My first piece of D.C.-branded merchandise was one of those Washington D.C. hoodies that tourists buy from downtown souvenir shops and trucks. I saved up my high school allowance to purchase my very own red sweatshirt from Georgetown Park Mall, and still wear it with pride to this day. As the Made in DC movement sweeps the city, the retail market is ripe for products catering to proud natives and transients alike. As such, the D.C. area houses several companies, big and small, that produce apparel you can wear on the streets, art to showcase in your home, random things for gifting, and more. Below are some brands that we think provide some of the most cool and creative offerings.
(Photo courtesy of District of Clothing)
DISTRICT OF CLOTHING: When I began mingling with fellow “young professionals” in D.C. a few years ago, I found that having a full-time job and several side gigs is pretty normal. Dionna Dorsey, creator of District of Clothing, noticed that too. And in 2014, she created the brand that includes items like the “Dreamer Doer”, t-shirt. According to the company’s site, the brand’s best sellers include the DC Dope hoodie and the Three Stars, Two Bars t-shirt, among other products, that will soon be available at Steadfast Supply in Yards Park.—Christina Sturdivant
District of Clothing items can be purchased online here.
(Photo courtesy of Carmonamedina)
CARMONAMEDINA: I have a habit of picking up creative postcards from places I visit (my partner judges the growing stack a little, but it fortunately isn’t exactly the most expensive of predilections). And in my experience, cities like Barcelona really put the stodgy offerings in D.C. to shame. Enter Carlos Carmonamedina. After moving to the District last year from eastern Europe, he took to making a digital postcard a week, as part of his efforts to get to know the city, and posting them on Reddit. When people started requesting actual prints, he realized there was pent-up demand for depictions of D.C. rather than official Washington. “I have made a little tour of the souvenir shops. There is this gap that the illustrations could fill,” he told DCist rather charitably. Indeed, Carlos, indeed. — Rachel Sadon
Find Carmonamedina’s postcards and prints here.
(Photo via Facebook)
CHERRY BLOSSOM CREATIVE PRINTS: I’ll be honest, whenever I see geographic merch in D.C. these days, I immediately look to see if my neighborhood is highlighted. If it’s not, I don’t support. Fortunately, Cherry Blossom Creative’s map of D.C. not only has the obligatory Deanwood and Anacostia representations of Wards 7 and 8, but it also features River Terrace, Shipley Terrace, Benning Ridge, Fort Davis, and numerous other communities that lie east of the Anacostia River and often go overlooked. However, the brand can certainly still expand its neighborhood prints, which range from H Street NE to Woodley Park (and even College Park), to include more far reaching parts of the city. And according to its website, the prints’ creator, Torie Partridge, has plans to do just that “slowly but surely.” With that said, all of the options are vibrant, affordable, and make for beautiful additions to homes or offices that need a little D.C. love. From my experience, the Shaw-based company also has excellent customer service and is full of District pride.—Christina Sturdivant
Cherry Blossom Creative’s prints can be purchased online here.
(Photo via Compass Coffee)
COMPASS COFFEE TOTE: Along with other companies, Compass Coffee contributed to the Made in DC movement and legislation. The caffeine purveyor, which has locations popping up more frequently, has put its signature Made in DC branding on a tote because who doesn’t want to represent D.C. with a bag full of junk? I know I do!—Christina Sturdivant
The Compass Coffee tote bag can be purchased here.
(Photo courtesy of Hill Killer)
HILL KILLER: While lycra-clad cyclists get a bad rap, there are some benefits of wearing cycling gear, including the fact that most items are made for comfort and practicality. If you’re looking for apparel made especially for cycling, you may want to start with a Maryland-based brand that’s “in business to make the best looking cycling gear on the planet.” You can buy the poignant D.C. flag jersey, which has “taxation without representation” stitched on the back. Or you can go for the D.C. edition jersey from the company’s retro city line, which has a “sleek design that proudly displays signature Washington DC colors,” according to the brand. In addition to light and breathable fabric, the jerseys are a plus because of their pockets, which are big enough to hold your keys, phone, and water bottle, among other things.—Christina Sturdivant
Hill Killer jerseys can be purchased online here.
(Photo via Etsy)
GREYMOGGIEPRESS: You can show some household etiquette and District loyalty at your next cocktail party with Greymoggiepress’ D.C.-centric coasters, which are made by Rosedale resident Melanie Karlins. If you’re partying with friends, might I suggest the Tipsy in the 202 or I Do My Drinking In The District editions. If you’re dining with colleagues, you may want to snag the equally awesome D.C. flag option. The coasters, which come in sets of eight, are printed on reusable paper so they’re good to go even after being soaked in liquid. They are susceptible to stains, however, so be tread lightly with the red wine and coffee.—Christina Sturdivant
Greymoggiepress coasters can be purchased here.
(Photo courtesy of Metro)
METRO MERCH: There’s plenty of Metro-related merch to be found on Etsy and in local shops, but if you have particular pride for the transit system (god bless you), consider going directly to the source. Yes, WMATA has its own gift shop, and yes, they could very much use the money. The options in their online store go well-beyond your standard mugs and posters, too. For train-obsessed kids, there’s are train engineer, trackworker, and transit police costumes, as well as replicas of Metrobuses and subway cars. For those forever forgetting which set of stairs to head up at Gallery Place to transfer to the Red Line (I’ve been here for more than a decade and still can not get this right), consider an iPhone case of a cuff with the map. The ever popular Metro shower curtain makes an appearance, but I’m rather digging the umbrella. And why not, it’s practically charity at this point. — Rachel Sadon
Peruse the Metro store’s offerings here.
(Photo via Etsy)
ANNIE GRACE KNITS: Annie is knitting in Petworth, and she wants you to buy local. One of her more District-centric items is a cotton pillow cover with a polyester inner cushion, on which she hand-sews an image of the D.C. flag. It comes in red and white and gray and black. I haven’t purchased one myself, but one customer review reads: “It’s really well made and a nice size for a statement piece on your couch. I love it!”—Christina Sturdivant
Annie Grace Knits pillows can be purchased online here.
(Photo via Etsy)
HANDMADE HABITAT:: Need party favors? How about a book of matches, D.C. style? Handmade Habitat makes cute “Love DC Matchbooks” that come in sets of 50. They’re handmade from kraft cardstock and hand stamped, and they have a strike-on light strip that makes lighting them easy. The shop’s owner, Amina Ahmad of D.C., also specializes in all natural soy candles in case you’re looking to make good use of that spark.—Christina Studivant
Handmade Habitat’s matchbooks can be purchased here.
(Courtesy of Bailiwick Clothing Company)
BAILIWICK CLOTHING COMPANY: Bailiwick is having a good year. The Made In D.C. company’s strategy of sending its merch to prominent athletes is paying off. Already, Nats outfielder Bryce Harper has worn two of their t-shirts during post-game interviews, including on Opening Day, flooding their website with visitors and selling out the product. Harper donning the gear “really put us on the map,” JC Smith, who co-owns Bailiwick with his brother Jeffrey, told DCist. The company is a mainstay at local festivals like H Street, and recently teamed up with DC Vote for a special 51st state shirt. Next up for Bailiwick, which designs and produces its clothes in the District, is a kid’s line.—Rachel Kurzius
Find Bailiwick Clothing Company on its website.
(Photo courtesy of Victory Dance Creative)
VICTORY DANCE CREATIVE: If you’ve been to one of local street festivals recently, you’ve probably seen some of the fruits of the D.C. Neighborhood Project. Graphic designer Anthony Dihle, founder of Victory Dance Creative, created a bunch of vintage-looking posters showing iconic snapshots of different, well, D.C. neighborhoods that he sells for $18 apiece. Many of them feature residential scenes, with tiles showing where they’re located in the city and sometimes a cute tagline—in the Bloomingdale version, it says “much nicer than the department store.” It’s a lovely souvenir for visitors or a way to show some neighborhood pride.—Rachel Kurzius
Find the D.C. Neighborhood Project on its website.
