Cup of TEE anyone?

So this 2010, I've become somewhat of a T-shirt Collector. I finally purchased a shirt from Johnny Cupcakes, and it has become a growing collection. Manifesting the artist in me, I've always liked unique shirts ranging across simple, awesome designs to detailed illustrations. It's even more of a plus when the brand stands for something, has a purpose, and is not just a "walking billboard" (as Miles to Go puts it). In the future, my goal is to create such a brand, but I'm still on the thought and learning process of what I really want to put out under my name. It's a HUGE ordeal, nothing to take lightly at all, because when I realize this dream, I'm in it to win it. :) 

For the meantime, I've been online discovering about independent brands, as well as reading on the business end of things, like fair use, and copyrights. One discovery is when I met a blogger who's a tee shirt aficionado.  Loving This Tee, is all about shirts and what they're about. There's always a good amount of information on the brand and/or artists that created their piece of clothing, so readers like me can get a glimpse of what they represent. In reading through almost all of the posts in one night, I ran into CAVATA. They give 10% of every purchase to Music and Art programs in public schools, as well as non-profit organizations. But that's not what initially caught my eye. It was their first annual collaboration tee with Regan Smith Clarke clothing company, whose self named brand is inspired by vintage posters, ads, and signs. Right up my alley! With their awesome aesthetics and principle combined, how can I resist?

So the result of all this newfound venture...is a package at my front door containing this...

Support great art, great blogs, great brands and ART & MUSIC PROGRAMS! This shirt is absolutely amazing, down to every detail put into it (including: a concert ticket stub tagged onto the shirt, and the print inside the back neckline area that serves as the shirt's tag itself. An absolute steal! The picture doesn't even do it that great a justice. But with companies like CAVATA & Regan Smith Clarke, I'll be on a further lookout to support passionate companies that believe in excellence and purpose, not only in the tee shirt world, but in every area art extends its hands to.