The Custom Company is a local company founded in 1993 by Milton Ebesu and Sally Donellon, both former employees at Crazy Shirts.
Custom Identity apparell remains the core of our business, where we make t-shirts and apparel for companies (i.e. Pacific Harley-Davidson,
Bank of Hawaii), restaurants (i.e. Dukes Canoe Club, Tiki’s, Sam Choys), visitor attractions (i.e. Arizona Memorial, Dole Plantation,
Battleship Missouri) and special events (i.e. I love Kailua, Women’s 10K, Jingle Bells Fun Run). Exciting artwork and quality products,
combined with good customer service is key to our success. This has allowed our customer to retail our shirts for $15.00 - $29.00, against
other t-shirts in the market selling for much less. We have also grown through diversification, adding a School Uniform and a License
Product Wholesale division. Some of our accomplishments include:
- In 1999 started a School Uniform division. We currently provide school uniforms for over 23 public and private schools in Hawaii,
including Punahou, Campbell High School, Kalakaua Middle School, Highlands Intermediate, and Holomua. For each school, we have
created products with graphics that appeal to the students, on t-shirts, sweatshirts, polo’s, and fashion junior styles.
- In order to better service our schools, TCC converted a 40 foot school bus into the S’cool Bus, a mobile retail store. At a cost of
$40,000 the S’cool bus is complete store, with custom hard wood cabinets, air conditioning, a dressing room, check out counter, and
hanging inventory. This gives parents an option of shopping at our store, or after school the next time the S’cool Bus rolls to their school.
- In 2000 TCC acquired a License to produce Hello Kitty apparel from Sanrio. The line initially consisted of screen printed t-shirts of
Hello Kitty, Pochacco, and Badtz-Maru in adult and children styles. We have since added a cut and sewn line of woven and knitted prints, in
dresses and two piece sets. The designs have cute, fun graphics, with accents of glitter ink.
- In 1999 we acquired the license to produce University of Hawaii products. Our products have been sold at the Aloha Stadium,
Rainbowtique, and other retailers. We have created designs for all of the major sport programs, and a unique double licensed Hello
Kitty/University of Hawaii T-shirt, with Hello Kitty dressed as a University of Hawaii Cheerleader.
- In 2006, we acquired a license from Universal Studios to manufacture Curious George apparel. We will bring this internationally
known Monkey and the Man with the Big Yellow Hat to stores in Hawaii later this year. Preliminary designs include George hugging a
dolphin, snorkeling with fish or on the beach with his surfboard.
- Universal Studios will also be granting us a National license to produce apparel for their series of classic movie monsters. This will
include Frankenstein, Wolfman, Phantom of the Opera, the Bride of Frankenstein, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and several other
characters. Our intent is to market two lines of clothing for children and young adults. Concepts include Frankenstein with sun glasses and
an Aloha Shirt, or the Phantom of the Opera in Bling.
- We continue each year to make donations to support non-profit organizations in Hawaii. For example in 2005, we made donations of
over 6,500 shirts (Cost: $30,000) in clothing to local non-profit organizations such as the Hawaii Food Bank, Fresh Start Inc., the State
Hospital, and a number of public schools.
- Awards and recognitions: Pacific Business News Fastest Fifty (2), Finalist for Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year (2), Pele
Awards (2), Manufacturer of the Year – Retail Merchants of Hawaii
Custom Identity apparell remains the core of our business, where we make t-shirts and apparel for companies (i.e. Pacific Harley-Davidson,
Bank of Hawaii), restaurants (i.e. Dukes Canoe Club, Tiki’s, Sam Choys), visitor attractions (i.e. Arizona Memorial, Dole Plantation,
Battleship Missouri) and special events (i.e. I love Kailua, Women’s 10K, Jingle Bells Fun Run). Exciting artwork and quality products,
combined with good customer service is key to our success. This has allowed our customer to retail our shirts for $15.00 - $29.00, against
other t-shirts in the market selling for much less. We have also grown through diversification, adding a School Uniform and a License
Product Wholesale division. Some of our accomplishments include:
- In 1999 started a School Uniform division. We currently provide school uniforms for over 23 public and private schools in Hawaii,
including Punahou, Campbell High School, Kalakaua Middle School, Highlands Intermediate, and Holomua. For each school, we have
created products with graphics that appeal to the students, on t-shirts, sweatshirts, polo’s, and fashion junior styles.
- In order to better service our schools, TCC converted a 40 foot school bus into the S’cool Bus, a mobile retail store. At a cost of
$40,000 the S’cool bus is complete store, with custom hard wood cabinets, air conditioning, a dressing room, check out counter, and
hanging inventory. This gives parents an option of shopping at our store, or after school the next time the S’cool Bus rolls to their school.
- In 2000 TCC acquired a License to produce Hello Kitty apparel from Sanrio. The line initially consisted of screen printed t-shirts of
Hello Kitty, Pochacco, and Badtz-Maru in adult and children styles. We have since added a cut and sewn line of woven and knitted prints, in
dresses and two piece sets. The designs have cute, fun graphics, with accents of glitter ink.
- In 1999 we acquired the license to produce University of Hawaii products. Our products have been sold at the Aloha Stadium,
Rainbowtique, and other retailers. We have created designs for all of the major sport programs, and a unique double licensed Hello
Kitty/University of Hawaii T-shirt, with Hello Kitty dressed as a University of Hawaii Cheerleader.
- In 2006, we acquired a license from Universal Studios to manufacture Curious George apparel. We will bring this internationally
known Monkey and the Man with the Big Yellow Hat to stores in Hawaii later this year. Preliminary designs include George hugging a
dolphin, snorkeling with fish or on the beach with his surfboard.
- Universal Studios will also be granting us a National license to produce apparel for their series of classic movie monsters. This will
include Frankenstein, Wolfman, Phantom of the Opera, the Bride of Frankenstein, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and several other
characters. Our intent is to market two lines of clothing for children and young adults. Concepts include Frankenstein with sun glasses and
an Aloha Shirt, or the Phantom of the Opera in Bling.
- We continue each year to make donations to support non-profit organizations in Hawaii. For example in 2005, we made donations of
over 6,500 shirts (Cost: $30,000) in clothing to local non-profit organizations such as the Hawaii Food Bank, Fresh Start Inc., the State
Hospital, and a number of public schools.
- Awards and recognitions: Pacific Business News Fastest Fifty (2), Finalist for Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year (2), Pele
Awards (2), Manufacturer of the Year – Retail Merchants of Hawaii