In 1986 Ted and Kathy Norman began a custom embroidery company in Medford, Oregon. Three years later with the help of a horse trailer they moved their entire business to the Eugene area. Today, under the name McKenzie SewOn, Ted and Kathy’s son Tyler Norman is continuing their legacy. McKenzie SewOn is still a Eugene based company as well as a proud partner of The Duck Store. This past year alone nearly 50,000 Duck fans have been outfitted by SewOn products sold through The Duck Store. We took a trip to their production center to check out how they’re able to accomplish this.
Boxes of shirt blanks await screen-printing or embroidery. Since McKenzie SewOn is located in Eugene, orders can be quickly fulfilled to replenish top sellers or launch new designs for special events or moments in Oregon sports.
Printing screens show some of the latest Oregon t-shirt designs. These officially licensed logos are part of The Duck Store's Duck Deals promotion offering shirts at a value price-point making it easier to stock up or outfit the entire family.
McKenzie SewOn screen-print press operators manage a production run of shirts for The Duck Store. Blank shirts are fed onto platens and then rotate through an automated screen-printing process that includes a base coat of white ink followed by each color incorporated into the design.
Shirts rotate through an automated screen-printing process with each arm applying a different color. This process can accommodate intricate designs with as many as a dozen colors.
Freshly screen-printed shirts are carefully laid on a conveyor dryer. Once dry, shirts are tagged and boxed before being delivered to The Duck Store Distribution Center.
Shop the 8-bit tee and other products from McKenzie SewOn here.