Capture the fierce spirit and soaring grace of New Zealand with our Karearea Takes Flight T-Shirt, a striking tribute to New Zealand’s only endemic bird of prey, the majestic karearea (New Zealand falcon, Falco novaeseelandiae).
This powerful design showcases the falcon in mid-flight, masterfully blended from digital oil painting, vector illustration, steel-point engraving, and Japanese calligraphy brushwork techniques—creating a dynamic, textured artwork that feels both timeless and contemporary.
The large, typography-free wildlife portrait dominates the front (or back, by preference), with a small, informative badge print on the reverse (or chest when front-printed) detailing the species—perfect for those who love clean, bold statements of Kiwi pride.
Available in two versatile colourways: warm rust (evoking earthy vibes of the bird’s plumage, as seen beside New Brighton Pier) and sleek black for a bolder, dramatic look. As one of just 38 falcon species worldwide and our sole surviving native raptor, the karearea embodies resilience and raw power. This apex predator dives at speeds up to 200 km/h and hunts prey larger than itself.
Despite threats, its unique evolutionary story (most closely related to the Aplomado falcon of South America) and recent crowning as Bird of the Year highlight its enduring place in our natural and cultural heritage.Whether you’re exploring the bush, beach, or city streets, wear this shirt to celebrate the wild heart of New Zealand and support native wildlife awareness.Shop for This Design: By ordering here, your shirt will be locally printed in Christchurch and DTF heat-pressed right here by the designer in New Brighton. Choose from a variety of shirt styles, including short and long sleeves. We offer options for men, women, and kids.
Shopping Options: Shop Locally or Internationally
Choose how you shop for your Kārearea Takes Flight T-Shirt: Note garment colour and size information is below the order form.
- Order directly from me using the order form below for a custom made heat-pressed t-shirt. International customers will be charged the actual shipping cost based on the weight and the destination of their order. As a guide a Large Surface Active 185 gsm t-shirt weighs 130–150 grams.
Order Form For Custom T-Shirt Made by Shaun in New Brighton
Shaun Waugh from Surface Active is the guy creating your custom tee for you. With the assistance of his Christchurch custom DTF print provider Merch Kings. (Note: if you are a New Brighton local, he’s the t-Shirt man at the Saturday Brighton Market)Shaun designs and heat presses all his art on garments. The print quality delivered by the DTF printing process is exceptional. The finished product is carefully designed to be durable, reflecting the pride that Shaun has in hand-crafting his work.Prices for medium weight 185 gsm t-shirts printed in New Brighton:
- Kids tees infant to toddler size, 1–4 yrs old: $20.00 plus shipping
- Kids t-shirts youth size, 6–14 yrs old: $20.00 plus shipping
- Mens/Unisex t-shirt: $57.50 plus shipping
- Womens t-shirt: $57.50 plus shipping
- Adults Hoodie: $120 plus shipping
Shipping is via Courier Post, price starts at $8 for 1 adult shirt, $10 for two or more.
Shopping Options: Shop Locally or InternationallyChoose how you shop for your Kārearea Takes Flight T-Shirt: Note garment colour and size information is below the order form.Order directly from me using the order form below for a custom made heat-pressed t-shirt. International customers will be charged the actual shipping cost based on the weight and the destination of their order. As a guide a Large Surface Active 185 gsm t-shirt weighs 130–150 grams.Order Form For Custom T-Shirt Made by Shaun in New Brighton
Shaun Waugh from Surface Active is the guy creating your custom tee for you. With the assistance of his Christchurch custom DTF print provider Merch Kings. (Note: if you are a New Brighton local, he’s the t-Shirt man at the Saturday Brighton Market)Shaun designs and heat presses all his art on garments. The print quality delivered by the DTF printing process is exceptional. The finished product is carefully designed to be durable, reflecting the pride that Shaun has in hand-crafting his work.Prices for medium weight 185 gsm t-shirts printed in New Brighton:
- Kids tees infant to toddler size, 1–4 yrs old: $20.00 plus shipping
- Kids t-shirts youth size, 6–14 yrs old: $20.00 plus shipping
- Mens/Unisex t-shirt: $57.50 plus shipping
- Womens t-shirt: $57.50 plus shipping
Shipping is via Courier Post, price starts at $8 for 1 adult shirt, $10 for two or more.
Customer Details
Bank Details
Bank: Kiwibank
Account Name: MagentaDot Limited
Account Number: 38-90090359221-00
Use Reference: Your name
Details: Our high resolution artwork and water-based ink system ensure that our wildlife art prints are crisp and vibrant. The sharpness and details of small dots and fine lines are clear and well defined. The prints are securely bonded to the fabric. They feel soft, smooth, and blended in with the garment. While our T-shirts are well made from 100% combed ring-spun cotton*, they’re constructed from 185gsm (mid-weight) fabric, pre-shrunk, anti-pill.
- Tight knit for superior printability and handfeel
- Side seams for better fit and to prevent twisting
- Shoulder to shoulder reinforcing tape
- Twin-needle stitching on body and sleeve hems
* Marle colours have a 15 percent viscose content to produce that classic marle look.
Choose Colour (Note: Shirt colours are emphasised in bold)
Middle row: Denim Marle, Bluestone, Deep Royal, Aqua, Pale Sky, Lavender, Purple, Maroon.
Bottom row: Rust, Red, Pale Pink, Orange, Tan, Ivory, White.
(Note: Outsize shirts are available up to 9XL in 5 colours: White, Black, Dark Grey, Navy & Grey Marle)
Choose size
The New Zealand Nature T-Shirt Company
MagentaDot Brands 