Where the Shirt Came From

We discovered the shirt around 2003 at a small T-shirt stall in Bangkok's Chatuchak Market, also known as the world's largest flea market. Our curiosity prompted us to find the designer and get some answers.

We followed the source line to a box screen of the design in Chiang Mai, Thailand but the owners said the box screen was already passed on through many hands before reaching him. Before the box screen would eventually be erased for a new design or destroyed from wear, we ordered 400 shirts to be screened.

Upon returning to New York in 2006 the shirt got an unusual amount of stares and comments. And so we decided to use the strange design as a fundraiser for our non-profit.

Various Interpretations of the Phrase

Go Rice...
Fast food franchises are instilling all over the world a diet of mass produced, great-tasting junk food from the West. It is a form cultural imperialism coming in the shape of hamburgers and fries and the only way to slow it down is to "eat more rice." 

Go Healthy...
It is a proclaimation to eat healthier. Whole grains (such as brown rice) contain high amounts of insoluble fiber—the type of fiber some scientists believe help protect against a variety of cancers. Women in countries that mostly consume rice, soy, vegetables, and fish (instead of dairy fat and meat) have a low risk of breast cancer.  

Go Agriculture Economies...
It is a call to support agricultural based economies. Southeast Asia provides a home to more varieties of rice than any other country in the world with Thailand being the world's leading rice exporter, exporting 28.3% of the world's rice export alone.

People have also interpreted the shirt to be sexist, racist and overly violent. Your interpretations are as good or bad as ours. The fact is someone made this design and it has struck a chord in the consciousness of those that notice. Give it a thought or two.

Proceeds of these T-shirts go to the non-profit organization Thai USA whose mission statement is to help relieve poverty in Thailand.

Click Here to Buy Your "Eat More Rice Bitch" T-Shirt