Support local, independent journalism in Central Oregon! Become a Source Weekly Member today.

Hella Swag

From coins to jewelry to T-shirts, Central Oregonians are capitalizing on the eclipse

[
        {
          "name": "Air - Ad - Rectangle - 2 pack - Inline Content - 1",
          "insertPoint": "1/2",
          "component": "16844684",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "6"
        }
        
        ,{
          "name": "Air - Ad - Rectangle - 2 pack - Inline Content - 2",
          "insertPoint": "1/4",
          "component": "16844686",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "20"
        },{
          "name": "Air - Ad - Rectangle - 2 pack - Inline Content - 3",
          "insertPoint": "3/4",
          "component": "16844687",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "17"
        }
      ]

Y

ou may have already started to see it: eclipse merchandise, taking Central Oregon by celestial storm. Everywhere you look, you're bound to find jewelry, T-shirts ranging from the basic to design-forward, collectable coins and of course, the now infamous viewing glasses. Drive down Third Street in Bend and you can spot reader boards boasting, "Get Your Eclipse T-Shirts Here!"

But when it comes to shopping for eclipse swag, what specifically can you expect to find in Central Oregon? We scanned around to see what we could find.

Bling and Things

Jen Anderson, owner and designer of Allora Jewelry based in Bend, was first approached about creating eclipse-themed jewelry by one of her accounts in Newport. The business wanted custom eclipse jewelry. Soon Anderson heard from the Made in Oregon stores for their own custom pieces.

"I've been working around the clock to keep up with it," Anderson says. "It's been fun to create something new and see the response and excitement about it. It started with lots of online orders and it's helping put my business on the map."

In addition to selling eclipse jewelry online, you can also find Anderson's pieces locally at Newport Market, Pomegranate, Desperado, Local Joe, C.C. McKenzie and the St. Charles Gift Shop. Anderson also plans to sell the jewelry at the Eclipse Festival in Madras.

Hypercolor Ain't Got Nothin' on These

Mountain High Coins, located on Third Street in Bend, created a commemorative coin for the occasion. Designed by owner Colleen McGrew's husband Dave, the pair wanted to create a special collectible that could be saved and passed on. Mountain High Coins created two coins, both showing the path of totality on one side and a custom glow-in-the-dark design on the other. McGrew only produced coins for Oregon, but has fielded requests from other states for a similar product.

Not only does Mountain High Coin carry the commemorative coin, they've also created two T-shirts that change color in the sun. Kids of the '90s will appreciate the color changing effect that occurs when the shirts are touched by the sun. How many other eclipse T-shirts can do that?

I Blacked Out

To cover all of the outlets selling eclipse T-shirts would be near impossible. It seems everyone has their own design, their own style. But as a frequent visitor to Strictly Organic on Bond Street, their eclipse T-shirts caught my eye. The spot carries black T-shirts and tank tops with an eclipse image that says, "I Blacked Out 2017." The business gets their shop T-shirts from Be Oregon (formerly 541 Threads), which offered them eclipse T-shirts to sell as well. Be Oregon donates meals to local Oregon food banks for every item they sell, making these eclipse T-shirts extra special.

Keepin' It Fashion Forward

In addition to stores peddling eclipse merchandise, you'll also find individuals throughout the area looking to capitalize on the event. Christie Taylor, a local graphic designer, saw a need for a higher standard of eclipse fashion. Unsure of the risk to print and license T-shirts, she took a different route for her designs. Taylor uploaded her designs to a website called Society6, a site allowing artists from all over the globe to upload their work, which the company then prints and sends to customers.

"As a designer and someone who cares about creative, something that you're wearing around you want it to be something that matches your style," Taylor says. "What was out there, was just not up to par from a design standard. I felt like I could create an option for people who were looking for something with the bar a little higher."

Uploading her designs to Society6 allows Taylor to showcase her art-focused designs without having to bite the bullet, so to speak, and take the risk of printing T-shirts that may or may not sell.

There's Also an App for That

Aside from businesses and online orders, eclipse 2017 merchandise can be found in even the most unlikely places. A tip from a co-worker led me to Facebook. After joining the Central Oregon Buy, Sell and Trade group on the social network, a simple search for "eclipse" warranted dozens of results. From simple T-shirts to custom wooden memorabilia to custom jewelry, you can find a wide breadth of eclipse-related swag — and last minute RV camping spots.

Whether looking to commemorate the moments of totality (and the impending state of unimaginable chaos) or if you're seeking the perfect themed-jewelry to wear during the big dance party out in the Ochocos, you'll have no problem finding eclipse merchandise both online and throughout Central Oregon.