Adopt Don’t Shop Shirt: Embroidered Stacked Words and a Red Heart on the Left Chest

This adopt don’t shop shirt keeps the rescue motto small and personal: the words adopt, don’t and shop stacked on three lines in a classic lowercase serif, with a little red heart tucked underneath, on the left chest like a pocket logo. It is the kind of detail other rescue people spot across the dog park. It is a ready-made design on a soft, short-sleeve T-shirt: choose the color and size, keep the thread as shown or switch it, add a name or icon on the sleeve if you like, and we stitch it to order. Every stitch is 100% real embroidery, stitched into the fabric rather than printed.

What is on the adopt don’t shop shirt?

The adopt don’t shop shirt has 3 parts:

• The words: adopt, don’t and shop in lowercase serif letters, stacked on three lines on the left chest.
• The heart: a small red heart centered under the word shop.
• The sleeve (optional): a name, initials or short word and an icon from the font and icon chart, in the font and thread color you choose, on the left or right sleeve.

Which thread color should you choose for the words?

The thread option starts at As shown, which is the thread in the photo of the color you pick: white words on most colors and black words on the palest blue. You can also pick Black or White for the words on any color. The heart is always stitched in red.

Which color should you choose?

Pick a color in the options above and the photos switch to it, so you can see the design on that color before you order. White words look crisp on mid-tone and dark colors, and black words keep a pale color easy to read; the red heart stands out most on cool blues, greens and greys.

How do you order your T-shirt?

To order your T-shirt, follow 5 steps:

• Choose the T-shirt color and size in the options above.
• Keep the thread as shown, or pick black or white for the words.
• Choose whether to add sleeve embroidery.
• If you add it, type the name or initials, then pick the icon, font, thread color and sleeve.
• Add it to your cart; we email a free design proof before we stitch.

How do you add a name or icon on the sleeve?

Sleeve embroidery is optional and goes on one short sleeve. Type a short name or your initials, such as the name of your rescue pet, and pick an icon, a font and a thread color from the charts in the photos, or leave the icon off. White thread is preselected because it reads best on dark shirts; pick Black or another dark thread for the light colors.

Is it an animal rescue shirt for dog and cat people?

Yes. Adopt don’t shop is the motto of animal rescue, so this adopt don’t shop t-shirt suits anyone who adopted a dog or a cat, fosters pets or volunteers at a shelter. The words name no breed or species, so it works as an animal rescue shirt for a whole team of volunteers, dog people and cat people alike.

Is there a sweatshirt version too?

Yes, with different lettering. Our adopt don’t shop sweatshirt puts the same words across the chest, in spaced capitals with a red heart or in a cursive script. This stacked lettering on the left chest comes only on the T-shirt.

Is it a good gift for a rescue volunteer?

Yes. It is an easy thank-you for a shelter volunteer or a foster, and a gotcha day gift for a friend who just adopted. Add the name of their rescue pet on the sleeve to make it personal.

What happens after you order?

We email you a free digital design proof, and you can ask for unlimited edits. Once you approve it, we embroider your T-shirt to order and ship it from the USA; the estimated delivery date is shown on this page. For a birthday or a holiday, order at least two weeks ahead.

Which size should you choose?

Each piece is made to order, so it is not eligible for size exchanges. Open the size guide on this page and compare the measurements with a T-shirt you already own before you order, and size up if you want an oversized look or are between sizes.

How should you wash an embroidered T-shirt?

To keep the embroidery bright and the color even, follow 4 steps:

• Turn the T-shirt inside out before washing.
• Wash it cold with similar colors, and use only non-chlorine bleach.
• Tumble dry low or hang it to dry.
• Skip the dry cleaner, and if you iron, iron on the reverse side, never directly on the embroidery.

Frequently asked questions

Are the words printed or embroidered?

They are embroidered. The letters, the red heart and the sleeve name are stitched in thread, so this embroidered adopt don’t shop shirt has a raised texture you can feel and will not crack or peel like a print.

Is there an adoption design with a dog on it?

Yes. Our found my forever home sweatshirt shows a dog house, an ADOPTED sign with a pink bow and a heart-tagged collar, made for celebrating one adopted dog.

Can I put my own pet on a T-shirt?

This is a words-only design. To stitch your own dog or cat from a photo, browse our custom pet t-shirts, and find more designs in our embroidered pet t-shirts and pet lover gifts.