If you wanna give your money to actual LGBTQ people this Pride season, have I got the thing for you: it’s called THE INTERNET, and it’s chock-full of queer-owned businesses who have designed and produced their very own t-shirts that you could potentially purchase for yourself and wear to a Pride celebration or really anywhere t-shirts are worn. Plus, these indies have also been known to produce social justice and LGBTQ+ apparel that goes beyond straight-up rainbows! Imagine that.
If you are a writer using this list as a reference tool to write your own list of queer-owned businesses for a website that makes more money than we do, we would very much appreciate it if you could include our store or credit us!
This post was originally written in 2017 and has been updated for 2021.
Autostraddle: Our #1 Most Favorite Queer-Owned Business
Up top is our #1 most favorite queer-owned business store on the entire internet. There is no other store in the world that will make you as happy as the Autostraddle store. The people who you support by shopping at the Autostraddle Store are some of the best people to have ever existed in the world! Wow, where do I begin? All these shirts look great on a body that contains a head that contains a face that is pretty bummed about Wells Fargo sponsoring Pride.
Many of the slogans that are now common on queer tees, like the “Gal Pal” t-shirt, were pioneered right here on Autostraddle!
I could go on and on because there are so many shirts from Autostraddle that will pop at Pride, but you can make your own choices!
Flavnt
FLAVNT Streetwear is an independent clothing brand based in Austin, Texas created with “the goal of creating clothes that promote confidence and pride.” They sell binders, stickers and sweats and run fundraisers for organizations like Black Lives Matter as well as individual trans people who need money for surgery.
Flavnt’s LGBTQ+ relevant t-shirt selection is pretty vast, ranging from “Proudly Queer” to “All Bodies are Good Bodies” and a cute Pepto-pink dyke tee.
A Tribe Called Queer
Created by Black, Indigenous hard femme Sabine Maxine Lopez; a Tribe Called Queer is a multidisciplinary brand featuring gender-netural and size-inclusive clothing as well as a podcast, zine, virtual events and a blog.
The brand’s extensive selection of t-shirts tout slogans like “Gender Is an Illusion,” “Femmes Can be Thems,” Radical Queer”, “Black is Beautiful” and “Women of Color Are The Backbone of America.”
HumanKind Swimwear
This female-founded company aims to make quality gender-neutral swimsuits for a variety of bodies and sizes.
For Pride, they’ve released this very special Jersey as well as rainbow-striped swim trunks and tops.
dfrntpigeon
dfrntpigeon is a social enterprise apparel and lifestyle brand run by marginalized youth in Portland, helping them to develop their creative abilities into a potential career path. They collaborate with local artists on Pride lines every year and you can get last year’s or this year’s right now today!
Bianca Designs on Etsy
Latinx web designer and developer Bianca Negron makes stickers, pins, hats and t-shirts celebrating the LGBTQ+ community — and donates 50% of the proceeds to LGBTQ+ organizations.
Gaysian on Etsy
The Gaysian’s Etsy store sells tees with designs like “Asian Baby gay”, “Unapologetically Queer,” “Supergay,” “Gaysian in Distress” and “The Proud Gaysian.”
Ann, the designer behind the shop who is bisexual and based in Malaysia, wanted to make shirts for “other queer Asian people out there who are so unapologetically themselves” in hopes of seeing “at least part of my identity being showcased in different parts of the world through wonderful, brave people.” You can also follow the store on instagram!
Two Minds Press
Based in Philadelphia, Two Minds Press is a QWOC-run silkscreen press that aims to create “original hand-printed apparel, accessories, and prints around themes of emotionality, wordplay, social justice, and radical joy.”
Kirrin Finch
Androgynous menswear designer Kirrin Finch celebrated World Pride with this United By Love T-shirt.
Lockwood51
Shirts, socks and bags from this queer-owned Los Angeles shop with a mission to “empower queer youth” tout the benefits of staying queer as fuck, queer anarchy, destroying homophobia / racism / transphobia / sexism and supporting your local queer bar.
Sabor a Libertad
Sabor a Libertad is the project of a graphic artist in San Juan, Puerto Rico, aiming to make clothes that represent them and other queer, trans and/or non-binary people in Puerto Rico. They sell a ton of cute original graphic tees in bright, fun colors in both Spanish and English like Aro Pride, Straight Was the Phase, La Futura Es Inclusiva and They Kiss Them. There’s also this adorable little paper bag with little baguettes sticking out of it that says “pan” underneath it? I love it. (h/t to Vico via whom I found this shop!)
FRE Collaborative
The flagship of this queer-owned business’ apparel collection is is the “MrHandsome” line, but their Black Lives Matter shirts come adorned in rainbows or the trans flag for whatever floats your boat.
FRE Collaborative is an LGBTQ+ owned-company that aims to “translate personal and universal messages that convey a sense of pride and social awareness.”
Many Many Moons Ago on Etsy
Based in Austin, Texas, ManyManyMoonsAgo’s shirts sport slogans and illustrations relevant to topics including astrology, tarot, feminism and being QUEER. Great for anybody looking to hex the patriarchy or promote the concept that queerness is infinite.
Wildfang
These self-described “modern-day, female Robin Hoods raiding men’s closets and maniacally dispensing blazers, cardigans, wingtips and bowlers” launched their dapper-tomboy brand in early 2013. The WILD FEMINIST tees remain a staple.
MegemikoArt on Etsy
This Asian-American non binary artist’s wares implore you to protest trans kids, feel valid, stop Asian hate, believe in trans happiness and push back against gender norms.
Tomboy X
Tomboys Fran and Naomi invented TomboyX to create “men’s style” underwear that fit women’s bodies, and their success encouraged them to create a whole range of apparel, including these oversized ‘Anywhere Tees” that come in very Pride-appropriate patterns.
Alternately, just embrace the melt and wear a bra as a top!
Mi Vida
Noelle Reyes founded her LA-based store in 2008 “with the purpose of providing the surrounding the surrounding community a shopping experience that compliments their lifestyle, incorporating cultural elements into fashion and functional art.” The tees aren’t gay-specific, but they definitely have Pride-appropriate attitude.
Otherwild
Marisa Suárez-Orozco and Rachel Berk’s boutique/graphic design studio got born in Los Angeles in 2012 and opened a second location in New York in May 2016. Marisa has since left the company but Rachel continues overseeing the brand’s expansion, which sells wares from over 100 indie makers in stores and online as well as offering an inclusive space for the LGBTQ community, hosting workshops, readings, and parties. “Otherwild caters to the outsiders, the ones who are out-of-the-box and living life by their own rules,”wrote Fusion earlier this year. “It’s a place where feminism and LGBTQ pride is celebrated, not side-eyed.”
gc2b
This queer-owned business made your favorite binder and now they’re making your favorite t-shirt for Pride!
Rebirth Garments
Rebirth Garments is a gender non-conforming wearables line centering non-binary, trans, disabled and mad queers of all sizes and ages. While their store is temporarily closed on account of health issues, you can still get many of their signature designs including the “Access Bitch” tee on Teespring.
The Phluid Project
Gender-fluid musician Antiboy and graphic designer Jason Ebeyer designed this “One Love” t-shirt for the Phluid Project’s 2021 Pride Collection to support LGBTQ Youth through The Hendrick Martin Institute.
There’s plenty more in the Pride collection, and the Phluid Project also supports an impressive variety of other queer, trans, women, Black and Latinx owned brands.
Queerly Designs on Etsy
The self-described “lesbian Anthony Robbins” sells tees with just about every slogan under the sun, from “High & Bi” to “Vaccinated Bottom” and beyond.
Tegan & Sara Foundation
100% of the proceeds from these tees go to the Tegan & Sara foundation, which “fights for economic justice, health and representation for LGBQ girls and women.”
Official Rebrand
Official Rebrand specializes in breathing new life into discarding clothing through painting and other alterations. This process “celebrates the fluidity of identity, dissociating garments from gendered categories, reintroducing them without arbitrary social constraints.”
Sparkletown Studios on Etsy
Boston-based maker Femme Brulée is a burlesque performer “known for her over-the-top costumes and props,” and as the founder and coreographer of the Glitter Bombs, Boston’s Premier Strip Hop Troupe. Her glittery store offers pasties and earrings as well as t-shirts.
FTM Detroit on Etsy
FTM Detroit is a community-based group made by and for transmasculine identified people in the greater Detroit area. My Mom met these guys at Ferndale Pride many years ago and they gave her t-shirts and stickers to give to me which was so sweet!
Thugz Maison
“The Goddesses” t-shirt celebrates queer icons Audre Lorde, Gloria Anzaldúa and Angela Davis as well as our other fave bell hooks. You may as well pick up a “Butch Please” hat while you’re over there!
Demian Diné Yazhi’ on Etsy
Demian Diné Yazhi’ is a Portland-based artist and transdisciplinary warrior whose work is “an archivalization & exploration of memory formation, landscape representation, HIV/AIDS-related art & activism, gender / sexuality, & indigenous survivance.” Demian is also the founder of R.I.S.E.: Radical Indigenous Survivance & Empowerment, an Indigenous artist/activist collective.
Revel & Riot
Revel & Riot, an LGBTQ non-profit organization, sells t-shirts with specific messages, inspirations and intentions, often in collaboration with artists like Tegan & Sara. They also donate part of their proceeds to LGBTQ+ organizations like the Pulse Victims Fund.
They “use the t-shirt as a canvas to promote LGBTQ+ equality, pride, visibility and justice.”
Haute Butch
Selling “fierce dapper stud style” and “tomboy-style clothes,” Haute Butch features suits, vests, watches, belts, footwear, briefs and so much more at their online store. Karen Roberts opened her store in April 2012 with a focus on becoming“a clothing, footwear and lifestyle destination for butch women, studs, bois and transmen who prefer ‘menswear’ inspired finishes.”
Stuzo Clothing
Owned by QPOC couple Stoney Michelli and Uzo Ejikeme, DapperQ describes Stuzo as “a line of androgynous, athleisure, and Cali-casual-cool style.”
They sell hats, button-downs, blazers, faux fur masks (!!!), candles, harnesses and more, all made in Los Angeles.
Kiernan Dunn on Etsy
Kiernan Dunn is a printmaker and zinemaker based in New Orleans.
Gbee Studios on Etsy
In a field chock-full of repetitive and re-appropriated graphics and slogans, Gbee Studios presents fun, original designs with real character. Aside from our own store of course, this is my favorite shop on the list from a t-shirt design angle! Creator Gabriela Borjas created Gbee Studios “to bring more graphic options to the lgbtqia community.”
Tees include Crystal Queer, I Prefer Women, Queer Cutie, Gay: It Literally Means Happy, and so much more!
Bad Real Bad
Autostraddle Cartoonist Archie Bongiovanni, a “genderqueer mesh-wearing, french fry luver, leather-daddy-in-training, “Satan is an ok dude”, drunk cartoonist trash living in MPLS,” sells tees and tanks on their threadless shop.
Peau De Loup
The Canadian purveyor of well-made button-ups for bodies with curves has some cute pronoun tees from Kelly Small. 20% of proceeds go towards Kelly’s charities of choice – QMUNITY in Vancouver and 519 in Toronto.
Decolonizing Fitness
Decolonizing Fitness is a social justice platform that provides affirming fitness services, community education and apparel in support of body diversity. It’s owned by Black non-binary trans masculine person Illya, a physical therapist assistant and ACE Medical Exercise Specialist.
100% of Shirt sales on the Decolonize Fitness website — t-shirts that suggest concepts like “down with the binary” and “Fitness is for All Bodies” will be donated to help support Black Trans and Gender Diverse folks who are currently experiencing houselessness.
Surpride on Etsy
Surpride’s mission is to create apparel that LGBTQIA+ people can relate to, by sharing their thoughts and purposes and being a part of the community themselves as a queer-owned business.
Just another friendly reminder that the Autostraddle Store on Hello Merch is full of great goods for you + yours! HM also sells merch for queer artists like Angel Olsen, Japanese Breakfast, the Buffering podcast, Queer Kid Stuff, Jenny Owen Youngs, Julia Nunes and The Ally Coalition if you want to make a bulk buy.
Anyways, Happy Pride
Before you go! It takes funding to keep this publication by and for queer women and trans people of all genders running every day. And A+ members keep the majority of our site free for everyone. Still, 99.9% of our readers are not members. A+ membership starts at just $4/month. If you’re able to, will you join A+ and keep Autostraddle here and working for everyone?
Join A+
Hold on, I’m gonna go get my credit card.
Be right back
Oh, and the link for Thugz Maison is missing
Well now my wishlist is full.
Also I saw FtM Detroit at Ferndale Pride this year and they were so great and nice!
Check out threadedwit.com
We’re queer owned and donate the majority of proceeds to the Looking Out Foundation! Xo
Dammit both the Harvey Milk T-Shirt and Rainbow Mountain t-shirts seem to be unavailable.
C’mon, Revel & Riot!
Riot and get a bullet, just saying. No fucking1 way to that.
So, what you’re saying is I should stop procrastinating and finally get the Gender Traitor tee… I guess, if you insist…
This is rude. I already own enough Autostraddle/Everyone is Gay merch to outfit myself forever, I surely didn’t need more. BUT NOW I /NEED/ MORE. So THANKS A LOT. (But no really, thanks.)
So what you’re saying is that you are a queer and forever dressed?
Always Queer, NeverNude
Yes! I’ve been waiting for this post, tbh.
Hey friends I think the Gloria in the Thugz Madison shirt is Gloria Anzaldua, not Gloria Steinem <3
the first place i saw that shirt was linked from an article on like, mashable maybe? or refinery29? and i copied the names from their description and didn’t double-check them when i went to the actual store in question and was like, hm, gloria steinem is a weird choice. THIS MAKES A LOT MORE SENSE.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/CrowandBier?ref=l2-shopheader-name
My friend (and ex) designed these shirts for Chicago pride!
Is there a back story to the demon lizard shirt, because for years I’ve seen that term used in Antisemitic manner from racists and writers who claim they aren’t racist/antisemitic, but then proceed say stuff that is offensive. Even had to explain to a friend who is not straight what she’s seen on the internet is way out there false, and racist against Jews and poc.
yeah, it’s a reference to a demon lizard who lived in the basement of a fraternity in an episode of buffy the vampire slayer, and the lizard was basically the patriarchy in that episode
Ah. Maybe Im jumpy as I’ve seen too many antisemitic material in the past few years referring to us as lizards and such.
You are referring to the conspiracy theory about Reptilians (or Lizard People) propagated by David Icke. It’s … well… weird. However, you don’t necessarily have to be Jewish or a POC to be accused of being a lizard. Anyway, here’s some info on the fun stuff:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reptilians
Yes, I saw that. Then got to the wiki page of a author, forget her name atm, who said similar things. Still, kind of jumpy as I’ve seen in recent times white (usually)men quote authors like Icke to attack queer and feminist Jewish women.
It must be a rough life seeing racism, bigotry, seismic etc in literally everything. Good thing this dumb country is about to fail to people that haven’t fallen to this stupid ideology THE RUSSIAN AND CHINESE. YOUR KIND IS TOAST. THEY WILL KILL YOU BY WIPING THEIR ASSES WITH YOU OFF THE MAP.
Also check out queer-owned Sparkletown Studios on Etsy!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/SparkletownStudios
Fantastic user name. Congrats
OMG I JUST ORDERED THE POOP ON THE PATRIARCHY HOODIE FOR MY TINY DOG AND I’M SO EXCITED I HAVE TO USE ALLLLLLL CAAAAPPPPPPSSSS!!!!!
My etsy shop is queer hats and not t-shirts, is it cool if I plug that?
sure! this post is about t-shirts but you can plug whatever you want in the comments!
I need that Don’t Assume Anything as a 29 yo trans masc person who looks like a 13 yo girl. Sums me up so much lol.
Jacob is the best, so happy to see their work advertised here <3
AHHH! Thank you so much for this! I’ve been desperate for menswear cut for AFAB bodies. The only place I knew was Wildfang and they are usually way out of my budget. Also trying to buy more from independent merchants just generally so this is a win-win.
You know, I’m a femme, but I’m not a hard one. And because I’m a femme, I don’t want to wear unisex T-shirts. Where are the pretty, women-cut, femme t-shirts?
The Lavender Menace shirt comes in a women’s cut, and AS has some others that do too, although they keep peskily selling out…check out the store, they normally have a scissoring one, a lazy femme one, can’t remember what else?
These are so great! I’m wearing the “wish you were queer” shirt right now!
I’m also happy to learn about werk for pecs! Def donating to that.
i really, really wish i had the guts to wear the vag sign shirt but i don’t know if i could just sit in class with that emblazoned across my chest.
also it’s not queer-owned but my “america needs lesbian farmers” shirt from raygun just came in the mail and i’m absurdly excited about it.
GOT THE LAVENDER MENACE T SHIRT LAST WEEK!! Came in yesterday and I love it. SO soft!! Ah I wish this was posted a bit earlier so I could have seen some of these before pride. This compilation is incredible.
It’s super soft
Cool, here’s my hat shop. https://www.etsy.com/shop/QueerBeanies
I’m low on stock right now because it’s pride month, obviously, but I’m knitting more as fast as my lil gay hands can go.
that wish you were queer shirt made me smile
Here’s another line of queer-designed queer t-shirts http://www.amazon.com/Tukaho-e/b/ref=w_bl_sl_ap_ap_web_14627595011?ie=UTF8&node=14627595011&field-lbr_brands_browse-bin=Tukaho-e
The Autostraddle store is better than ever but half the shirt styles only go up to a 2XL?? I love you guys but you need to find a better vendor, because that’s not fair to your fat readership. K thanks byeeeee
Agreed!
Wanted to share my new line here too!
https://bridgetwoodbury.com/product-category/pride-2019/
Thank you for including an Australian creator in here! For once shipping costs may be less than the cost of the garment!
I know! And they have a couple of “DEADLY” shirts too! Good to see
/selfpromotion now that it’s pride time again
Check out my awesome queer art on Redbubble!
https://www.redbubble.com/people/sgranger
Get $10 off your purchase if you’re a new customer on Redbubble!
https://www.talkable.com/x/xX3AJh
Check out this new design I just put on my page! I would be thrilled to see someone wearing this at pride!
https://www.redbubble.com/people/sgranger/works/39112051-rainbow-roses?p=pencil-skirt&ref=available_products
Hi! I sell large, acrylic laser cut earrings!
I’m a queer maker, a budding small business and I will be donating a 50% of every of the pronoun earrings, “Be Gay, Do Crime”, and the new upcoming “Queer Magic” designs to the Trans Lifeline and the Transgender Law Center for the month of June and 10% all year long.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/PickleKittenCo
This is exactly the content I’ve been looking for. Thank you!!
Here to confirm that Autostraddle’s “who all’s gay here” shirt is perfect for a hot Pride day and gets a solid share of compliments.
Shameless self promotion as another queer lady in this graphic tee game.
Femfatfun.com – everything available in sizes 4X-XS, not prices difference between sizes!
Check out my queer owned Etsy shop. Lots of mugs with feminist and queer/pride themes.
etsy.com/shop/swimmingturtleart
Thanks!
Besides the point, but just want to take a moment to appreciate how ridiculously soft literally everything autostraddle makes is. I don’t know how y’all do it but it is incredible. Can confirm that it is helping me live my best/coziest/softest life.
I love this roundup!
JZD!!! I love their Bien Gay shirt. https://jenzeanodesigns.com/products/bien-gay-pride-tee
The shop is run by two wives in South Texas.
I also have an Etsy store with a whole section of pride wear!
https://www.etsy.com/shop/GoodTroubleCafe?section_id=32397160
I love this post but also hate it at the same time. See, I’m buying a new car in July so I told myself not to spend too much money in June. Then this post comes along to just laugh in my face.
Before I click on all these links and then get disappointed, it would be super helpful to know which, if any, are size inclusive. It’s really hard to find ethically-made, cute Pride clothes in plus sizes.
I was just going to make this comment! As a fat person, i know I will be so disappointed when visiting most of these sites
wow yall I was NOT planning on buying anything and then this Plants Against Gender Norms shirt happened and i’m broken! https://www.etsy.com/listing/888680503/plants-against-gender-norms-t-shirt?ref=shop_home_active_82&crt=1&variation0=1582586486&variation1=1582586474
Okay, I know this post is about t-shirts (and I will be buying some) but what I *really* want is some kind of necklace with a sizable transgender pendant a la a 70’s style astrology necklace. Surely this must exist.
Wow, I am the owner of Many Many Moons Ago and am so honored to see my shop on this list! Thank you so much for supporting the community. <3
Echoing some other comments, but as a fat person i know that most of not all of these stores won’t carry my size! Let’s see some 3x – 6x options
You forgot the T in “the Tegan & Sara foundation, which “fights for economic justice, health and representation for LGBQ girls and women.”” there buddy
I also have a shop! I’m a gay trans guy using all the funds to pay for my top surgery :~)
Biggaysoapshopco.Etsy.com
I LOVE this list! But you left one off!
TheSameInside.com
Pronounced “same,” this logo was designed by a lesbian for all LGBTQ+ individuals and those who support them. We are all the same inside, regardless of who you are. We all just want to be happy and get the most out of life. The more that things change and evolve socially in our world, the more it will be realized we really are all the same. Thanks for pushing the movement forward Autostraddle. Sorry for the guerrilla style post but it seemed appropriate for the topic.
How do I get my clothing brand on this list next year? 😬
Black & Trans owned.