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Texas Tees

Texans are Texas proud. You see it in the number and size of Texas flags flown in front of public buildings, offices and homes, and in the multitude of ways that the state’s shape has been applied to objects large and small. We’ve seen it in everything from cookie cutters, hot tubs, lapel pins and innumerable signs. A slightly more transitory use of Texas symbols can be found on t-shirts. The Lone Star state is evoked with flowers, critters, food and iconic places to name only a few. And these shirts are not just for tourists to take home as a memento of their visit. They’re worn with pride by people all over the state. Whole Earth has some of the best Texas tees, including our own Whole Earth Provision Co. t-shirts, should you be looking for a t-shirt to rep our state.

While many people might think that Texas is a desert thanks to movies and TV, in fact, areas of the state are quite lush. And when spring comes, the fields of wildflowers in Central Texas would remind you of an Impressionist painting rather than the badlands. The Tumbleweed Texstyles Wildflower Texas t-shirt celebrates some of our favorite flowers – the Texas Bluebonnet, Indian Blanket, Indian Paintbrush, Texas Lantana or Calico Bush and the Rose (they’re not just in Tyler!).

Another point of pride for Texans is our food, especially BBQ. The first to barbecue here were the Indigenous peoples and the tradition has continued with fresh inspiration from all the groups that now call Texas home. Given that great expanse of time for methods and flavors to meld, it’s no wonder many connoisseurs consider Texas BBQ to be the best. Heck, Texas Monthly has the nation’s only Barbecue editor whose job is to hold forth on BBQ and search out the best the state has to offer. So of course we proudly represent with Gusto Graphic’s I Love Texas BBQ shirt. 

Two of the most popular destination t-shirts for Texans are Big Bend National Park and Enchanted Rock. But we would like to highlight a different natural wonder closer to Austin – Hamilton Pool. It was created when the roof of an underground river collapsed leaving large slabs of limestone scattered around the perimeter and a 50 foot drop with a waterfall to the pool below. We like the Landmark Project’s “national park” style graphic to honor this special place. And if you’d like to visit, remember that reservations are required.

Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is a big deal in Texas. Not only is it a time for families to honor their loved ones who have passed beyond and to welcome them back home for a day with their favorite food and drink, it’s also become a popular unofficial holiday with local festivals, parades and lots of parties. Skulls and skeletons play an outsize role in the celebrations, so Outhouse Designs’ Women's Calaveras tank top is a classic example of a flower-decked colorful skull that’s ready to party.

Whole Earth has been creating t-shirts almost as long as we’ve been in business (that’s 50 years this December!). One of our iconic tees is the Armadillo Tent designed by Jim Franklin, the “Michelangelo of Armadillo Art.” We’re proud to honor the official Small Mammal of Texas with this t-shirt tribute. As a sign of the shirt’s popularity, we believe it’s been continuously available in our stores since 1985. You can read about the Armadillo Tent and other classics in our Whole Earth T-shirt Collection blog post.   

So show your Texas pride with a Texas tee! Visit us online, or if you live near one of our stores, you’ll find even more Texas t-shirts to choose from.