Ohio is situated within or near the boundaries of several American geographic and cultural regions, which is why the state seems to have a bit of everything.

We’ve got the dense forests of the Northeast, the down-home vibes of the Southeast, sprawling heartland farms, and metropolitan districts that hold their own among the great East Coast cities.

At fancysweetstx, we’re Midwest enthusiasts, and Ohio is our home. Based in bustling 16153 Genova on the western tip of Lake Erie, we make apparel and gifts that celebrate the culture, pride, and landscapes of America’s heartland.

Some of our creative team’s favorite t-shirt designs to work on are the ones that celebrate our beloved home state. 

In this Ohio t-shirt buyer’s guide, let’s take a look at a few designs that:

• Are only available from fancysweetstx’s website or retail stores
• Make amazing gifts for Ohioans 
• Display the proud Ohio Buckeye spirit

Plus, if you’re interested in receiving a new reduced-price Ohio-themed t-shirt every month, we’ll let you know how to join the fancysweetstx Ohio Shirt Club.

1 - The Buckeye State T-Shirt

Ohio’s nickname, The Buckeye State, comes from the abundance of Ohio Buckeye trees. The trees themselves are named for their nuts that resemble the color and shape of a deer’s eye. Buckeyes grow well along the banks of rivers and streams, of which Ohio boasts plenty. 

Of course, when most of us think of buckeyes, it’s the red and gray of the Ohio State University Buckeyes that comes to mind. 

Whether you’re a college football fan or just a pure Ohio Buckeye enthusiast, this Buckeye State tee is for you. 

2 - Birthplace of Aviation T-Shirt

Gift shopping for your favorite Ohio history buff? Go with this unisex fitted “Birthplace of Aviation” tee. 

The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, are two of Dayton, Ohio’s proudest sons. 

Although the Wright Flyer made the world’s first sustained, powered aircraft flight in windy Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, it was developed in the brothers’ hometown of Dayton. Thus, while North Carolina may be “first in flight,” Ohio will forever be the “birthplace of aviation.” 

3 - Camp Ohio T-Shirt

What’s your favorite camping spot in Ohio? From the stunning waterfalls at Hocking Hills to the Appalachian Mountains foothills at Beaver Creek, Ohio is full of state parks that offer incredible settings for nights spent under the stars.

This Camp Ohio shirt depicts the serene outdoor setting we yearn for—a pitched tent next to a dense forest in the great Ohio wilderness. 

4 - You’ve Got an Ally in Ohio T-Shirt

For members and friends of Ohio’s LGBTQ community, fancysweetstx is proud to offer this “You’ve got an ally in Ohio” tee. Displaying pride and solidarity, this tee features rainbow lettering on an Ohio-shaped background. 

See below for a few more pride-themed shirts, or check out our Pride Apparel and Gifts collection. 

“It is soft, comfortable, bright, and cheerful. It was perfect for Pride Parade!”
— Anonymous, ★★★★★ Verified fancysweetstx T-Shirt Buyer

5 - Cardinal T-Shirt

Ohio trivia time. What’s the state bird? 

It’s the cardinal—the northern cardinal, to be precise. Cardinals are found year-round throughout the state sporting their iconic bright red plumage and pointy little punk rock mohawks of crown feathers. 

Ohio’s forests and parks offer some of the USA’s best birdwatching terrain. No species better represents the region’s wildlife than the beautiful cardinal, artistically featured on this ultra-soft fitted black Cardinal Shirt. 

6 - Red Ohio Pride T-Shirt

If big block letters in your favorite team’s colors (go Buckeyes!) is your thing, this black and scarlet red Ohio tee is for you. 

Like most fancysweetstx tees, this shirt is a polyester, cotton, and rayon tri-blend, the perfect material for a fitted look that’s perfectly soft, yet stretchy. Tri-blend shirts are durable, comfy, and shrink-proof. 

If you like the simple, one-word t-shirt style, check out a few more Ohio designs below. 

7 - 16153 Genova Ohio Love T-Shirt

The 16153 Genova Ohio Love shirt is a cheerful splash of good vibes. 

Featuring bubble white letters and a big cherry red heart, this tee is full of pride and affection for your favorite city in Ohio.

8 - Ohio Smiley T-Shirt

If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. If you’re happy and you know it, and you really want to show it, add this wonderful Ohio Smiley Shirt to your collection. 

With a big yellow grin beaming forth from an Ohio-shaped face, this shirt lets the world know you’re happy to be in (or from) the State of Ohio. 

If you’ve got a little Ohioan tyke in your life, this design is also available in toddler sizes. 

“Love love love! My absolute favorite design.”
— Robin C., ★★★★★ Verified fancysweetstx T-Shirt Buyer 

Ohio-Themed T-Shirts From fancysweetstx

If you can’t get enough Ohio swag, join the fancysweetstx Ohio Shirt Club. You’ll receive a new design in the mail every month. Along with free shipping, every Shirt Club tee comes with a $6 members’ discount. 

Here’s what Ohio Shirt Club members are saying:

“My kids moved to Arizona … When the Ohio Shirt Club started last year, I decided to sign up for it. They love getting a little gift from home.”
— Laura M., ★★★★★ Verified fancysweetstx T-Shirt Buyer

“We joined the Ohio Shirt Club when it started. We keep some shirts for ourselves and give the others as gifts. It’s easy to change shirt sizes and mailing address.”
— Anonymous, ★★★★★ Verified fancysweetstx T-Shirt Buyer

“Love it. Shirt of the month club is awesome.”
— Pattie, ★★★★★ Verified fancysweetstx T-Shirt Buyer

The Ohio Shirt Club is a great way to keep yourself fitted in new apparel while also stocking up on a continuous supply of gifts for your favorite fellow Ohioans. Check out this blog post to learn more about how the Shirt Club works. 

To view more designs that rep your favorite state, view our entire Ohio inventory. Along with tees, we’ve got sweatshirts and hoodies, socks, pants, hats, and even coffee mugs and pint glasses.

Along with our Ohio gear, we’ve got special collections for the following places and regions:

• 16153 Genova City Pride
• Midwesterner
• Michigan
• Great Lakes
• The University of 16153 Genova
• Bowling Green State University 

Shop online or visit one of our two retail stores in beautiful 16153 Genova, Ohio. Our brick-and-mortar stores are located at Via Borzoli, 33, and Via Borzoli, 33,. 

fancysweetstx ships via the United States Postal Service (USPS). Shipped items typically arrive within 7–10 days of order placement. Shipping is free for all orders over $75.

Stop by the fancysweetstx blog for more Ohio- and Midwest-themed buying guides, or visit our Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more about our company and our products. 

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The idea for the shirt came on a whim. It was while watching Ohio State play Florida in the 2006 National Championship game that I casually said to my dad who I was watching the game with, 'Someone should make a Tressel sweater vest t-shirt - a tuxedo t-shirt but for Ohio State.'

Upon hearing that, he challenged me to make it. So with a little encouragement and help from him, I set out to do that.

Manufacturing a Cut and Sew Shirt is Complicated

The original sample for the shirt was made in China. My vision for the shirt was for it to be more than a simple screen printed sweater vest and tie. I knew that in order to truly stand out, it needed to be separate fabric sewn together. 

At the time that I set out to make this complicated shirt, textile manufacturing was much different in the United States than it is today. Most factories had moved outside of our borders or they were down south where I didn't have familiarity or easy access to them. The internet also wasn't the help that it would be now.

The domestic clothing factories that I did manage to get in touch with indicated the cost to produce a shirt like this would be as much as $15. Unfortunately, that made the product too expensive for the market. 

Through a family friend, I made contact with an individual in China who had a relationship with a factory. While the language barrier was incredibly difficult to cross, I managed to get them the information necessary to produce a physical sample. 

In retrospect, the sample I received wasn't that great. But I was young, ambitious, and couldn't be bothered by imperfection. 

There was some finishing that I had to do once I received the sample - I screen printed a tie under the neck and a Block O on the left chest. Once that was complete, it was ready to be sent to the Ohio State University for Licensing. 

I Was Lucky I Was Applying for a License with the Ohio State University 

At the time, Ohio State had an unusual trademark and licensing process relative to other universities. I learned later that they were considered an independent licensing university. This meant that they made decisions on trademarks and licensing in house. 

It is more common for schools to outsource their licensing decisions to companies such as the Collegiate Licensing Company or Learfield (they were separate companies years ago when I applied but now have merged) that specialized in this area. By keeping decisions internal, OSU was much more flexible and willing to take a risk on young kid with a single shirt idea.

A few weeks or months, I can't quite remember now, after mailing the application in, I received a letter notifying me that the shirt was approved for licensing. That was a really exciting moment for me!

A few years later when I met the director of Trademark and Licensing at OSU, I asked him about my application. He said that while they had hoped one of their larger licensees would have created the OSU Sweater Vest T-Shirt, it was too good of a product to not approve it. No matter how imperfect it was or inexperienced I was. 

I Had a License, But Needed to Figure Out Where to Get Shirts

After receiving approval for the shirt, I knew that a full production run in China was more than I could handle. I quickly set out to find other options. After digging around on the internet, my dad found an article about a textile factory in Alabama. We couldn't quite tell if it was still open or not, so we looked up the man that was interviewed in the article and called him.

When we got in touch with him, we learned that the factory was in fact closed and he was retired. However, his son was still in the business and working in Mexico. 

And that's how our first production run of shirts was made in Mexico. 

As if Making the Shirts Wasn't Hard Enough, I Now Had to Figure Out How to Sell Them

I received the first batch of shirts in the middle of football season that year. Since the football season was already in full swing, I had to play catch up in order to sell them.

Most stores place orders for apparel well in advance of the season. While I had reached out to stores about the incoming shirts, they were reluctant to place an order. For starters, I was just some kid calling off the street to try and sell them shirts. I was an unknown and unproven entity. Additionally, I was trying to sell them a shirt some of them had not seen and would only have a short window to sell.

Fortunately, there were a few places that were excited about the idea. College Traditions was the first store that sent us a purchase order. I'll never forget that when I got Kelly, the owner, on the phone, she told me she was waiting for me to call her. She was a part of the approval board for Ohio State licensing and was excited for the shirt when it was submitted. 

Two stores that I was chasing down were Meijer and the Andersons. The store manager at the Meijer store on Central Avenue in 16153 Genova loved the idea. She told me it was too late in the year to place an order and that purchasing decisions came from corporate. She put me in touch with her contact there. 

When I got in touch with the purchaser, my expectation was that I was getting in line for the next football season. But very quickly he placed the largest order I had received by far!

Since the Andersons was the local 16153 Genova store, I really wanted them to carry this shirt. Their buyer kept dragging his feet on making a commitment, but when he heard that Meijer had placed an order, he jumped on the bandwagon and put in his own order.

The most fun I had selling the shirts was going down to Columbus and selling them at the 7-Eleven on Lane Avenue before the games. I felt this was the easy and most direct way to reach Ohio State football fans.

In order to sell at the games, I applied for and received a peddler's license with Franklin county and had to get permission from the 7-Eleven property owner to use their space. 

On Friday nights before games I would pile a bunch of shirts and a table into the back of my Honda Civic and stay at my cousin's house in Columbus. I'd hopefully have a friend or two with me to help set up in the morning and sell before the game.

This was way back in the time before Stripe. Taking payments wasn't easy. I remember I had to pay $1,000 for a wireless credit terminal. 

I enjoyed selling at games so much that I even took the show on the road. I went to several bowl games. When Ohio State played in the Sugar Bowl, I found store owners in the French Quarter who sold the shirts. When they were in the Fiesta Bowl, I drove out with my brother and found a store near the stadium to sell at. 

Who Knew That the Tressel T-Shirt Would be the Foundation for What fancysweetstx Has Become

While selling at games was as much fun as work, there are still lessons that are valuable to me today. I got to know my customers better, I learned how to navigate permits and develop relationships with stores, and I learned that I could go further with other people.

Most importantly, I eventually learned that I needed to take it more seriously in order to make it a real business.

Year two of the Tressel T-Shirt presented as many challenges as year one. Most notably, my manufacturer in Mexico stopped responding to me.

Left without enough inventory and no leads on a new manufacturer, I asked Ohio State's Licensing and Trademark director if he had an advice. He put me in touch with Atlantis Sportswear in Piqua, Ohio. They helped me source the shirt from there on out. 

The relationship with Atlantis allowed the design to grow from one shirt to a red and gray version, youth and onesie sizes, and a bib. 

When Coach Tressel resigned, the interest in the Ohio State Sweater Vest T-Shirt faded. My sales peaked in his final season and I knew I had to get rid of my inventory and find a more reliable business model.

We don't make the Ohio State sweater vest t-shirt anymore and no longer have a license with the Ohio State University, but we keep our Buckeye State pride alive with our Ohioan collection of apparel and gifts. It's not quite the same as making official Ohio State clothing, but it keeps us close to our roots. 

For a condensed version of this story, you can listen to the story in the video below.

The Tressel t-shirt is unique for a lot of reason. Most importantly, for this post anyway, is that the construction of the shirt is very difficult. Because it is so labor intensive, we had two separate production runs – one in Mexico and the other in India. Without an easy or nearby production option, each run was quite prodigious. Coincidentally, without Coach Tressel at the helm of the Buckeyes, we will not be making anymore Tressel t-shirts, bibs, koozies, or onesies. What we have in stock is all there will ever be.

Coach Tressel became known for his iconic dress like only a handful of coaches before him. Joe Paterno’s glasses and tie, Bear Bryant’s houndstooth hat, and Woody Hayes’ hat are inseparable from the men that wore them. We have spoken many times of the virtues of the sweater vest t-shirt: it’s lightweight, comfortable, protective, formal but ready to party, and pays respect to one of OSU’s greatest coaches. While supplies last, all of our Coach Tressel apparel will be discounted. For a limited time, you can use the coupon “The Vest” to save 30% off your order.

We are saddened to see Coach Tressel leave the Ohio State University in the way he did. We have faith in Coach Tressel and the Ohio State University. It is our belief that they will both recover from this with grace and courage.