Ross Entrepreneur Designs Catchy, Pittsburgh-themed T-shirts

Pittsburghers love their city. They also love T-shirts that support just about anything about their city, be it the golden bridges or a beloved sports team, including the now-above-500 Pittsburgh Pirates.

Dan Desko, a 20-something Pittsburgh native, has found a way to capitalize on that love.

A information technology professional by day and entrepreneur by night, Desko began creating catchy, locally-branded T-shirts when he launched his own business last year, Fresh Factory.

What started as a challenge to determine if he could build a small business from scratch has ballooned into a genuine money-maker for Desko, who runs his business and the website, www.myfreshfactory.com, out of his home in Ross Township.

Desko grew up in Wilkins Township and graduated in 2004 with a business degree from Duquesne University. He moved to the North Hills and began working at the Schneider Downs accounting and business advisory firm, Downtown. After he finished graduate school and found himself with extra time in the evenings, Desko started Fresh Factory.

"I've always liked T-shirts. They can be timeless and a way for people to express themselves," he said.

"I worked in retail in high school, and clever T-shirts were always pretty cool. They're relatively inexpensive and something that I could start on my own without getting loans."

Desko has chosen to use Pittsburgh resources. His designers are local freelancers. His screen printer of choice, Ink Division, is located in Braddock, and some of the stores that carry his final products are locally owned.

The T-shirts are bought wholesale from American Apparel in Los Angeles. Desko develops a concept for eachT-shirt with his designers before each shirt is handmade on a screenprinting press.

In other words, he said, made in the USA and finished in the 'Burgh.

Desko started off with several designs that weren't related to Pittsburgh, but he said he quickly realized that if he wanted to survive, he'd have to serve the Pittsburgh market.

His first Pittsburgh-themed shirt was a "Believe" shirt in the shape of the Stanley Cup for the 2010 NHL play-offs, and Desko said it was a hit. Now, half of his line is Pittsburgh-related, with three designs devoted to Pittsburgh professional sports teams.

Fresh Factory's target market has been a mix. Desko said he initially thought he'd be selling mostly to Pittsburghers, but about half of his customers are people who used to live here or are fans of Pittsburgh in general.

Desko releases new designs around every two months. His best-sellers include the "Steel City" shirt, which has a lightly penned skyline of the city in the background, and the "Run PGH" shirt.

The most recent design -- a gray, gold and white "We are fam-a-lee" Pirates shirt with an old-school font and look -- was inspired by Desko's fond memories of seeing the Buccos play at now-demolished Three Rivers Stadium.

"I grew up a Pirates fan, and just to see them doing really well it feels like when I was a kid going to game with my grandpap."

Desko's shirt can be purchased at several Pittsburgh locations, including Urban Outfitters at SouthSide Works and Zipper Blues in Squirrel Hill. To see all of Desko's designs and to order, visit www.myfreshfactory.com. North Hills Patch readers will receive 15% off their orders by using the discount code pgh15 at check out.