Orchard Street Press

history

Orchard Street Press is a love story -- both for the owners, husband-and-wife duo Whitney and Julie Teska -- but also for the creative process involved in bringing a garment to life with inks and artwork.

Growing up playing in bands, Whitney learned to screen print the punk rock way -- self-taught with homemade equipment. A decade later, he employed some of those same D.I.Y. values when starting his own business.

Orchard Street Press – named for the street that housed the Teska’s first basement print shop – started in 2008 to provide high-quality, friendly and environmentally-conscious screen printing in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area.  Founding capital came from the prize money from a first place win in a business planning competition sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Screen-printing has historically been an industry of environmentally harmful plastisol inks containing gender-bending phthalates and harsh solvent chemicals. OSP was committed from the start to breaking that pollution cycle and was ahead of the vast majority of print shops in exclusively using phthalate-free plastisol and environmentally-friendly soy-based biodegradable cleaners.

OSP was also in the forefront of using new water-based ink for printing white on black garments in a way that looks new even after 100 trips through the washer and dryer, something very few print shops in the country can do even today.

In 2011, we launched our own product line that includes clothing and accessories for men, women, children and babies. Our garments can be found for sale in various boutiques and shops around Wisconsin and the Midwest.

The Teskas love Milwaukee and believe in the unique spirit its supportive community of local entrepreneurs has helped create. Whether you are looking for printed apparel, accessories, posters, buttons or just some help with your design, you deserve the best. And that is what we promise to give.

 

What Clients Are Saying

Just wanted to say how thrilled we are with how the Mr. Goon & Bicycle Ride shirts turned out - they look amazing! Thanks again for your obvious Commitment to Excellence!

-Melissa Buchanan, LFOP