We love graphic tees here at Jasper Holland. It’s kind of the whole reason we got into the apparel business – we got tired of not being able to find graphic t-shirts that weren’t plastered with superhero art. We’re not knocking those designs, but we identified a real need for more upscale graphic tees for men as well – t-shirts that featured attractive designs and offered a great fit.
We were determined to do it right, so we did a lot of research before bringing our apparel to the market. This meant we came across some fantastic t-shirt brands that were already doing the same kinds of things that we wanted to. Here are ten of the best graphic t-shirt brands for men, just a small sampling of what we found when we went looking!
1. RVCA
RVCA (pronounced “rew-ka”) is one of the premier action sports apparel designers working today. With a company slogan of “the balance of opposites”, RVCA was founded by PM Tenore in Southern California. Core principles of the company revolve around combining art, music, fashion, and lifestyle in original ways, and RVCA even went so far as to create an artist-in-residence program to push the boundaries of creative expression.
RVCA’s SoCal roots are all over their apparel, which includes clothing and accessories for both men and women, but it’s especially visible in their graphic tees. High-quality vintage art combined with high-quality textiles in a wide selection of colors and styles is par for the course with this brand, simultaneously evoking both nostalgia and cutting-edge design. If RVCA set out to balance opposites, its approach has been wildly successful for sure – you’ll feel like you’ve got everything figured out for sure when you don one of these graphic tees.
2. Jasper Holland
Okay, I know what you’re thinking seeing the name of our own brand on this list. And let’s be honest – we’re more than a little biased towards our own great graphic tees . But we also put ourselves on this list of the ten best graphic t-shirt brands for men because we’re genuinely proud of what we’ve accomplished since founding Jasper Holland. Our design aesthetic is all about comfort, fit, and attractive design, and everything we offer revolves around those concepts.
In fact, we worked hard to accentuate everything that’s great about graphic tees and leave out everything that we hated about them. For example, you won’t find loose, stretchy necks or baggy sleeves that hide your arms in our shirts – instead, we focus on keeping that neckline tight and providing a snug fit to show off those guns of yours. And, of course, our clean, eye-catching designs that are dressy enough for a night out but casual enough for everything else.
3. Veece
Veece Apparel is an incredible fashion studio centered in Lima, Peru, and this little company has gone big in no time at all. Artists and designers united under the banner of The Veece Creative Collective have done some fantastic work on Veece apparel, but their 100% cotton graphic tees are absolutely breathtaking thanks to local artists and designers coming up with logos, patterns, and textures that you won’t see otherwise – and that’s part of why Veece has rocketed in popularity.
One of the biggest up-and-coming clothing brands, Veece men’s graphic tees can often sometimes be hard to find because they’re not nearly as well-known yet as some of the other big names out there. Contributing to this is the fact that the company doesn’t do direct sales outside of Peru (in fact their website is almost exclusively in Spanish), but there are plenty of resellers that offer their wares in the US and beyond. Thank goodness for that, too, because Veece tees are getting more popular by the second thanks to their quality construction and elegant design!
4. Hurley
Yet another West Coast sensation, Hurley was originally a Billabong distributor in Huntington Beach, California until it branched out into designing its own clothing lines, focusing on the twin goals of empowering and fueling the next generation. In the more than 20 years since then, Hurley has grown to be a veritable powerhouse in the men’s and women’s apparel world, especially when it comes to their surf-and-swimwear lines. Board shorts and swimwear abound, but their men’s graphic tees are a step above and beyond.
Hurley is a great example of how a good design philosophy can stand the test of time. It’s earned a spot on our ten best graphic t-shirt brands for men because of its iconic brand recognition and the upscale surfer-chic design. You’ll look great wearing one of these tees at the beach, under a blazer, or anywhere else you decide to go, and we love that versatility. It’s something that helped us inspire our own approaches to apparel design as well, because if it ain’t broke, why fix it?
5. Grunt Style
Looking for a way to show your patriotic pride in impeccable style while also supporting one of the most influential and charitable post-9/11 Veteran-owned companies in the United States? Then Grunt Style is for you. Born in Fort Benning, Georgia in 2009 with just $1,200 by a former Army Drill Sergeant, Grunt Style has gone on to found a national nonprofit organization that has a full commitment to supporting current US armed forces service members, veterans, and their families resources and experiences with the resources and experiences they need to thrive.
If that wasn’t enough? Grunt Style’s graphic tees are all about celebrating pride and honoring service to your country. If you want to wear your allegiance on your sleeve, these graphic t-shirts are the best way to do that in a unique and iconoclastic style. You don’t even have to be a veteran or active military to wear Grunt Style tees because every purchase you make goes towards supporting our armed forces, both materially and in spirit. With a motto like “This We’ll Defend”, you know the folks at Grunt Style mean business!
6. Ariat
Since 1993, Ariat has been providing down-home durability and style in droves. Ariat first started as a quality bootmaker before branching out into clothing and accessories for men and women. Some of their best work is in the equestrian world, where they offer ways to outfit you from head to toe, no matter if you’re looking for a Western or an English riding style. In fact, the company’s name was inspired by Secretariat, that iconic thoroughbred that so famously won the Triple Crown in 1973 and cemented his place in history.
But you don’t have to be riding the range or working on dressage to wear this brand of apparel. Ariat’s graphic tees for men are more than just ultra-durable for everyday wear – they’re comfortable and good-looking too, thanks to the company’s eye-catching iconic logo. When we’re talking about “brands”, this one goes back to the kind you would mark cattle with, so Ariat knows how to design them.
7. American Fighter
Are you tough as nails but want to look good at the same time? American Fighter is the apparel for you. This premium lifestyle brand was inspired by the proud heritage of Americans that have risen against all odds to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. With a goal of providing contemporary clothing that reflects the aspirations of such an aesthetic lifestyle, American Fighter is a perfect fit for anyone who chooses to live life hard because they wouldn’t want it any other way.
American Fighter offers all sorts of apparel, but their graphic tees are something special. The company’s branding specializes in broad, angular, deep black geometric tribal designs with high levels of lateral symmetry that please the eye. The tees themselves feature deep, rich solid colors as well as attractive and powerful color gradients, reminiscent of not just North American but Central and South American cultures, all of which have a long history of not backing down for anyone or anything.
8. Salty Crew
Billing itself as an apparel brand for thrill-seekers and risk-takers, Salty Crew embraces the idea of “Salt Life” and absolutely runs with it. These clothes are built for long weeks spent out riding the waves or prowling the dunes down in Baja, making them rough, ready, and durable for anything you can throw at them while also being some of the most stylish surf apparel you’ll ever find anywhere.
You’ll find lots of board shorts, swimwear, and accessories with Salty Crew’s iconic logo stamped on it – and that includes cutting-edge shirts with built-in sun protection to keep you from crisping up on those long days far from shore. That’s how Salty Crew keeps you looking good and feeling good no matter what you’re up to. Their graphic t-shirts , both their short-sleeved tees and their long-sleeved ones, are perfect for beachside thanks to their attractive maritime aesthetics and gorgeous color palettes. If you find refuge in the sea, Salty Crew is the apparel brand for you!
9. Billabong
The great-grandaddy of premier athletic fashion, Billabong needs no introduction – but we’ll give it one anyway. A “billabong”, by the way, is the Australian term for an oxbow lake, which is a body of water left behind when a river changes its course and leaves a remnant of itself behind. No surprise there – this is an Aussie company after all! Originally founded in the 1970s with an early focus on surf apparel like board shorts, wetsuits, and related accessories, Billabong became so popular in Oz that it wasn’t long before Billabong spread across the world, bringing its iconic style to the masses.
Today, Billabong is known for not just surf apparel but skateboarding and snowboarding products under dozens of related brand names, but its origins as a designer of iconic clothing has never been diminished. Combining both desert and surf motifs that honor its Aussie heritage, Billabong’s graphic tees feature eye-catching branding that will look at home at the skate park or the beach as they will just for everyday wear. Built tough to withstand wipeouts, a Billabong shirt will last you forever and keep you looking good while wearing it.
10. Brixton
Brixton’s story starts with a single piece of apparel: a simple hat. The brainchild of a cadre of like-minded friends operating out of a garage in Oceanside, California, Brixton’s first foray into fashion was the now-famous Hooligan, a vintage-inspired newsboy cap that paved the way for incredible success through a process that Brixton describes as discovery through art, music, exploration, and adventure, all to celebrate and unite people from different lifestyles from around the world. Brixton built its earliest reputation thanks to its incredibly iconic takes on classic hats with a modern twist, parlaying that success into wider types of apparel.
Today, Brixton’s designs are characterized by combining classic silhouettes that are then reinterpreted to meet the needs of the modern individual. Products are inspired by no-nonsense workwear like you would see in the maritime, aviation, and other blue-collar industries but updated for modern living. Brixton’s graphic tees for men exemplify this approach like none other, featuring modern tailored cuts with classically-inspired logos that evoke the simplicity and elegance of an era that has just slipped below the horizon.
Conclusion
There you have it, 10 men’s t-shirt brands that will up your style game from high-school surfer to grown man that likes to look classy but dress casual. Did we miss one? Give us your thoughts in the comments.
Check out our selection of Jasper Holland men's t-shirts here