE: This story is part of an on-going series on Oaland-focused t-shirts, accessories, cool stuff. If you have a brand you like that you think we should feature, email editor@oaklandlocal.com with Oakland Goods in the subject line.
Story Features
Environment
Food
Daily Image
Recent comments
Development
Identity
Arts & Education
Join Our Mailing List
Sign up for Oakland freebies, discounts & exclusive stories 2X a month.
Pro bono web design grant provided by TechScouts
I saw this vendor at Oakland Pride, and i really loved the oaklandme tshirts. they were beautifully designed and had a great message.
also, i was irritated by this tshirt: http://www.popcotton.com/shop/debut/nouveau-ghetto/
it says "nouveau ghetto" in an art nouveau font imposed on a diamond graphic.
i am so tired of people tossing the word ghetto around as either 1) a pejorative term or 2) a term to leverage for kitsch/ironic value
this tshirt is a prime example of #2. the blond blue-eyed faux-hawked model-dude with the ironic expression popping his non-existent collar on the website really adds insult to injury.
while the oaklandme shirts are great, the nouveau ghetto shirt makes me wonder where Tuan Huynh is coming from.
Love
Carrie
an Oakland native
I agree, finding out about the "Nouveau Ghetto" shirt irritates me, too. Thank you for sharing, we'll encourage Tuan Huynh to read this post as well.
I'm a BIG fan of Pop Cotton and I am lucky enough to know the talented and extremely kindhearted designer personally. I know that he will be thrilled to hear the positive comments about the "Oakland-Me" shirts but he will also be saddened by the misconception of the other design that was mentioned.
I think it's only fair to clarify that the "Nouveau Ghetto" T-Shirts were designed/sold far in advance of the Oakland event. That being said, I think it's safe to say that those particular shirts were in no way intended to be offensive and/or connected to the great city of Oakland.
I am 100% certain that the message on the shirts had nothing to do with Oakland or the fine people that reside there (or in any other city that may have been improperly labeled as such for that matter).
On the contrary, I think that the designer was simply trying to poke a bit of tongue in cheek fun at the equally silly term "Nouveau Riche."
I also believe that perhaps the message is meant to transform and/or inject a certain sense of pride in to those who have been miscategorized/offended by the word "ghetto."
By turning a negative connotation in to something positive, it defuses the ability to hurt and empowers those who refuse to be defined by it. It sort of says "you're darn right I'm nouveau ghetto pal - so what?!?!"
As for the model on the website, I cannot personally make any assumptions since I do not know him and/or what the intention of his facial expression may/may not have been. It may in fact be equally pejorative to say that blonde hair+blue eyes & faux hawk = smarmy, condescending jerk! (?)
It might have simply been a case of the photographer saying "make a crazy expression" and the particular shot that was chosen reflected something far different than what was intended ...especially by the shirt designer!
In any case, I hope that everyone will please continue to support Pop Cotton. We need more companies like them! American made with an environmental/social conscience and a whole lot of integrity ...and it doesn't hurt that the owner/designer is just a great guy in general.
I suppose the finest art in the world always creates controversy and is open to everyone's individual interpretation, so thanks for letting me share my opinion(s).
Please also note that the aforementioned views/comments that I have expressed are just that - "my" views/comments. They are not meant to represent those of anyone other than me ...so thanks for letting me rattle on and on for a bit. : )
Peace/Harmony/Responsible Fashion & Friendship to all.
- Andrew