Not many cities possess the collective hometown pride that one can find in Buffalo. Off the top of my head, at any given moment, I can rattle off at least five Buffalo-centric clothing companies.

Challenging as it may be to keep ‘em all straight, it’s worth taking a look at the unique offerings of each company. The designs vary greatly, as do the stories behind each company’s founding. In this handy three-part series, we’re going to profile the major Buffalo T-shirt businesses in the area, creating what just might be the most expansive Buffalo T-shirt directory on the Web. Timing couldn’t be better, right? Everyone’s scrambling for solid holiday gift ideas.

In the first installment of this Buffalo T-shirt series, get the facts on My Buffalo Shirt, andBuffalo, You and Who, and Born in Buffalo:

My Buffalo Shirt

Founder: Adam Kern
Company history: The company started back in 2008 with Kern’s Buffalo hockey design, around which he built the rest of the company. Kern prints each shirt individually through a fairly involved process that we documented in a video earlier this year. My Buffalo Shirt also provides the official wardrobe for our competitive eating series Hungry Hungry Buffaloes.
Iconic shirt: “Has to be the blue Buffalo hockey design,” Kern said.
Design style: “I wanted to affect the local community with my take on art and design with an edgy look,” Kern said. When he started My Buffalo Shirt, he thought the Buffalo shirt scene was lacking that tattoo-inspired look with intricate designs, so he decided that would be the design route he would take.
Type of tee: “All my shirts are American Apparel, and the supplies are all from the US, too, so it’s all American-made.”
Shirt that makes the best holiday gift: Kern said his hockey shirts are generally the big sellers in the winter months, and they continue to be popular year after year.
Where are your shirts sold? mybuffaloshirt.com, Bay 6
Any holiday discounts? Use code “xmas” for 20 percent off purchase at mybuffaloshirt.com.

Follow My Buffalo Shirt on Facebook and Twitter.

andBuffalo

Founder: Joe Kontrabecki
Company history: It’s kind of an offshoot of Phoenix Apparel and Marketing, Kontrabecki explained. “The brand itself was live in a retail capacity in March of 2010. I was certainly familiar with the Buffalo T-shirt landscape, and I knew what was out there. There’s always room for something if it’s done well.”
Iconic shirt: The orders are pretty diverse, Kontrabecki admitted, but the “Bruce & Thurman & Andre & Jim” shirt is probably the most requested.
Design style: “The strength lies more in the simplicity and how straight-forward it is. Left-justified, helvetica type.”
Type of tee: Gildan
Shirt that makes the best holiday gift: As of a few weeks ago, andBuffalo now sells customized apparel at the Niagara Holiday Market. “We can decorate to fit your specific needs. We’re not beholden to a particular color T-shirt now,” Kontrabecki said.
Where are your shirts sold? andBuffalo.com, the Niagara Holiday Market, Bay 6, and New Age Creations at the Boulevard Mall and Walden Galleria.
Any holiday discounts? Use code “thankyou” for 10 percent off your purchase at andBuffalo.com.

Follow andBuffalo on Facebook and Twitter. 

You and Who

Founder: Dan Gigante
Company history: You and Who launched in eight cities last year. Gigante had listened to TOMS Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie speak, and he was inspired to create a similar model based around city-centric T-shirts. For each shirt—designed by a local artist—purchased in a particular city, another shirt is donated to a charitable organization in that same city. Gigante said You and Who will have expanded to 32 cities by next year.
Iconic shirt: “Buffalo Tree,” Gigante said. “A lot of people like it for just the design, and they may not even see the buffalo right away.”
Design style: Because the artwork is submitted by artists in different cities, “designs are hyperlocal,” Gigante said. Each shirt represents the specific community it benefits.
Type of tee: “We go out of our way to pick a higher quality shirt,” Gigante said, adding “we’re switching to Anvil from Gildan because of its corporate responsibility.” He’s dedicated to producing a quality product because half of his shirts end up being donated to people in need. “We want them to receive a new shirt, and a high-quality one at that.” To show just how nicely his shirts hold up, Gigante said, “I’ve literally been wearing a You and Who shirt for 14 months straight.”
Shirt that makes the best holiday gift: “We include these cards that explain the mission for every shirt. When you give [a shirt as a gift] to someone, you’ll be able to explain it.” For the Buffalo buff, Gigante suggests gifting the Buffalo Tree or Thursday in the Square shirts.
Where are your shirts sold? youandwho.com, Bay 6, Spoiled Rotten and Garage Mahal in Orchard Park.
Any holiday discounts? You and Who will have a booth at the Walden Galleria today (Friday), and sales benefit the Buffalo City Mission. Mention that you read this article on Buffalo.com for 10 percent off your shirt.

Follow You and Who on Twitter and Facebook.

Born in Buffalo

Founder: Dave Hassett; Assistant to the regional manager: Alicia Campbell (ha!)
Company history: It all started with a midnight visit to the Central Terminal, followed by an annual scavenger hunt. Hassett had introduced his wife to parts of the city that she’d never seen, and he was soon showing his pals around Buffalo, too. By 2001, he’d organized a citywide scavenger hunt for friends and family. Teams were determined and grouped according to Buffalo-centric slogans such as “My city smells like Cheerios.” A friend suggested the slogans be turned into T-shirts, and the rest is history.
Iconic shirt: “Cheerios shirt. Absolutely the Cheerios shirt.”
Design style: Hassett’s works with graphic designer Katie Africano who, Hassett said, presents aesthetically appealing designs and historic references. Africano’s designs evoke stories, Hassett said, and they often employ double entendres that get people talking.
Shirt that makes the best holiday gift: The “I’d rather be snowed in” shirt is perfect for the winter-embracing Buffalonian. “Who wouldn’t rather be snowed in their house with a six-pack than experiencing a tsunami, hurricane or flood?” Compared to other cities’ horrific natural disasters, being snowed in is a piece of cake.
Where are your shirts sold? borninbuffalo.net, Clutch on Elmwood Avenue, Bay 6, Comfort Zone Cafe locations, and Hollywood Collectibles in the McKinley Mall.
Any holiday discounts? Check the Facebook page for regular deals and specials.

Follow Born in Buffalo on Facebook.

Keep an eye open for part two of our Buffalo T-shirt directory, featuring interviews with founders of Celebrate Buffalo, Planet Buffalo and more. If you’re a local T-shirt designer interested in being part of our series, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) with your contact info.

“We’re Talking Proud” T-shirt image courtesy of Homage.com.