about
We make things by hand. Not as a marketing line — as a literal description of how every piece leaves our shop.
STL
Made in St. Louis, MO
1950s
Era of our chainstitch machines
100%
Custom orders welcome
Where we started
BowlingShirt.com started with a straightforward idea: make bowling shirts the way they used to be made, with real craft and real attention to detail. Retro camp collar shirts with screen-printed or embroidered designs, built to last and look good doing it.
From there, the range grew naturally. Customers started asking for chainstitch embroidery on their shirts. Then on sweatshirts. Then for school names, grad gifts, varsity jackets — each expansion driven by what people actually wanted, not what was easiest to produce.
The chainstitch difference
Chainstitch is the craft we're most proud of. It's done on machines from the 1950s that most embroiderers have never even seen. Each loop is physically guided by hand — the speed, tension, and angle controlled stitch by stitch. The result is a raised, rope-like texture that catches light in a way flat machine embroidery simply can't replicate.
We're one of a very small number of artisans still offering this work in the US. We also bring it to live events — weddings, brand activations, pop-ups — and embroider pieces on-site while guests watch.
What we make
Bowling shirts and camp collars. Chainstitch sweatshirts and tees. Varsity letterman jackets and letter cardigan sweaters. School swag. Grad gifts. Chenille embroidery. Computer embroidery. Stickers, dish towels, masks. If it can be embroidered or printed, we've probably done it.
Every custom order is handled personally. We talk through the design, confirm the details, and don't start production until everything is exactly right.
Get in touch
The best way to start a custom order is to call or email. We respond quickly and enjoy talking through ideas — whether it's a single personalized sweatshirt or a full team outfit.