A BALL CAP WITH IMAGES FROM PITTSBURGH’S OFFICIAL MERCHANT FLAG AND CITY SEAL | COURTESY COMMONWEALTH PRESS

The City of Pittsburgh has no shortage of proud residents. From the early days, yinzers have been sporting their love for the city on jerseys, shoes, hats and just about anything you can think of. Pittsburgh regalia can be found on nearly every corner of the city. 

However, this week marked the debut of the first officially licensed Pittsburgh merchandise.

Thanks to a partnership between the City of Pittsburgh and CommonWealth Press, you can now showcase official Pittsburgh apparel. The new “Printed in Pittsburgh” merchandise is city-branded, made locally and contributes to the city, with a percentage of the revenue being returned to the city’s general operating fund.

“We built our entire brand on loving Pittsburgh,” says Dan Rugh, owner of CommonWealth Press, “so being chosen by the city to create official merchandise has been surreal and I am beyond proud.” Dan and his wife, Shannon Rugh, started this business from their basement in the South Side. 

The “Printed in Pittsburgh” line officially launched on Tuesday, making its first appearance at the Point State Park Fourth of July celebration. However, this plan has been in the works for quite a while.

The first discussions of official Pittsburgh merchandise began in 2021 in former Mayor Bill Peduto’s Administration, according to an article by TribLive. The city’s partnership with CommonWealth began in the spring of 2022 with the goal to produce the city’s first official merchandise.

“We were given access to the entire archive of Pittsburgh history,” Rugh says. “The main icon that we’re using was pulled from the original city merchant flag that was flown from vessels in the 1800s.” 

CommonWealth Press was also given access to the city sign shop, where nearly every sign in Pittsburgh was designed, and other city archives that make this line of merchandise special and sets it apart from other Pittsburgh branded merchandise. 

CommonWealth Press is the first union print shop to be marked on U.S.-made goods, according to Rugh. “That says a lot about what the city is looking for.” Rugh says there are plans in the making to work with more local artists, keeping “Printed in Pittsburgh” homegrown. 

While the city and CommonWealth officials plan to partner with other local designers on future products, they are focused now on phase one; creating merchandise with the city’s flag and five of the city’s historical parks and making it readily available. 

You can find the merchandise, including shirts, hats and mugs online, or you can visit any of the following locations where the merchandise is now available:

• CommonWealth Press at 691 Washington Road, Mt. Lebanon
• love, Pittsburgh at 805 Liberty Ave.
• love, Pittsburgh at 1728 Penn Ave., Strip District
• love, Pittsburgh at 301 Shiloh St., Mount Washington