From Punk Rock to Production Powerhouse: Meet Kyle Caldwell

MADE Lab is thrilled to welcome Kyle Caldwell as our new Education, Training & Support Manager—a role that perfectly blends his passion for screen printing with his knack for developing efficient, high-performing teams.

Kyle’s journey into screen printing started early—in high school shop class, pulling squeegees and printing shirts for local events and his punk rock bands. After years of touring, Kyle made the intentional choice to turn screen printing into a career. He joined Shirt Kong, his top pick among local shops, where he spent a decade helping the business scale while learning every facet of print production.

“I’ve worked in every department—reclaim, screen room, press, QC, scheduling, R&D. I’ve overseen the entire process, and helped create systems that make more happen with less.”

That’s Kyle’s real ninja skill: efficiency. He’s not only passionate about tape-speed (and claims to be the world’s fastest screen taper—feel free to challenge him), but about building systems that help teams work smarter, not harder.

The world’s fastest screen taper

Smart, Scalable Solutions

One of Kyle’s most impactful contributions at Shirt Kong was developing QR-coded SOP systems for each machine. Training videos were hosted privately online, and the QR codes were printed and placed on each machine. This allowed team members to cross-train, troubleshoot, and fill in gaps—just by scanning and watching a short video.

“We wanted to make it easy for anyone to step in and know exactly how to run a machine. No guesswork, just smart access.”

He also tackled ink chaos by labeling all Pantone inks with shelf locations tied to the project management system, dramatically improving speed and accuracy when pulling inks for a job.

A Philosophy of Growth

Kyle’s training philosophy is grounded in structure and upward momentum. He believes in bringing new team members in at QC, then helping them build their way up to press operator roles through hands-on experience and testing.

“Cross-training is key—especially in small shops. The more agile your team is, the stronger your print floor becomes.”

MADE Lab’s training & support program has a heavy focus on quality screen making, because we know a great screen will help make a great print

Why MADE Lab?

Joining MADE Lab is a full-circle moment for Kyle. With years of shop experience and a deep respect for the minds that make up the MADE community, he’s excited to help other operations improve their print floors and train their teams.

“MADE Lab is a next-level resource. We have so many experts, tools, and connections that it’s impossible not to get better when you plug in.”

Whether it’s one-on-one support, training workshops, or solving real-time shop challenges, Kyle is here to help other shops thrive—while continuing to learn and grow himself.