It’s certainly been a while since Walls & Ceilings has worked on this story, which was originally an Adventures in Drywall competition that was held more than 10 years ago. Unfortunately, the author of the last DTS Contest Kevin Bush was not able to write this piece but he did help in selecting and reviewing the submissions. We thank him for his time.

Work attire is essential for the overall picture of your company or team. Looking presentable is the most important way for someone to know that you or your company/team means business.

The way you look is the first impression you give someone before you speak. Although it’s impossible for contractors to be spic-and-span on the job site, company shirts are still a great way to represent your company. Whether the shirt is creative, a company logo or a play on words, shirts are a good way to make a uniformed appearance. Having the same shirt or apparel creates a sense of belonging and equality. No one is wearing any higher end clothes than the other due to the T-shirt or apparel being identical to the next employee. This then allows your employees or team to begin to work together to create a more positive atmosphere.

And the winner goes to…

Mercury Rev- Stockton Products

Always a favorite here at W&C HQ, Stockton delivers an excellent shirt. Its image recalls the early ‘60s (think American Graffiti or Happy Days) and the innocence of teens. Malt shops, Wolfman Jack, cruising the strip and revving motors.

For 14 years, Stockton has made available to its customers limited edition T-shirts featuring vintage cars and trucks. Its latest T-shirt features a vintage convertible Chevrolet Chevelle super sport in front of its corporate office in North Las Vegas. The company has been around since 1949 and is truly a classic southwest and U.S. entity.

Here are some other good submissions:

Man of Steel- The Steel Network

Creative play on the infamous Superman logo. Although TSN is a manufacturer and not a contractor, it’s still a great shirt in that it gives the company’s message that its products and steel overall is the framing product of the industry. Certainly, DC’s hero does embody all the great characteristics of Americana, a message I’m sure TSN wants to align themselves with and it seems the company’s customers agree.

This Stud’s for You- Performance Drywall (of Arizona)

Framing and gypsum contractor, Performance Drywall, want to convey safety. It’s company motto—from what we can tell from its website—is Safety is No Accident. It’s a great message with a fun and creative company shirt. Considering the location for the company, the cactus is the mascot as it appears. Kudos to them for an artistic statement that ties into the company’s philosophy on safety.

Classic Finishers- Ceiling & Wall Restorations

Whoever this Bazooka Joe is, the designer came up with a classic and stylish illustration of what this company is: a proud interior contractor that takes pride in its finishing work. Nothing says quality better than showing a Greek column.

Skyline-City Walls 

As fans of Edward Hopper, this shirt is a skyline of a city that bears no people, much like the New York painter’s canvasses. It’s a simple design but conveys that the company is proud to be a part of the construction of cities and buildings. The company is based in Fair Oaks, Calif., and the design is very much an American architecture portrait of Somewhere, USA.

Thank you to all the companies that sent in T-shirts this year. As always, we’d love for you to keep encouraging us to report on work attire so send in more pictures of your company’s work attire.