Our Story

ELLIE & THE PIG – And the beginning of Flying Teez

Ellie & the Pig, as we were originally known, started with a bang - literally! Or should that be a blade slap??

While my husband was deployed and Chinook helicopters trained above our RAF Odiham home, I found inspiration for a new creative venture...

As a qualified Textile Designer turned Interior Designer, I wanted something that allowed me to be present for my children while tapping into my artistic roots. It all began with a simple idea - designing t-shirts that broke away from traditional kids' styles, sparked by our collective love for the mighty Chinook!

BRINGING THE IDEA TO LIFE

With limited resources available, I used what I could find around the house and fashioned together a rudimental ‘print table’ from a square sheet of MDF, a couple of cupboard hinges and an old wooden picture frame. (This setup successfully printed hundreds of t-shirts and was only retired a few years ago!)

T-shirt stock initially came from a combination of supermarkets, Amazon, and eBay, and all the screen designs were laboriously cut from paper using a craft knife and attached to the screens with masking tape.

A hasty set of photos were taken, a basic Facebook page was put together, and a few days after the initial idea was conceived, I was ready to launch…

Within 24 hours, the order book was full! I had also booked a stand for Ellie & the Pig at our first air show, and by the time my husband had returned from deployment a month later, I had paid for our first overseas holiday since before the children were born.

FLYING TEEZ

Flying Teez will always be affectionately remembered as Ellie & the Pig, after my dogs - Ellie the black lab and Peanut the Spaniel, or as Peanut is also fondly known as - The Pig! But as the company grew bigger it became apparent that a more suitable name was needed – one which didn’t require constant explanation! So, in July 2019, Ellie & the Pig officially became Flying Teez with a complete re-brand and the launch of an extended range of rotary design t-shirts.

The MDF 'print table' was finally retired, and the company invested in a six platen carousel print table, flash driers, and presses. Stock was sourced from more appropriate sources, and a decision was made to switch to 100 percent sustainable apparel and non-plastic packaging. We have always only ever used vegan, water-based inks, avoiding plastic-based transfers. These implementations resulted in Flying Teez being an Earth-friendly company.

What began on the kitchen table using a DIY wooden screen became a thriving brand, moving from a spare room at RAF Odiham to a dedicated print studio in our forever home on the South Wales coast.

Inspired by the legendary Chinook helicopter and my husband's nearly 30-year career flying them, Flying Teez has gone from strength to strength. And although military life may now be behind us, the Chinook spirit still soars, and we wouldn’t have it any other way!

If you haven’t already joined the Flying Teez family, why not sign up to our newsletter to receive all our latest news, and don’t forget to follow us on social media and share your pics of your awesome teez using the hashtag #flyingteez 🚁💖

 

 

 

 In loving memory of our Ellie: 1 July 2007 – 19 Jan 2021 ❤️