HISTORY: What does "EMI" stand for? Founder and company president Russ Coburn started the company in 1985 as Early Man Images. With an undergraduate degree in Fine Arts and graduate studies in Archaeology, Russ combined his art talent with his scholastic and personal interest in the prehistoric cultures of the Southwest and hand-drew images that were eventually screen printed on t-shirts.

When the t-shirts proved to be a hit with his fellow archaeologists, Russ jumped in the ol' Chevy van and took off on Route 66 selling to trading posts and souvenir shops along the way. Over time more territories opened up and embroidery was added to the mix. Now we sell all over the U.S., out to Alaska and Hawaii, and from up in Canada down to the Caribbean!

EMI Sportswear started and continues to operate in beautiful Boulder, CO where Russ Coburn has lived most of his life. He and his wife LeeAnn are grateful to be able to work every day with each other and the cast of thousands that make up EMI. (That number actually includes all our employees, our wonderful customers, the tourists who buy their product, our own kids and the company dog.... We actually employ close to 50 people year-round and are extremely grateful for their contribution to the company!)

In the Fall of 2008, Russ brought on a partner to the business. Mark Reaves serves as Executive VP of the company and is the Director of Marketing in charge of the sales team and new business devolopment. Mark is a veteran of our industry with over 20 years experience and we're proud to have him on board as an integral part of our future!

CORPORATE PHILOSOPHY: We believe in being a positive part of the community, both locally and globally. This philosophy includes a spirit of giving which includes charitable contributions, as well as making decisions and taking actions that promote good stewardship of the earth.

In this respect, we have committed to many local and national organizations through direct financial gifts, donations of clothing, or both. Environmental commitments include: use of Wind Energy; use of post-consumer recycled paper; recycling of cardboard and all office paper including newspapers and catalogs; recycling cans, plastic, glass, and old equipment; and the use of environmentally friendly products in our production facility.

In 2007 we launched a new line of clothing called Green Weekend. This line consists of apparel made with eco-friendly fabrics such as bamboo, organic cotton and recycled cotton/poly fabric. It has been one of the most successful launches in our company's history and we're proud to be in the forefront of our industry with these products!