For Tirell Jeffers – Montserrat-born and proud – representing his island heritage in the UK was a must. He’s the mind behind Tee’s Caribbean: customisable, heritage-led apparel with the flags, icons and even country codes that comprise your island pride. From its first collection launch in summer 2020 to printing on-demand, custom tees for Reggae Land crowds, here’s how Tee’s Caribbean is turning island representation into something you can say with your chest.

What is Tee’s Caribbean and what do you create?

Tee’s Caribbean is a heritage-led lifestyle brand designed to help people wear their history with a personal touch. We specialise in customisable apparel – from all-over prints to subtle, minimalist embroidery – that celebrates where you’re from.

While our heart is in the Caribbean, our mission is universal: we create pieces that can be tailored to any heritage, because everyone deserves to see their story reflected in what they wear.

From all-over prints to subtle icons, you represent over 10 islands. What are some of your most popular pieces?

I would say my Puzzled Collection is very popular as it’s a great, balanced way to piece together your heritage. My Baseball Jerseys have recently launched and taken off too as they provide a vibrant, colourful aesthetic for the wearer.

What’s the customisation process like?

It’s a collaborative experience! For our printed and embroidered garments, we offer free design mock-ups so customers can visualise the final product before committing. If the blanks are in stock, we can often turn these around in as little as a week.

For our cut-and-sew collections (like our custom shorts and jerseys), we provide templates to personalise, or the option to build a design from scratch. While templated items are quicker, a fully bespoke garment – from the initial consultation through to printing and stitching – can take up to six weeks. We try not to rush the process as we’re committed to getting the details right.

What’s your heritage and how has it played a role in your passion for proud island representation in the UK?

I was born on the island of Montserrat, a little-known British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. During the 2020 social justice movement, I wanted to allow people from smaller islands like myself to represent themselves to the fullest as I found not many brands or designs catered to us.

My first release was the Power Fist Collection, merging island identities with the symbol of resistance and pride. My passion grew from there to include dual-heritage designs, inspired by my Granny (from St. Lucia) and friends who wanted to honour both sides of their family tree.

What’s been the reception from customers so far?

They LOVE it! The brand gets compliments at every event I go to. I have had a customer spend over an hour at the stand, going through the racks and discussing their design ideas with me.

I take my embroidery machine with me to events so people have the opportunity to get a design embroidered while they wait. And I think that aspect of the brand, where people get to see their t-shirt being made, is an amazing and personal experience. When they wear it, it ties them to a feeling (on why they chose the design) or a certain time in their life.

What kind of community would you like to build?

I’m building a community of people who are unapologetically proud of their roots. I want to showcase our individuality through design, but also our similarities. It’s also important to me that the brand feels inclusive: we offer bold designs for the extraverts, but also subtle, “if you know, you know” icons for the introverts who want to represent more quietly.

What’s your design process and how do you ensure high quality?

For embroidery, I always run physical samples and perfect the digitised files before the final production run. For our cut-and-sew and all-over print items, I work closely with trusted suppliers. Every new product line goes through a sampling phase to ensure the fabric, fit, and finish meet my standards before they ever reach a customer.

What’s been your proudest moment running the business?

Being a vendor at Reggae Land in 2023 was a huge milestone. It was our first time attempting live embroidery at such a large scale. I had a ‘dream team’ of several friends and family members helping me manage the rush over two days. Seeing the brand hold its own in that environment, just three years after launching, was an unforgettable feeling.

What’s been your biggest challenge?

I still work a nine-to-five, coach students, and stay active in sports, so my social calendar is usually a puzzle. There are so many events I’d love to attend, but I have to be very selective.

Secondly, custom fashion is very tactile; people want to touch the fabric and see the thread. Overcoming that digital barrier by getting out to physical markets across the country has been a challenge, but a rewarding one.

What’s coming next for Tee’s Caribbean?

Growth and giving back. My big dream is to set up embroidery and printing directly in Montserrat or Antigua. I want to see people back home rocking the brand, but I also want to create something that tourists can buy into to help support and grow the local economy. It’s about making an impact where my roots are.

On a more personal level, I’ve just brought my younger brother on board. He’s learning the technical side of the embroidery machine at our events, which is a huge deal for me. I’m hoping that as he masters the craft, he’ll be able to take over the responsibilities at events when I can’t be there. Watching the brand evolve into a family effort is exactly where I want it to be.

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