New hip styles have employees wearing company apparel in and out of the office

Wilmington, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 06/21/2010 -- Move over Tommy Hilfiger and Liz Claiborne. Polo, you've been knocked off your high horse! A new, national survey of small businesses shows Americans are choosing a new logo on their clothes – their own company logo - as a badge of honor to say, "Hey I have a job and I'm darn proud of it"! The survey of more than 3,700 businesses found that workers are wearing the company logo to places and events well beyond the confines of the cubicle. Fifty percent of employees report they wear company shirts out in public and "love wearing" the logoed shirts, while 27 percent even wear them out with friends.

"It used to be that I would only wear a company shirt if I had to, otherwise it would hang in my closet collecting dust," says Nicole Volpe of elle hair and spa in Raleigh, NC. "But I'm happy to have this job right now, I'm proud of where I work, and I'll wear our shirts just about anywhere."

New Styles in Office Fashion
Office fashion may be gaining new fans because the apparel is hipper, cooler and downright sexier than it's ever been before. Fred Meyers, owner of Queensboro Shirt Company, an online-only corporate apparel company in Wilmington, NC, is testing a new line of clothing for women with more creative logo application in cool shapes and designs. These artistic creations include:

• Company logos on longer, body hugging t-shirts for women
• Logos tweaked in "art deco" application
• Logos applied in unexpected places on the shirt, not just above the chest
• Logos on all kinds of hip shirt styles with baby doll sleeves, button down shirts with three quarter inch sleeves, tank tops with matching cardigans

"We're changing the look of corporate apparel with the changing times and sales are up," says Meyers, who has seen business rise steadily since January. "We have hired fifteen people over the last six weeks just to keep up with demand," he adds.

"Sales were off in 2009. Our small business customers were hurting and the conditions were tepid for all of us. Now, with all the unemployment blues behind them, folks with new jobs are proud to rock their employer's logo, especially when they are on clothes they truly feel good wearing. It's like wearing a billboard that says 'Look, I have a job!' and they get to look fashionable at the same time."

Meyers has seen the evolution of corporate apparel since its inception. His company was the first to put a company logo on a collared shirt, twenty-eight years ago.

More Results of the Survey:

• More than 60 percent of respondents wear branded shirts on a regular basis
• More than 75 percent wear the logoed shirts at least once a week
• More than 62 percent are proud to wear it wherever they go
• More than 44 percent wear it often to show company spirit
• 51 percent wear to represent the company at trade shows and sales calls
• More than 88 percent think they look great in the branded shirts
The survey was commissioned by Queensboro Shirt Company in June 2010, and polled more than 3,700 of its business customers across the nation.

PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

About Queensboro Shirt Company
Queensboro Shirt Company is an Internet-based apparel business that was the first to put company logos on collared shirts. Fred Meyers, inspired by the "LaCoste" shirts, started the company as a hobby when he was a college student in the late 1970's and early 1980's in New York City. Today it is a multi-million dollar company, and has tens of thousands of small businesses and consumers as loyal customers who print their logo and designs on collared shirts, tee shirts, hats and many other apparel items.

Queensboro specializes in four-piece minimums and is the only company of its kind to offer an iron-clad, ten year guarantee on all its branded products.

In 1996, Queensboro moved to the seaside town of Wilmington, North Carolina. The company employs 100 people in its 80,000 square foot warehouse and was recently named to the prestigious "Inc 500" list.

For more information, visit http://www.Queensboro.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Custom t-shirt serves as memento to guys’ weekend at the beach

Wilmington, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/26/2010 -- When Matt Taylor of Raleigh, NC found out his best friend was getting married, he was faced with a choice: to question his best friend's pick in a lifelong mate or to help him celebrate. Fortunately for all those involved, he chose the latter. It wasn't long before Taylor was planning a celebratory guys' weekend in Myrtle Beach, SC for the groom-to-be and their circle of friends.

Taylor wanted a way for his friends to remember the weekend, but wanted something other than a camera to preserve the memories.

He explains, "If you have visited what has been so nicely coined as 'Dirty Myrtle' then you know what we were in store for: drinking, golf, drinking, golf, drinking, seafood and drinking. We didn't want to take pictures in case those photos ever turned up in the wrong hands, if you know what I mean."

So Taylor got creative.

Game Over
"When I got home, I decided to order t-shirts to serve as a reminder, even twenty years from now, of our glory days and weekend in Myrtle Beach."

"A buddy of mine from work recommended a website, Queensboro.com, where we could get 5-10 shirts for less than $10 apiece. So upon returning, I spent about 20 minutes crafting a design for our shirt. On the front, they read 'Game Over.' I sent the design to Queensboro Shirt Company and they printed up the tees."

Queensboro Shirt Company printed the five t-shirts with Taylor's design and when they were received by all the attendees at the party, Taylors' design was met with fist pumps and back claps of thanks.
He says, "The shirts managed to spark a few fights with the wives and girlfriends, but we won them over. Eventually, they even let us leave the house wearing them. And we made a pact that 'the t-shirt' has to be worn at least three times monthly. This shouldn't be a problem because I sprung for the high quality t-shirts on the Queensboro site."

For more information on how to order low-cost, high-quality custom apparel, visit http://Queensboro.com.

About Queensboro Shirt Company:
Queensboro Shirt Company is an Internet-based apparel business that was the first to put company logos on collared shirts. Fred Meyers, inspired by the "Lacoste" shirts, started the company as a hobby when he was a college student in the late 1970's and early 1980's in New York City. Today it is a multi-million dollar company, and has tens of thousands of small businesses and consumers as loyal customers who print their logo and designs on collared shirts, tee shirts, hats and many other apparel items.

Queensboro specializes in four-piece minimums and is the only company of its kind to offer an iron-clad, ten year guarantee on all its branded products.
In 1996, Queensboro moved to the seaside town of Wilmington, North Carolina. The company employs 100 people in its 80,000 square foot warehouse and was recently named to the prestigious "Inc 500" list.
For more information, visit http://www.queensboro.com/promo/b0521 .

* Last names have been changed to protect our customers' privacy

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Got the best chicken dance? Then share your moves with the world

Wilmington, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/18/2010 -- Calling all dancers, especially those that have perfected the incredibly awesome and hilarious "chicken dance." Queensboro Shirt Company, is encouraging everyone to join them this Friday, May 14, in observing the "greatest national holiday of all time," national Dance Like a Chicken Day. Read about Queensboro Shirt Company's celebration: http://pitch.pe/63428

Folks are encouraged to submit videos of them performing their best dance moves to http://www.YouTube.com.

Contest Rules:
1. Film you and up to 25 others dancing out of respect for Chicken everywhere.
2. Upload your video to YouTube and either tag it with "Queensboro Dance Like a Chicken Day Contest" or respond to our video with a link to yours.
3. You and everyone else in your video (up to 25 people) get FREE 2010 National Dance Like a Chicken Day T-Shirts!!!

To get a Dance Like A Chicken Day t-shirt and show support to chicken and dance everywhere, please visit http://www.queensboro.com/promo/ch514.

About Queensboro Shirt Company:
Queensboro provides custom logo shirts, hats, and accessories for companies, groups, organizations and individuals. Queensboro, a 30 year old company, has been based out of Wilmington for 15 years. They sell hundreds of name brand shirts, including their own, directly to customers. Because of this, they can offer a superior quality product at a very reasonable price. Queensboro is distinguished by its low prices, 4 piece minimum and industry unique 10 year guarantee.

To learn more about the Queensboro Shirt Company, please visit http://www.queensboro.com

To become a Fan on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wilmington-NC/Queensboro/32259543851

To follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/queensboroshirt.

To join in on the fun and receive emails from Fred, contact Claire Becker, Marketing Manager at 800-847-4478, ext. 291.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Chicken Lovers Everywhere “Throw Their Rollies in the Sky, Wave Them Side to Side” in Celebration

Wilmington, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/14/2010 -- Chickens and dance have both been around since the beginning of time. The two are honored Friday as National Dance Like a Chicken Day celebrates the majestic rhythm and excitement created when chicken and dance not only get together, but get funky.

In honor of this momentous annual occasion, Queensboro Shirt Company has created a shirt that will give the glorious combination of chicken and dance it's just due.

"We hope that animals and humans all around the globe can put on their 'Dance Like a Chicken Day' t-shirt and really fly their freak flag this Friday," says Queensboro Founder and CEO Fred Meyers. "As we all know and surely agree, it is a travesty we are required to work this Friday. So, in honor of chicken and dance everywhere, we strongly encourage you to find at least 30 minutes to get your freak on. Whether it be in the hallways at work, in the parking lot, the communal bathroom or on top of your desk – we can all agree that it is important to give thanks."

The Queensboro staff of more than 100 people will each be putting their full support behind the day and plan to get together for one of the biggest National Dance Like a Chicken Day group dances ever caught on film. A variety of dances will be on display and can be looked to as "go-to" dances for those celebrating at home.

One can show respect to some of the founding fathers of National Dance Like a Chicken Day by performing a rendition of the classic "Chicken Dance." More contemporary chicken and dance lovers can "Do the Funky Chicken," a grand ole ditty penned by Rufus Thomas in the 1970s,or even remix the likes of the widely revered "Hokey Pokey" or "Cha-Cha Slide."

"We just hope this t-shirt can serve as a token of appreciation from us to all the great chicken and dance out there," Meyers added. "This is the single greatest holiday of all time, and we all must come together and make sure chicken lovers everywhere can throw their Rollies in the sky and really, really wave them from side to side."

To order your Dance Like A Chicken Day t-shirt and show support to chicken and dance everywhere, please visit www.queensboro.com/promo/ch514.

About Queensboro Shirt Company:
Queensboro provides custom logo shirts, hats, and accessories for companies, groups, organizations and individuals. Queensboro, a 30 year old company, has been based out of Wilmington for 15 years. They sell hundreds of name brand shirts, including their own, directly to customers. Because of this, they can offer a superior quality product at a very reasonable price. Queensboro is distinguished by its low prices, 4 piece minimum and industry unique 10 year guarantee.

To learn more about the Queensboro Shirt Company, please visit http://www.queensboro.com

To become a Fan on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wilmington-NC/Queensboro/32259543851

To follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/queensboroshirt.

To join in on the fun and receive emails from Fred, contact Claire Becker, Marketing Manager at 800-847-4478, ext. 291.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Favorite online apparel company introduces limited time offer to encourage groups to make the switch

Wilmington, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/06/2010 -- Queensboro Shirt Company announced today that it is introducing a "4 for $23.80!" weekend sale on collared shirts to new customers. Any person or company placing their first order with the company can buy four collared shirts with embroidered logos or designs, and pay less than $24.00 (that's $5.95 a shirt).

Queensboro Shirt Company also sells t-shirts, hats and other items for small businesses and consumers. Known already for its competitive prices, it suspects this offer will entice many web savvy frugal shoppers.

"We can afford to make offers like this because we know once someone tries us, they'll come back again," says Fred Meyers, founder and CEO of Queensboro Shirt Company. "This discount is our way of saying thanks for making the switch to Queensboro Shirt Company."

The online custom apparel company is known nationwide for its 10-year unconditional guarantee on all items; this kind of iron-clad promise is industry-unique and is one of the reasons Queensboro already has more than 50,000 loyal customers. Customers can place orders for as few as four items, something that sets Queensboro apart from most online custom clothing companies.

James Fitzgerald of MVP Fitness often refers colleagues who have never before used Queensboro because he is confident they will not be disappointed.

He says, "The quality of these shirts is really impressive. My logo just explodes off of the shirt. You guys are great! Thanks, I'm a customer for life."

The promotion applies to all orders placed on Queensboro's website, and on orders of four pieces.

About Queensboro Shirt Company:
Queensboro Shirt Company is an Internet-based apparel business that was the first to put company logos on collared shirts. Fred Meyers, inspired by the "LaCoste" shirts, started the company as a hobby when he was a college student in the late 1970's and early 1980's in New York City. Today it is a multi-million dollar company, and has tens of thousands of small businesses and consumers as loyal customers who print their logo and designs on collared shirts, tee shirts, hats and many other apparel items.

Queensboro specializes in four-piece minimums and is the only company of its kind to offer an iron-clad, ten year guarantee on all its branded products.

In 1996, Queensboro moved to the seaside town of Wilmington, North Carolina. The company employs 100 people in its 80,000 square foot warehouse and was recently named to the prestigious "Inc 500" list.

For more information, visit http://www.Queensboro.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

How one small business is finding ways to make environmentally-friendly products and money at the same time

Wilmington, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/29/2010 -- As Kermit the frog once sang, "It's not easy being green!"

Like it or not, it is expensive and labor intensive to be kind to Mother Nature – particularly for small businesses trying to stay profitable in a shaky economy.

Just ask Fred Meyers, president of Queensboro Shirt Company, a Wilmington, N.C. Internet-based custom logo apparel company and a pioneer in the industry. Queensboro has sold over 10 million custom logo shirts, tees, hats and bags throughout the three decades it has been in business. The company has always tried to do its part to "do the right thing" when it comes to the environment.

Meyers wants Queensboro to be an industry leader in the green movement – especially since the textiles industry has undergone harsh criticism from environmentalists for its use of harmful chemicals and synthetic, non-biodegradable fibers. He wants to reduce the company's carbon footprint, boost morale among his 100 employees by "going green" and of course, offer customers environmentally-friendly products.

"We are based in a very beautiful coastal town and understand the importance of preserving our natural resources," says Meyers. "As a business owner, I want to make sure that the products we offer are good for our customers and the environment, but also to our bottom line. And truth is, in our business, going green is expensive and labor intensive, so it's something we are easing into."

The Challenges & Why He's "Easing into Green"
Meyers has learned there are three primary reasons it's hard to go green, so he is slowly making the transition.
1. Cost.
Queensboro first started its environmentally-friendly efforts when it introduced a line of eco-friendly clothing in 2007. The shirts are made from 100 percent organic cotton, the most popular organic textile, which is grown using methods with no pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. Organic products generally can cost more than non-organic alternatives..It costs Queensboro 30 percent more than traditional fabrics, and their customers wind up paying about 20 percent more.
Secondly, when the company added custom printed tees to its product line, it opted for a more environmentally-friendly printing process. It purchased digital printers instead of the popular screen printers, despite the fact that the digital printing machinery can cost up to ten times more than traditional screen printing equipment.
Screen printing uses thousands of gallons of water per run while digital printing requires only ounces. Screen printing also uses Plastisol, a PVC-based ink that is linked to cancer. Digital printing uses ink cartridges which eliminate toxins and cut down on waste.
2. Do Customers Really Want Green?
There is a slow adoption rate of eco-friendly apparel among the company's customer base.
"I think a lot companies thought there would be this great customer demand for organic fabrics and they rushed into it. While the global organic textile industry is still experiencing double digit growth, I don't see customer demand keeping up with it."
A survey of Queensboro customers found that over the last three years only about ten percent of Queensboro's buyers have purchased the organic items and less than half did so because it was the "green" thing to do. Sixty percent of those customers chose the organic products because of appearance or a special promotion – not because it was green.
3. Is Green Durable?
Meyers plans to test organic dyes, but wonders if they will hold up over time and has yet to find a supplier to fit their needs.
"We are not using vegetable dyes yet, but we are headed in that direction. All our apparel comes with a ten year guarantee. We need to be confident the organic dyes will hold up that long."

Creative Alternatives:
In the meantime, Meyers has found other, more creative ways to go green without impacting the company's bottom line. Queensboro has instituted basic recycling programs for plastics and paper, and is soon launching a campaign to encourage customers to recycle old tee shirts.

Quick Facts:
• Organic cotton is the most popular organic fiber.

• The green market outperformed the economy as a whole, growing more than six percent in 2008, followed by flat growth in 2009. While the report also finds that the market took a hit from tighter consumer budgets due to the recession and trading down from high-end green brands, the market still grew about 41 percent from 2004 to 2009. – 2010 Mintel research study

• The same Mintel survey finds that at least one in three consumers consider environmental impact when choosing providers for services.

• Globally, sales of organic and eco-friendly textile are expected to expand from $1.1 billion in 2006 to $6.8 billion in 2010.

About Queensboro Shirt Company:
Queensboro Shirt Company is an Internet-based apparel business that was the first to put company logos on collared shirts. Fred Meyers, inspired by the "LaCoste" shirts, started the company as a hobby when he was a college student in the late 1970's and early 1980's in New York City. Today it is a multi-million dollar company, and has tens of thousands of small businesses and consumers as loyal customers who print their logo and designs on collared shirts, tee shirts, hats and many other apparel items.

Queensboro specializes in four-piece minimums and is the only company of its kind to offer an iron-clad, ten year guarantee on all its branded products.

In 1996, Queensboro moved to the seaside town of Wilmington, North Carolina. The company employs 100 people in its 80,000 square foot warehouse and was recently named to the prestigious "Inc 500" list.

For more information, visit www.Queensboro.com.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Wilmington, NC -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/06/2010 -- More than 50,000 Queensboro customers across the nation were questioning founder Fred Meyer's sanity when they opened up their daily email from him last Thursday on April Fools' Day. Queensboro Shirt Company, an Internet-based custom logo shirt powerhouse located in Wilmington, N.C., emailed their customers about a limited time offer – customizable wedding dresses designed for small businesses that wanted to promote their company by digitally printing their logo on the front and train of the a wedding dress (and the dress is even designed with a pocket for business cards in the back!)

Most of the customers got the joke right away, responding on the company's Facebook wall and sending in emails starting with "LOL." Others however, forgot that Thursday was April Fools' Day – and were a bit taken aback by the absurd promotion.

Queensboro, following tradition, was playing a joke on their favorite people - their customers. Meyers says, "This is one of my favorite times of the year. It's our tradition to have fun with our customers. One year we offered a suit of armor that could be embroidered with your company's logo. Another year we offered a customizable toga. It's always just edgy enough that we get a wide variety of responses – and laughs."

The wedding dress spoof probably got the most feedback of any joke in the company's April Fools Day history.

Here is what some Queensboro customers had to say:

"Wedding dresses?!? I think somebody needs a vacation. You need to drain the think tank and refill it after Easter."

"ROFL Fred, you definitely score NUMBER ONE so far this year and that one may be hard to beat ... though the day is still young!"

"Ahhhhh, APRIL FOOLs' .... you actually GOT ME! I just figured it out (three hours after reading your e-mail the first time) ... I thought, 'Wow, they've LOST IT this time! Advertising on a wedding dress? But I don't mind the 17% off site wide.' LOL"

"Whew! I was hoping that was an April Fools' joke. I was starting to worry about you."

"I got a huge, tremendous laugh out of the wedding dress sale this morning. Also, I love to read your scribbles every day. You make your site fun, even if I am not ordering anything."

"Good one. For a minute there I was incredulous!"

To learn more about the Queensboro Shirt Company, please visit http://www.queensboro.com

About Queensboro Shirt Company:
Queensboro provides custom logo shirts, hats, and accessories for companies, groups, organizations and individuals. Queensboro, a 30 year old company, has been based out of Wilmington for 15 years. They sell hundreds of name brand shirts, including their own, directly to customers. Because of this, they can offer a superior quality product at a very reasonable price. Queensboro is distinguished by its low prices, 4 piece minimum and industry unique 10 year guarantee.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm