Free & Brave T-Shirt Remix Contest: Official Rules

Update: The individual who has been captured in connection with the murder of Charlie Kirk was photographed wearing a long-sleeve version of the t-shirt that is the basis of this contest. Our Free & Brave t-shirt Remix contest was launched over a month ago, and all submissions were received before the event. Regardless, we are pausing the contest until further notice, as we consult with the 19 participants and our judge to determine the best way to move forward. 

Defunkd’s t-shirt remix contest has officially begun! It’s all about reimagining that iconic “Land of the Free – Home of the Brave” tee. We’re giving this infamous thrift shop staple a new life…with your creativity leading the charge. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle… Remix.

Oh, did we mention there’s $1500 in prizes, and $1000 for the winner?

HOW DO I ENTER?

First things first, find one of the t-shirts. There are thousands upon thousands of them in thrift shops across ‘merica. Failing that, they are readily available on eBay for $2-$5.

Then, go to work on it and make it look awesome – something you’d feel actual pride wearing.

Screen print on it, tie-dye it, draw or paint on it, airbrush it, bleach it, distress it, do your thing. Do it for your country. Or don’t do it for your country. Do it for the environment. But mostly… do it for the cash.

We’re thrilled to have t-shirt/art legend @badotislinkart on the judging panel. A longtime friend of Defunkd, he has been shaking up the t-shirt world since the 1980s. He’s also no stranger to underground t-shirt culture.

In 2011, we interviewed him here.

RULES

We’re not here to tell you what to do. That’s not our vibe. But we do want to make sure there’s an even playing field for everyone, and that we can share your work freely and proudly on social media. So here’s the lowdown:

Eligibility & Entry Guidelines

1. Base Shirt Required:
   You must start with an original Land of the Free / Home of the Brave T-shirt (as shown in this post). There are a few design variations—some with the eagle facing left, some right. Both are acceptable! Just make sure you’re using one of the approved base designs, because several similar ones won’t qualify. Make sure your t-shirt matches one of the two shown above, because the playing field has to be level for all participants.
2. Keep the Original Graphic Visible:
   The original artwork must remain identifiable in your final design. You can overlap it, remix it, get creative—but don’t cover or erase it entirely. If we can’t clearly tell what the design is anymore, it can’t be submitted.
3. Use the OG Shirt—No Reproductions:
   Don’t print a copy of the design on a different shirt. Part of the fun is rescuing these from thrift stores and giving them new life. (Pro tip: look for a white tag that says 100% cotton, often Made in China, lol. There are 100% polyester versions that may not be as easy to work with.)
4. Open to Everyone (18+):
   No matter where you are in the world, if you’re 18 or older (or whatever your country’s age limit is), you can enter. Whether you’re a pro screen printer, garage DIYer, or just good at tricking out tees, you’re in as long as you are the legal age and legally eligible by the laws of your country to enter the contest.
5. Don’t graphically edit or manipulate the image of the t-shirt you are submitting. More on this below.

Creative Guidelines

6. Do Your Thing, But Keep It Shareable:
   We want to showcase your work on social without getting flagged or taken down. So steer clear of designs likely to trigger copyright violations or content warnings. If a post gets flagged, we’ll try reposting with any necessary edits—but keep in mind that could affect visibility and votes.
7. Don’t Hate:
   We know this isn’t your style, but we have to say it. Designs that are abusive, hateful, or threatening obviously won’t be accepted. This contest isn’t about division—let’s keep the vibe creative and inclusive. We recommend steering clear of current hot-button topics likely to create comment section chaos.
8. Theme is Wide Open:
   Patriotic, make a statement, parody, funny, trippy, abstract—anything goes. You can honor the original design or completely flip it on its head.
9. Go Wild with Techniques:
   Dye it, tie-dye it, bleach it, distress it, airbrush it, sunburn it, draw on it, print with plastisol or water-based ink—or all of the above. Whatever your thing is, go for it. Just make sure the shirt stays wearable, and it’s not a stiff piece of cotton. 
10. Don’t Turn It Into an Ad:
    Please don’t make your whole design a billboard for your business. But feel free to add a signature, small copyright line, or a screen-printed “tag” under the collar. Don’t worry, we’ll make sure to promote the heck out of you and your submission!

Submission Deadline:

September 8, 2025

Submit a raw, unedited, high-quality photo (front and back) of your finished shirt. No need to mail it—photos only! Email to: [email protected]

Full submission details below.

How to Submit

Take a clear, directly overhead photo of the front and back of your shirt, laid flat (as few wrinkles as possible, and don’t do any of that Depop crumple stuff, we want to see the full tee!) against a contrasting background, so that we can crop and present it consistently with other entries.

Make sure the entire t-shirt is in the frame, like this:

Images provided can’t be graphically manipulated in any form, don’t tweak the colors, make additions to the image, etc. Just make sure your lighting is optimal, snap a photo and provide the raw image to us!

Include a short paragraph telling us:

• A little something about your design concept and the techniques you used.
• A bit about yourself or your business.
• Your Instagram account so that we can promote you!

Prizes

1st Place: $1000
2nd Place: $350
3rd Place: $150

How Winners Are Chosen

1. The week of September 8th, all valid entries will be posted in a single Instagram post for public voting.
2. Then a story (or post) poll, or series of posts, will help narrow it down to 5 finalists.
3. The final 3 placements will be chosen by: Bad Otis Link, and announced on Thursday September 18. 
4. Once the final three have been selected, we’ll require you to take a video of your piece to prove it’s a real, physical t-shirt, that is wearable and hasn’t been digitally enhanced. (You can never be too sure in the era of AI!) In the event a t-shirt gets disqualified, Bad Otis Link will select the replacement from the other two finalists.
5. Prizes will be paid via PayPal in USD!
6. Finally, beware of fake Defunkd Instagram accounts that may pop up in response to this contest. All contest communication will be done via our regular verified IG account or the email address we’ve provided.

Got questions? Reach out anytime via [email protected] or even our IG account. Otherwise—happy hunting, happy printing and…

Let the games begin! (And may the odds be ever in your favor.)