More than T-shirts

By Nicole Nemeth

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TAMPA, Fla.—Monday afternoon most of the employees at Tampa T-shirts, were taking a quick break. The sound of music and machines filled the factory space.

The process of screen-printing T-shirts has little to do with community. However, Juan Davis, CEO of Tampa T-Shirts, uses the process as a platform to improve the world around them.

“That’s just who we are. Always have been. We are successful because of our community, so we give back,” Davis said.



Interview with Tampa T-Shirts


Davis became involved in printing T-shirts after he designed his own line of T-shirts. In the beginning, Davis hired someone else to print his shirts. However, once the business became large enough they bought their own equipment.

Tampa T-Shirts, 5112 N 22nd St., is part of Fast Lane Clothing Company. According to a 2007 East Tampa Progress Report, Fast Lane Clothing Company was the first private company that used the Brownsfields Assessment Grant to relocate to East Tampa.

Fast Lane Clothing Company has partnered with East Tampa Development Division to take part in the re-development of East Tampa. The company also tries to hire people who can walk to work.

“It was a great opportunity to do something that really made an impact, made a difference in the community,” said Davis, “We’re very proud to have done that where nobody else would have before.”

This year, the city of Tampa, according to their website, “…just announced an $11 million initiative to beautify 22nd Street in the heart of East Tampa.”

The redevelopment program is not the only community organization in which Davis is involved. Davis recently attended a fundraiser for the Akilah Project, a non-profit organization that seeks to educate and train Rwandan women. Computer Mentors, an organization that works with youth to raise computer literacy, is another organization in which Davis is involved. It is one of Davis’ favorites.

“It has changed kids lives, and we’ve been around long enough now that we have sent some kids to college,” said Davis.

“We do what we can, but a lot of people do, too. Between what everybody does together, it starts to make a difference,” Davis said about community involvement.

In addition to screen-printing, Tampa T-Shirts uses both heat transfers and embroidery to customize apparel. The heat press is used for small projects and to put names on clothing. Although the screen-printing process is difficult to set up, it adds to the lower cost for larger projects, said Davis. They also manufacture a line of Hawaiian shirts.