Our Story

Due South is Paul and Melanie. Paul draws every design by hand. Together we print them in Ireland on organic cotton, for people who carry a piece of this island with them.

It started in our living room

I had been drawing designs for a while and loving it, making t-shirts and sweaters for friends and family for Christmas and birthdays. People loved them, and I loved seeing the drawings come to life on clothing in a way I couldn't see on paper. For me, a design wakes up on a garment. It tells a story and it brings back memories.

My wife Mel saw that I enjoyed my hobby much more than my actual job. One day she said, "You should bring these t-shirts to more people. I think they are lovely and will be liked. You should start your own business." She supported me while I drew new designs and screen-printed each one by hand in our living room, and that gave me the momentum to keep going.

In 2016, with great support from family and friends, Due South was born.

The first design

Our first ever design was the Poolbeg Chimneys: a simple white line drawing on a heather blue tee. A year later we added the red to the chimneys, and it has been our best seller ever since.

That is still how every design begins. A place we know and love, drawn by hand, kept simple.

See the Poolbeg Chimneys and our Dublin designs

Why we do it

I am proud to be Irish, and it is my mission to put forward a vision of Ireland we can be proud of, one that captures the heart and soul of the land and its people.

I want to show the best of what this country has to offer in a clean and simple style, leaving room for your own interpretation and your own stories. From our rugged coastlines to our green hills and our cities steeped in history.

Mel calls it "la nostalgia" for a piece of home. Something that feels good. Something that captures the heart. Something that connects us to home.

How it is made

Every design is drawn by hand and screen-printed in Ireland, in Dublin and Wexford, on soft organic cotton. We print in small batches, and our limited editions are printed once.

Read more about how we make things and why

Every design has a story

Each design starts with a real place. We write about those places, and the stories behind the drawings, in our Journal.

Read the stories behind the designs or start with our best sellers.

Thank you for being here. It means a lot to both of us.

Paul and Mel