In 2008, Tessa and Torrey Valyou were dating when they started New Duds, their two-person screen-printing and sewing business in Colchester. Tessa made bags, often using recycled materials, and Torrey screen-printed clothing featuring his unique drawings. Since then, the couple married, had two children, moved their business three times and expanded to a staff of 20.

Seven Days senior multimedia producer Eva Sollberger first met the Valyous at the Winooski Farmers Market and began to collect their eye-catching gear. New Duds’ most well-known design is called “Burlington Vermont Sunset” and features the sun setting behind the Green Mountains. You can spot their distinct duds all over Burlington, and they work with many local companies, including Foam Brewers, Cabot Creamery and Vermont Lake Monsters. Sollberger profiled the couple in 2011, when it was just the two of them working together with their dog, Nancy — who is now 15-years-old and stays home.

Last week Sollberger met with the pair at their current Colchester location, got a tour and talked with them about their growth and evolution over the years. Torrey no longer prints every item by hand, and they now have three automatic presses and offer embroidery and poster screen printing. Tessa has stopped sewing Foliage Handbags, but she creates her own line of goods called FLIP which she sells at Thirty-odd. The couple’s focus has switched to custom work for clients, but they both still continue to create and collaborate.

New Duds has an open house and warehouse sale on October 14, the company’s first since the pandemic. There will be food and people can screen print clothing items with six New Duds’ designs.

Filming date: 9/26/23

Music: Nana Kwabena, “Find Your Way Beat”

This episode of Stuck in Vermont was supported by New England Federal Credit Union.