The rush for championship Celtics T-shirts

By Kate Augusto, Globe Correspondent

The order came with about 4 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and sent RC Silk into a whirl: Start printing the official Celtics championship T-shirts.

The silkscreen company in South Boston worked through the night, churning out up to 20,000 locker room-style shirts certified with the flashy hologram that designates official NBA merchandise. The 20 employees stopped only once this morning for a quick snack, a brief nap, and a shower.

The company prints the garments for Adidas and is the only official manufacturer in the Boston area, said President and CEO Maurice Chalonec. They have produced as many as 50,000 T-shirts during the finals.

“The demand has been very, very high," Chalonec said. "We’re fortunate in New England to have such a devout fan base that appreciate the accomplishment of the Celtics and want to express themselves to others by wearing these fantastic designs."

The first T-shirts began hitting stores by 8 a.m. RC Silk cycled through roughly eight different designs during the Finals. One new favorite: "We Beat LA"

“This one is a nice cherry on top," Chalonec said. "It says it all.”

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