MYSTERY SOLVED: Here's what happens to losing team's pre-printed champ shirts
PEARLAND, Texas (KTRK) -- It's been a mystery for many sports fans.
When two teams are competing for a championship title, fan gear is typically pre-printed for both teams.
That's where businesses such as Koza's Inc. step in.
You may not have heard of them, but you've probably worn clothing or sports gear that has gone through the Pearland family business.
When Joe Koza opened Koza's Inc. in 1965, the facility was only 2,600-square-feet, and specialized in ceramics.
It wasn't until the 1970's that Koza realized his business wasn't quite working.
"Never got a request for a decorated coffee mug," laughed Koza. "Not one, but we got calls for 15,000 hats."
That's when Koza moved on to embroidering logos on hats and t-shirts, all of which was done by Koza himself. Now, computerized sewing machines at his location on S Main Street produce an estimated 40 million stitches a day.
On an average football or baseball season, the Kozas produce half a million team hats for fans across the country. That means when teams win big, sales go through the roof.
So what happens with the t-shirts and hats with the losing team's logo?
The answer is simple: Koza says they are simply thrown away to avoid legal issues.
"The hats that are made for the losing team are turned around and sent back," said Koza's son and vice president Joseph. "They destroy the hats because they can't get out on the market for somebody that lost the event."
Koza Inc. is located on 2910 S Main St. in Pearland.
For more information, visit www.kozas.com.
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