Rolling with the Big “Dawgs”: Student Collaborates with Friends on Clothing Line

The average Central Michigan University student spends their typical day attending class, studying and in some cases, going to work. This is not the case for junior Kyle Norton, who breaks up daily monotony by working on his own clothing line, “Dirty Dawgs.”

The 20-year-old entrepreneur, double-majoring in marketing and logistics, created the line in fall of 2014. Norton’s idea to start “Dirty Dawgs” stemmed from his affinity for art.

“Back in high school, I took every art class offered. Now I only take business classes for my major, leaving no room for art classes in my schedule,” Norton said.

Starting “Dirty Dawgs” with friends was the perfect way to incorporate Norton’s love of art back into his life.

The term “Dirty Dawgs” originated from Norton and his friends.

“A group of guys would come over to my house every Friday back in the day and we would play poker and hangout. One night, one of the guys brought up the name ‘Dirty Dawgs’ and it just kind of stuck,” Norton said.

The “Dirty Dawgs” consist of Norton and six others who currently pursue degrees from various schools.

Creating this business, along with the merchandise, is the perfect opportunity for Norton and the “Dirty Dawgs” to express themselves and exhibit their artistic talents while collaborating weekly.

The Dirty Dawgs are highly inspired by new experiences and adventures.

On “Dirty Dawgs'” Instagram, not only can you find posts of the newest merchandise, you will come across some stunning scenic photography. The boys do an outstanding job of capturing their love for winter’s aura while promoting their free-spirited brand.

“I’m inspired by the outdoors and the inner-city lifestyle,” Norton said.

Norton aims to combine these facets of their lives to devise an original style for “Dirty Dawgs.” Some of the products you will find on “Dirty Dawgs” website are T-shirts, hoodies, water bottles and the “intense long sleeve,” the company’s best seller.

Eventually, Norton wants to sell goods such as snowboards, jackets and many other products the crew members are interested in.

The next move for the company is to work on establishing a full spring collection while getting their merchandise into a few local shops.

“I want everything to be the highest quality I can provide,” Norton said.

Along with the Dirty Dawgs upcoming spring line, we will see some festive St. Patrick’s Day apparel, which the crew is currently designing.

One of the biggest goals for Dirty Dawgs right now is to team up with artists around Michigan to elicit some imaginative designs for upcoming merchandise.

If you are an artist who is interested in sharing some of your work with the crew, contact them at thedirtybunch@gmail.com.

Check out and purchase some of “Dirty Dawgs'” creations at dirtydawgs.bigcartel.com and follow the crew on Twitter.