Nationwide — You may have seen the shirts during national news reports covering political protests, but did not know the name behind the designs. Ray Williams, the African American owner of Xpress Yoself Productions, is the creator of these passive-aggressive t-shirts that people are wearing to express their thoughts, opinions, and views without being verbal.
Even before the ICE shootings in Minneapolis in January 2026, the company’s ICE t-shirt bearing photos of Nazi soldiers and ICE agents with the caption, “We are just doing our job; The future results don’t matter,” and “ICE (Invisible Criminal Enterprise)” were already bestsellers. In March 2025, Ray started the apparel business that primarily focuses on political t-shirts that have become wearable statements across the country.
With a desire to start a t-shirt business and no experience in the industry, Ray determined that print-on-demand (POD) would be the quickest and easiest way to get started. Once he did his research, which indicated the market size for 2024 was $5.6 billion dollars, it was clear that starting a print-on-demand business made perfect sense because print on demand offered a turn-key business model that required no inventory, order processing, shipping, or other hands-on processing, therefore resulting in higher profit margins and minimal labor.
On a mission to help Americans express their opinions and thoughts
Ray’s mission is to empower individuals with the ability to openly express their individual opinions and thoughts via t-shirts displaying positive messages. The company only produces products that are non-threatening, non-abusive, non-derogatory, or inflammatory, but deliver strong messages and statements.
Ray says that he understands that many individuals are non-verbal or passive when it comes to expressing their inner thoughts and feelings. Therefore, what better way to express your thoughts than by wearing what is on your mind, because sometimes silence can be golden.
The company started with one product, and within a few months, the product line increased to over thirty products consisting of T-shirts and candles, with sales exceeding expectations. Ray attributed the company’s rapid growth to a combination of the current political environment, creativity, user-friendly technologies, social media marketing, and the ability to produce small orders of one or larger orders of thousands without increasing the bottom line.
The company also collaborates with individuals and companies to help them customize and produce their own line of products and provides design services if needed.
About the company
Xpress YoSelf Productions is a Black-owned business based in Hurst, Texas, and specializes in providing quality T-shirts and other promotional products that deliver positive messages. The company’s products are sold and distributed nationwide, offer product licensing opportunities, and support various non-profit organizations via fundraising projects. Visit the official website at XpressYoselfProductions.com for more information.
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