Jul 3, 2023 3 min read

Editor’s note: This is one in a weekly series featuring businesses operating in Washington, Greene and Fayette counties that have national and global reach.

On a little hillside just outside of Masontown sits a sports apparel manufacturer that helps fans to feel like they’re part of their favorite team, while also making dreams come true for the NFL’s top draft picks.

The 86 workers at the Stahls Decorating Fulfillment Center in German Township are leaving a big imprint on major sports leagues by making personalized athletic gear that is sold across the country.

Stahls is probably best known for creating personalized jerseys in a matter of minutes for the first-round picks at the NFL Draft, where a team of workers has attended the past 11 years. The small team of workers churns out the special jerseys with the rookie draft pick’s name on it to be displayed on stage when the player is greeted by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

“It’s great for the folks who work there,” said Zach Ellsworth, vice president of Stahls Decorating Fulfillment Center. “They do take pride in the work. A select few get to go and do that, decorating behind the scenes or during the events, which they really enjoy.”

The company also makes personalized jerseys for fans attending the NFL Draft, and helps with uniform production for players attending the annual NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis and Cross-Fit Games in Madison, Wis.

“We’re finding ourselves doing (more) on-site activations at the draft beyond the stage,” Ellsworth said. “We’re there just to do the personalization. The (apparel) brand itself would sell the shirt. We’re doing the decorating (and) execute for them.”

But the company does so much more as the officially licensed jersey decorator for NFL, NHL and NBA, while also being licensed to manufacture jersey numbers and letters for MLB. The local factory has been especially busy in recent weeks, producing thousands of Miami Heat jerseys during that team’s run through the NBA playoffs.

“If there’s a playoff run or a player is traded, that’s when we see the business,” Ellsworth said.

The company is based in Sterling Heights, Mich., and has locations across the country, including near Carmichaels and Uniontown that serve other functions.

Even with all the big production jobs that make a big impact for sporting events across the country, Ellsworth said many people are surprised to learn one of the company’s most important factories is located in Fayette County.

“Most people are surprised, even the folks who live in Masontown,” Ellsworth said. “We give them a tour and they are usually like, I never knew this was here.”