Hellcats USA: How an Illustrator Turned a Side Hustle into a Cult-Favorite Brand

From the first glimpse of a Hellcats tee or enamel pin, you know you’re looking at something different. The designs are tough yet playful, nostalgic yet fresh, and always packed with personality. At the heart of it all is Clark Orr—a seasoned illustrator and graphic designer whose creative vision and hands-on hustle have made Hellcats a standout lifestyle brand.

We sat down with Clark at his Orlando-based shop to talk about the origins of Hellcats, the role t-shirts play in his business (even though he didn’t want to make them at first), and why his relationship with Real Thread has lasted over a decade.

Meet Clark Orr: Designy Illustrator Turned Brand Builder

Before launching Hellcats, Clark Orr was already a respected name in the design world. Known for his sharp, retro-inspired illustrations, Clark has worked with clients ranging from bands and breweries to national brands. But Hellcats gave him something different: a way to channel his creative energy into products that were entirely his own.

“I used to call myself a ‘designy illustrator,’” Clark joked. “Graphic design and illustration live in this Venn diagram in my brain.”

Hellcats: Cute, Tough, and a Little Bit Dark

Founded by Clark and his wife Brittany, Hellcats started as a side project—a way to turn their shared love of design, vintage ephemera, and pop culture into tangible products. From enamel pins and art prints to home goods and greeting cards, the brand’s debut collection featured around 20 different items, all designed in-house.

“We’re essentially a lifestyle brand,” Clark explained. “Everything lives in this world where it’s fun, cute, tough, dark—all those things at once.”

T-shirts, interestingly enough, weren’t part of the original plan. “I worked in that world for so long—at Johnny Cupcakes in Boston—and I had this aversion to it. Storage was a nightmare, especially in Florida where you can’t exactly keep boxes of tees in your attic.”

But the People Wanted T-Shirts

Despite Clark’s hesitations, demand for Hellcats apparel grew quickly. “It was like, every day, people were asking, ‘When are you going to do shirts?’ At a certain point, you can’t ignore that.”

Luckily, he already had a relationship with Real Thread, dating back to his pre-Hellcats days. “I knew Joey and Sheryl from Real Thread personally, and I’d used them for some freelance projects way back—probably around 2010 or 2011.”

So when it came time to print Hellcats’ first shirt, Clark turned to a trusted partner. “We just did one shirt at first to see how it would go. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to do it.”

Spoiler alert: it went well. Really well.

A Real Partnership with Real Thread

Over the years, Hellcats has expanded into full apparel collections, accessories, hats, and more. Throughout it all, Real Thread has remained their go-to print partner.

“Real Thread truly cares about quality,” Clark said. “And just being able to ask questions, talk to people who know the industry inside and out—that’s huge.”

He also credits the longevity of their relationship to trust and consistency. “When you’re putting tens of thousands of dollars into your products, you need every step to be easy, comfortable, and consistent. Real Thread delivers that.”

Even on the rare occasions when something didn’t go quite right? “It’s never been a big deal,” Clark said. “If there was an issue, it was small, and it got handled. No drama.”

Hats, Customization, and the Cherry Cola Classic

Eventually, Hellcats added hats to the mix—a product Clark fully embraced. “Hats are great. They’re one size fits all, easy to store, and people love them.”

As customization techniques have evolved, so have Hellcats’ product offerings. “Things we couldn’t afford to do before, we can do now. The customization options for hats today are just incredible.”

One standout design? The Cherry Cola shirt. “We’ve reprinted it three times. I’ve seen people wearing it out in the wild—two people in one night! That one really hit.”

The Takeaway: Good Design + Good Relationships = Good Business

Clark may have started Hellcats reluctantly avoiding t-shirts, but today they’re a key part of his business—and a powerful way to share his artwork with the world.

“T-shirts are like walking billboards,” he said. “And at the end of the day, I’m a t-shirt designer.”

Thanks to killer design and a rock-solid print partner, Hellcats continues to grow as a cult-favorite brand that does things their own way.