Crazy Shirts
Hawaii-based American retailer and clothing company known for graphic T-shirts, specialty-dyed garments, and surf-inspired designs.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Crazy Shirts is an American clothing company and specialty retailer founded in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1964 by Frederick Carleton “Rick” Ralston. The business grew from an informal tourist operation on Santa Catalina Island, California, where Ralston and a collaborator decorated blank T-shirts and beach towels with hand-painted images of monsters, surfers, and hot rods. The concept treated the T-shirt as visible casual clothing rather than merely underwear, a shift that later helped establish the graphic T-shirt as a mainstream apparel category. Ralston brought the idea to Waikiki in 1962, where the large and recurring flow of visitors gave the business a more dependable customer base. In 1964 he opened a small shop in Waikiki’s International Market Place under the name Ricky’s Crazy Shirts. The store is described as one of the earliest retail locations devoted exclusively to T-shirts and sweatshirts. As demand increased, the company moved from spray-painting individual garments toward screen-printing, which enabled faster and more consistent production. The name was shortened to Crazy Shirts during the same year. The company expanded beyond Waikiki during the late 1960s and 1970s. A second Honolulu location opened at Ala Moana Shopping Center in 1970, when reported sales were approximately $500,000. Crazy Shirts developed a broad design catalog, including humorous and colorful graphics associated with Hawaii, surfing, travel, local culture, animals, and popular imagery. Its product identity also became associated with unusual garment dyes made from ingredients such as wine, beer, bubble gum, chili, chocolate, and Kona coffee. These techniques gave the garments a distinctive tactile and visual character and helped differentiate the brand from conventional printed-shirt retailers. During the 1990s, the company expanded substantially, at one point operating more than 70 stores across the United States. The expansion was followed by financial difficulty after the downturn in tourism and retail conditions around the beginning of the 2000s. In September 2001, Crazy Shirts closed four stores and filed for bankruptcy. In November of that year, Only The Best Inc., an organization affiliated with the owners of Waikiki Trader Corporation, acquired the company. Mark Hollander became president and chief executive officer in October 2001 and led the post-bankruptcy business. Under the new ownership and leadership, Crazy Shirts pursued expansion into additional U.S. tourist and resort markets, including locations in South Carolina and Santa Barbara. The company also moved its production facility from California back to Hawaii. The relocation consolidated artwork, manufacturing, and catalog-related activities in Hawaii and was reported to have created more than 50 jobs in the state. The company’s operations are based in the Halawa Valley area of Oahu, where its production facility has been described as the largest printing facility in Hawaii. Crazy Shirts’ portfolio has included recurring seasonal releases under the Crazy Classics name, licensed or collaborative designs such as Kliban Cat and Wyland marine-life artwork, and limited-edition products connected with Hawaiian identity, conservation, and public figures. In 2008, it released the Obama Surfs design in honor of Barack Obama, who was born in Hawaii. The company has also supported Hawaiian nonprofit and community initiatives, including the Hawaiian Humane Society, the Polynesian Voyaging Society, AccesSurf Hawaii, Hawaii Junior Lifeguard programs, and environmental research and conservation causes. The business operates retail stores in Hawaii and selected mainland states, including California, Colorado, Florida, and Nevada. The referenced company profile describes approximately 35 stores and more than 400 employees, although the number and distribution of locations may change over time. Crazy Shirts remains positioned as a Hawaii-rooted lifestyle apparel brand combining tourist retail, graphic design, local production, specialty garment treatments, and limited-edition collections.
History
Crazy Shirts originated with Rick Ralston’s experiments in decorating T-shirts during the early 1960s. After finishing high school in Montebello, California, Ralston began spray-painting designs on shirts and beach towels while working around Santa Catalina Island. His designs featured monsters, surfers, and hot rods and were sold directly to tourists. Customers supplied blank shirts at first, while Ralston and his collaborator decorated them for a fee. The direct reaction from a tourist who offered to buy one of Ralston’s personal shirts helped convince him that the activity could become a dedicated business. In 1962, after studying automotive design at Pasadena’s Art Center College of Design, Ralston transferred the seasonal concept to Waikiki on Oahu. Hawaii’s tourism economy provided a larger and more dependable market than the temporary Santa Catalina operation. In 1964, he established a permanent shop in the International Market Place under the name Ricky’s Crazy Shirts. The shop focused exclusively on T-shirts and sweatshirts, an unusual retail specialization at the time. As volume increased, screen-printing replaced much of the slower spray-painting process. The business adopted the shorter Crazy Shirts name later in 1964. Crazy Shirts expanded in Honolulu and then into other tourist destinations. Its second store opened at Ala Moana Shopping Center in 1970. During the 1970s, the design range reportedly included about 150 graphics. The company built its identity around bold, humorous, and place-specific artwork rather than basic branded apparel. It also developed specialty dye processes using food and beverage ingredients, including Kona coffee, chocolate, chili, beer, wine, and bubble gum. These treatments became a recognizable feature of the brand’s products. The company grew rapidly during the 1990s and eventually operated more than 70 stores in the United States. The expansion did not continue without difficulty. In September 2001, Crazy Shirts closed four stores and filed for bankruptcy. Only The Best Inc., affiliated with Waikiki Trader Corporation’s owners, acquired the company in November 2001. Mark Hollander, a member of the investor group, became president and CEO in October 2001. Following the ownership change, Crazy Shirts entered additional mainland markets and reopened or expanded its presence in tourist destinations such as South Carolina and Santa Barbara. Production was transferred from California to Hawaii, bringing design, printing, and catalog work together and creating more than 50 reported jobs in the state. The company’s Hawaii operations were based in the Halawa Valley area of Oahu. The referenced profile describes the facility as Hawaii’s largest printing operation and reports more than 400 employees. The company continued to refresh its product range through seasonal Crazy Classics releases, limited editions, licensed character graphics, and artist collaborations. Kliban Cat designs, based on the work of cartoonist B. “Hap” Kliban, appeared on Crazy Shirts products beginning in 1977 and became one of the company’s better-known recurring design families. The Kliban Cat clothing relationship ended in 2024. Other notable projects included a Wyland marine-life collection, an Obama Surfs shirt released in 2008, and environmentally themed merchandise supporting the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute. Community involvement has been another recurring aspect of the company’s public identity. Crazy Shirts has supported Hawaiian Humane Society programs, supplied an official crew shirt for the Polynesian Voyaging Society’s Hokulea, and collaborated with Crocs on an Island Lifeguard product benefiting AccesSurf Hawaii and Hawaii Junior Lifeguard programs. Its retail network has included stores in Hawaii, California, Colorado, Florida, and Nevada. The company’s modern identity is therefore built from a combination of Hawaii-based production, tourist-oriented retail, graphic design, specialty apparel techniques, and community-linked collaborations.
- 2024
Kliban Cat partnership ends
[1]The long-running Kliban Cat clothing relationship with Crazy Shirts ends.
- 2008
Obama Surfs design is released
[1]The company releases a Hawaii-themed Obama Surfs T-shirt following Barack Obama’s election as president.
- 2008
Wyland apparel collaboration begins
[1]Crazy Shirts and marine-life artist Wyland introduce an ocean-inspired clothing collection tied to clean-water fundraising.
- 2007
Save Our Planet line launches
[1]Crazy Shirts introduces environmental merchandise and supports Hawaii Natural Energy Institute research through a portion of sales.
- 2001
Bankruptcy and acquisition
[1]The company files for bankruptcy after closing four stores, then is acquired by Only The Best Inc. later in the year.
- 2001
Mark Hollander assumes executive leadership
[1]Mark Hollander becomes president and CEO during the company’s post-bankruptcy transition.
- 1977
Kliban Cat appears on Crazy Shirts apparel
[1]Crazy Shirts begins offering apparel featuring Kliban Cat imagery associated with cartoonist B. “Hap” Kliban.
- 1970
Second store opens at Ala Moana
[1]Crazy Shirts expands beyond its original Waikiki location with a store at Honolulu’s Ala Moana Shopping Center.
- 1964
First Crazy Shirts shop opens in Waikiki
[1]Ralston opens Ricky’s Crazy Shirts at the International Market Place and later shortens the name to Crazy Shirts. The company begins shifting from spray-painting toward screen-printing.
- 1962
The business moves to Waikiki
[1]Ralston brings the seasonal T-shirt business to Waikiki, where Hawaii’s tourism market provides a more sustainable commercial setting.
Products and positioning
A Hawaii-rooted graphic-apparel retailer that combines tourist and resort retail with original artwork, specialty dyeing, surf culture, local identity, and limited-edition collaborations.
Apparel · 1964
Graphic T-shirts
The core Crazy Shirts product is the graphic T-shirt, typically built around colorful, humorous, tropical, surfing, travel, animal, or local Hawaiian themes. The company expanded from hand-painted individual garments to screen-printed production and has maintained a large catalog of original designs. The shirts are sold through the company’s own retail network and are closely associated with Hawaii tourism and casual resort wear.
Limited-edition apparel
Crazy Classics
Crazy Classics is a recurring line that brings back selected popular Crazy Shirts graphics. Releases are offered seasonally and on a limited-edition basis, with production influenced by customer demand. The line functions as a heritage range, connecting newer collections with designs from earlier periods of the company’s history.
Apparel
Specialty-dyed garments
Crazy Shirts is known for garments colored with unusual natural or food-and-beverage-based dyes. Reported examples include wine, beer, bubble gum, chili, chocolate, and Kona coffee. These treatments give the clothing distinctive colors and help position the products as locally flavored, novelty-oriented apparel rather than standard screen-printed basics.
Licensed character apparel · 1977
Kliban Cat designs
Crazy Shirts carried apparel based on the Kliban Cat character associated with cartoonist B. “Hap” Kliban. Designs included Hawaiian, artistic, and culturally themed versions of the cat, such as Hula Cat, Aloha Cat, Sumo Cat, and Artist Cat. The clothing relationship began in 1977 and ended in 2024.
Commemorative graphic apparel · 2008
Obama Surfs
Obama Surfs was a 2008 T-shirt released in honor of Hawaii-born president-elect Barack Obama. The design combined presidential wording with a bodysurfer, a breaking wave, and an outline of the Hawaiian Islands, linking a national political event with the brand’s Hawaii and surf identity.
Artist collaboration apparel · 2008
Wyland collection
The Wyland collection was developed with marine-life artist Wyland and featured ocean imagery such as whales and dolphins. Designs included Big Whale and Get Involved, the latter carrying an environmental message. A portion of proceeds was designated for the Wyland Foundation’s clean-water initiative.
Collaborative footwear and apparel
Island Lifeguard products
Crazy Shirts collaborated with Crocs on a limited-edition Island Lifeguard shoe and complementary T-shirt. The products were sold through selected Crazy Shirts locations and supported AccesSurf Hawaii and Hawaii Junior Lifeguard programs.
Marketing campaigns
- 2008Obama Surfs
United States · Hawaii
The company released a limited-edition shirt celebrating Barack Obama’s election and his Hawaii origins through surfing and island imagery.
- 2008Wyland partnership
United States
Crazy Shirts worked with marine artist Wyland on apparel featuring whales, dolphins, and clean-water messaging.
Outcome. Part of the proceeds supported the Wyland Foundation’s clean-water initiative.
- 2007Save Our Planet
United States
Crazy Shirts launched environmentally themed products intended to encourage discussion of conservation and sustainability.
Outcome. A portion of sales was donated to the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, a University of Hawaii research unit focused on energy alternatives and fossil-fuel reduction.
- Hawaiian Humane Society support
Hawaii
Crazy Shirts has supported Hawaiian Humane Society adoption and animal-welfare activities through original shirt designs and product donations.
Outcome. A portion of proceeds from designated products was directed to the organization.
- Polynesian Voyaging Society Hokulea crew shirt
Hawaii
Crazy Shirts worked with the Polynesian Voyaging Society to create an official crew shirt for Hokulea, including a UV-protective garment for voyaging activities.
- Island Lifeguard
Hawaii
Crazy Shirts and Crocs created an Island Lifeguard shoe and matching apparel connected with water access and lifeguard programs.
Outcome. Proceeds benefited AccesSurf Hawaii and Hawaii Junior Lifeguard programs.
Brand decisions
2001
Bankruptcy filing and store closuresOtherBackground
After significant expansion during the 1990s, Crazy Shirts encountered financial difficulties.
Action taken
The company closed four stores and filed for bankruptcy in September 2001.
Aftermath
The filing was followed by an acquisition from Only The Best Inc. and a leadership transition.
2001
Acquisition by Only The Best Inc.M&ABackground
Crazy Shirts entered bankruptcy after store closures and needed a new ownership structure.
Action taken
Only The Best Inc., affiliated with the owners of Waikiki Trader Corporation, acquired the company in November 2001.
Aftermath
The new ownership pursued mainland expansion and moved production from California back to Hawaii.
1964
Shift from spray-painted garments to screen-printingStrategyBackground
Demand for the Waikiki shop’s designs increased beyond what could be produced efficiently by hand-spraying each item.
Action taken
Crazy Shirts adopted screen-printing to increase production speed and consistency.
Aftermath
The change helped the company move from an improvised tourist operation toward a scalable apparel business.
- Relocation of production to HawaiiStrategy
Background
Following the 2001 ownership transition, the company sought to consolidate production and creative operations.
Action taken
Crazy Shirts moved its production facility from California to Hawaii and unified artwork, printing, and catalog-related activities.
Aftermath
The relocation was reported to have created more than 50 Hawaii jobs and strengthened the company’s local-production identity.
Sources1 sources
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