Stand firm ye boys of Maine. If you’ve heard that quote before you’re either a) a Joshua Chamberlain fanatic or b) a Loyal Citizen Tees devotee. I am of the latter. We met Loyal Citizen creators Jeff Lauzier and Julian Redman at their HQ - Joseph’s on Free Street. They work in the store and peddle their amazing line there too. 

Jeff is the “business brain” behind the brand while Julian finds concepts for the shirts. His inspiration comes from everywhere. The covers of old books, an image off an old pennant,  a historical quote. Even the name from their line, “Loyal Citizen” was written on an old gravestone. Loyal Citizen shirts “exemplify New England pride.” After all, only Mainers are willing to wear their state tree on their chest.

Screen printed and made entirely in Maine - we can’t think of a better gift for Father’s Day. Stop into Joseph’s or Lalo Boutique where you can pick out your favorite - or order from their website here. And don’t worry ladies, they come in sizes for you too. 

T-shirts. Cards. Potions. Soaps. Artwork. Candles. Dishtowels. Jewelry. Birdhouses. Panties. All made in Maine. Where can you find such locally made wonders? Lalo Boutique (142 High Street) of course.

If you haven’t been into Lalo yet, you’re missing out. Owner Melissa, a Topsham native, always wanted to open her own shop. With a background in retail and the desire to support the local economy, she finally dug in her heels and did it over one year ago. “At the time I was managing a local lobster pound and I told myself I couldn’t let fear stop me,” says Melissa.

Inside you’ll find everything from Loyal Citizen Clothing tees, pizza rocks from Creative Works System, handiwork from MECA students and even potions (I refrained from buying “Bite Me Baby”). Nothing is from outside this state.  As she dashed around and showed us her product lines (in her Maine made leggings), she had a personal vignette about every seller - keeping it truly local.

Make sure to follow Lalo on twitter and check out her store for some inspired local finds. I’ll be back soon to buy this shirt. 

Once in awhile, a clothing line gets its start from a class project. Or at least that’s how it happened for Elykssor Clothing. Kyle Poissonier, the line’s Creative Director, met up with us to discuss how a marketing major and two former football players formed their very own fashion line.

Originally from Skowhegan, Kyle met his business partners at Husson University in Bangor. After creating the line as a fake business proposal - he thought that it might just work. After figuring out the purpose, style and fit they were going after, they enlisted artists from Sacramento to Maine (including our very own Ryan Adams) to come up with creative designs. 

Elykssor’s name is from “the elixir of life”. Many of the t-shirt slogans read “prolong life” to promote strong, healthy lifestyles. The line has also helped raise funds for charities, with proceeds going to organizations like the Michael J. Fox Foundation.

Though Kyle is back in Maine, his partners are based in NYC where the line was originally launched. “Portland saved Elykssor,” says Kyle. “The response here has been great. I don’t know if the line would have survived if I didn’t come back to Maine.” 

Next up for Elykssor are vintage-inspired garb which they’re expanding into more fashion pieces like dresses and jackets. Check them out on Facebook and Twitter. 

 

What is it about the icon of our great state that looks so good? The rocky coastline? The unique shape? Either way, it looks even better in plaid. Bethany Hayes-Chute, the artist behind By Bethany, has been screen printing her own designs for two years. Her Maine tee’s have a rustic, sketched out feel and her New England tees are the newest hybrid (not on her site yet - but they’ll be at The Big Thaw!) All her shirt designs are hand-printed on apparel made in the U.S. So is her plaid state of Maine trying to get at something? “I wasn’t trying to say that everyone in Maine wears plaid - but I guess it is kinda true!” she says. 

This art school aficionado (she’s gone to MECA, Pratt and Mass Art) doesn’t just stick to Maine garb. There’s also her creature shirts, jewelry, floral designs and New England tote bags (just $12) that round out her array of goods. You can buy her goods online or visit her table at The Big Thaw. You can bet her table of t’s will be perfectly folded thanks to Nate - he taught her to fold them the “Martha Stewart” way during our visit. 

Did you know there are three different Coolidge Avenue’s in the Portland area? Luckily, the third time was a charm when we finally made it to Liza and Chris’s house, owners of Zinnia Clothing. (It’s time we invest in a GPS.)

Liza, a former nurse, returned to her home state of Maine almost ten years ago with her husband. They’ve lived in South Portland for the past seven years in a neighborhood “that’s filled with artsy and creative people.” 

Zinnia Clothing has been in the works for the past three years, but launched online in January ‘10. Liza first got the idea for a t-shirt line because she couldn’t find any that she liked. “I had left nursing and the long hours behind me and I was looking for a creative outlet. Since there weren’t any t-shirts I liked I thought, I guess I’ll make some!” 

Her husband was on board with the idea and enrolled in Montage Screen Printing Academy on Long Island, New York. In their basement now sits a four-station, four color press where everything is made.  Liza designs are translated to screen print films with the help of Irene Stapleford, a local graphic designer, with whom she works as part of a creative team. Liza finds inspiration in everything from pillowcases to children’s books. All the shirts are made with water-based inks on 100% supima cottons. “I looked at several different shirts I liked and took all of their best features, like the neck line or sleeve length, so that we could produce a truly custom product,” says Liza.

Zinnia Clothing donates 5% of all their proceeds to Women for Women International. “It’s a cause that’s really important to me and I set out to make sure we could give back when we started our own business,” she says. And if you’re their 100th follower on twitter, you’ll get a free shirt. After all, it is the season of giving.

Some folk like to wear their heart on their sleeve. This guy likes to wear “Perv Power” on his chest.  

Originally from Keene, New Hampshire, this t-shirt designer was selling his 100% recycled shirts during July’s First Friday. He makes them in his basement on Warren Avenue.

My favorite shirt said “Drunk for the Miss”. Check out designs from his line, Inept Collective, right here.