Page 252 - Tee Jays

THE SECOND GENERATION
As a kid, I was fascinated by my dad’s work and the life he led. I always knew that
I wanted to be exactly like him. One day my dad asked if I wanted to go to the
US and work for TEE JAYS Mfg. Co. to learn the production side of the business. I
didn’t hesitate for a second, and in August 1990 I went to Alabama. I spent 18 months
working in all departments and learning about knitting, dyeing, cutting, sewing, and
screen-printing. When I returned to Denmark I started working for LG Sportswear,
primarily focusing on sales and purchasing. The timing was perfect. Terry and George
agreed that we could outsource our own Basic 150 GSM T-shirt to Bangladesh with a
TEE JAYS neck label. The first offshore TEE JAYS tee was produced in 1995.
A NEW CHAPTER
A lot has happened since Terry opened a small production facility in his garage
in Florence, Alabama. To say the least. For 25 years my family had strong ties to
TEE JAYS, Terry and his family; as customers with LG Sportswear ApS, my father as an
employee, and most importantly as very close friends. Terry’s retirement came at a
perfect time, and we were ready to carry on his life’s work.
I clearly remember when my dad George said to me in the early spring of 2003:
“What’s the plan now? It’s your time son”. I was 31 years old, and the answer was
clear. I saw a big gap in the European promotional market, and I wanted to fill it by
creating a full-line brand of quality products. After watching and looking up to Terry
and my dad for so many years, I couldn’t wait to carry on the torch and give the
TEE JAYS Brand a new life in Europe, focusing on lifestyle products and high quality.
The market responded positively to the TEE JAYS quality level and new image. With
the support of our Scandinavian customers and European distributors, TEE JAYS
became known as the premium leisurewear brand in Europe. In 2015 we got the

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