T-Shirts: 100 Years of Awesomeness!

Attribution: tshirts.com

2013 is the 100th Year Anniversary of the T-Shirt. 

An article in Promowearmag.com explains, "In 1913, the T-shirt as we know it first appeared as standard-issue gear within the U.S. Navy. Since then, the iconic garment has become an essential part of the American wardrobe and identity."

And become a part of our national identity it has. The t-shirt, like a billboard you wear, can be an advertisement for what you think. In an age where everywhere we go, there is an ad telling us what to believe about this or that, the t-shirt is a way of expressing our personal view. It allows a way of communicating without opening your mouth. A t-shirt can make people see you as funny, and approachable or, it can communicate, "stay the hell away from me". The majority of us own all kinds of t-shirts, and truthfully, most of the time, we just want to be comfortable and look cool, like the above pictured John Lennon.

The Power of a T-Shirt Design

In this history of t-shirts, some designs have reached an iconic status. They can be like universal symbols of an ideology, or relate a common experience. These t-shirts have the power to bring people together. Check out this tribute to the t-shirt in Parade Magazine's, "Top 10 Most Iconic Designs".

Attribution: parade.com

What is most interesting is that because of it's comfort, low cost to manufacture, and ability to be printed on, the t-shirt, regardless of what image or saying is actually on it, is itself an icon. This is because we are a generation that put off the stuffiness of suits, vests, and petticoats, and accepted the idea that a simple garment is good enough. At one time, there were truly rich clothes and poor clothes. Today, this is not altogether gone, but the t-shirt is a type of equalizer. Rock stars, jocks, boaters, moms, bums, businessmen, babies and people from almost every other category of society wear t-shirts. It is the American uniform.


                             "The t-shirt is a type of equalizer... it is the American uniform."

 Everybody's Doing it

With such wide acceptance, people have tried a myriad of ways to personalize their shirts. From tie-dye, to that puffy paint stuff, to markers, to cutting holes; folks made t-shirts their own. But it was never quite the same as that printed image you bought at the concert, or the mall. The digital age is now revolutionizing the way people individualize their clothes.

Through the process of digital Direct-to-Garment printing, people are now making their own mark on the world. And it looks like we prefer it this way. According to a survey conducted by CustomInk, found in the same Promowearmag.com article mentioned earlier, "76 percent of Americans report they would have a stronger emotional connection with a shirt that they or someone they knew custom-designed, versus a shirt that was mass-produced." While there will always be a place for those mass produced shirts, this generation is transitioning into custom everything: custom song lists, custom cell phones, custom rims, custom paint jobs, custom TV, custom walls (social media), custom YouTube channels, and on and on. As the Byrds famously quoted from the book of Ecclesiastes "To everything, turn, turn, turn. There is a season." With 100 years of t-shirt awesomeness, it now continues with the season of digital Direct-to-Garment freedom. Those who have used it, love it. But for those who just won't try it, I leave you with the famous words of Marty McFly in "Back to the Future", "I guess you guys aren't ready for that yet..........but your kids are gonna love it."

                                                                     YouTube

DTG, That's What I Meme

Do you frequently find yourself in the midst of a conversation where you bring up DTG, and your friends look at you like you are from Mars? That is because they are not yet aware of the wonders of Direct-to-Garment technology. What you should do in these situations:

1. Make fun of them.
2. Facebook bomb them with memes, like these:

Teach the Web to be DTG Aware!

Hello Interwebs,

What a great topic trending today on Google+!

#TeachTheWeb

Teaching is what the DTG Awareness blog is all about people! I'm here to teach the web what's up when it comes to getting the coolest shirts! Print your own- Go out tonight in a shirt that you came up with. What's your style? What's your favorite quote? Wear a picture of your mom for Mother's Day! It's all up to you.

Another great idea: Are you a graphic artist? Become a designer, and sell your own clothing line! The possibilities are endless with DTG!

Printed on the BelQuette Mod1 Direct-to-Garment Printer

So call up your local print shop, and ask them if they do DTG!

A Mother's Day Poem

This poem, by Joanna Fuchs, is from poemsource.com
  Super Mom
Mom, you're a wonderful mother,
So gentle, yet so strong.
The many ways you show you care
Always make me feel I belong. You're patient when I'm foolish;
You give guidance when I ask;
It seems you can do most anything;
You're the master of every task. You're a dependable source of comfort;
You're my cushion when I fall.
You help in times of trouble;
You support me whenever I call. I love you more than you know;
You have my total respect.
If I had my choice of mothers,
You'd be the one I'd select! By Joanna Fuchs  
Want to give your mom something that she can show off of on Mother's Day? Write her a poem, and put it on a new shirt. DTG will make you the best kid in the family!

GO MOM!

Direct-to-Garment Extravaganza

I had an interesting conversation with someone today about all of the things that a Direct-to-Garment printer can print on. DTG is for more than T-Shirts. Don't get me wrong, t-shirts give you the most surface to play with, and to say with. When your whole upper body is wearing the canvas, you can get a lot of art seen. But sometimes, you may want to change it up.

Ever seen 30 Rock?

Trucker cap enthusiasm unchecked. Say what you want, on the hat you want... everyday if you want. Yep, you can do it with DTG.


Say it on a sweatband.

If your team is looking for something to make you stand out, or if you just want to keep the sweat out of your eyes in style, you can get your image or logo printed on sweatbands with DTG.

Other things you can print on:
Socks
Canvas bags

Wood

Glass

Leather

Jeans

Towels

Cotton koozies (no rubber lining)

Pre-stretched canvas for pictures

There are so many possibilities! Are you starting to become aware yet?

Local DTG Printers

You may be wondering where to find some great Direct-to-Garment printed shirts. Today, I am going to show you just how easy it is to find a local company that, for about $20, can make the shirt that you always wanted.

A great place to look is yellowpages.com. I put "direct to garment printing" in the search bar on their site, and near "Columbus Ohio" as the location. This is what was returned:

There were a total of 17 results. It is not guaranteed that every one of those companies will actually do Direct-to-Garment printing. Some of them might use "direct to garment" as a keyword search because they offer other printing services. However, it is very likely that within these first 6 results, at least one of the companies will offer Direct-to-Garment printing. It is really that easy to strike t-shirt gold. Go ahead and try it. Once you make your own t-shirt, you'll be wondering how you ever survived without DTG. You're welcome.

Trade Shows, Buyer Confusion, and Print Heads

OK, so this post is going to be focused on the people who are using DTG printers, instead of those
who might be buying the awesome products that Direct-to-Garment machines bring. So, if you are not interested in the inner workings of the DTG machine, you can check out here.

One thing buyers have to be aware of when purchasing a DTG printer is the availability of parts. A very important, and often misunderstood aspect of the printer is the print head. First of all, there are only a few companies in the world that actually manufacture print heads. Every DTG manufacturer utilizes a print head that was designed by one of those companies, and despite the rhetoric, no DTG manufacturer currently has the ability to make their own print head. On the other hand, certain DTG companies have purchased exclusive rights to utilize a particular print head, and are very guarded about releasing any specific information as to the nature of this business transaction. This causes rumors to float around about how you should not use Company A because their print head will not be available because the print head manufacturer is going to stop making them. Or they may say Company B will be there to support your needs because they make their own print head, which as I have already stated, is not accurate.

Many prospective buyers attend trade shows such as SGIA, ISS, and NBM, where one can usually see a vast assortment of Direct-to-Garment printers, and get an opportunity to talk with representatives from the companies that either manufacture or distribute these machines. While buyers attend these trade shows for the purpose of becoming more knowledgeable about the products that are available, it is not uncommon for them to leave feeling somewhat confused by the seemingly contradictory information they receive. The reality is that all DTG printers are based on a similar technology model. Regardless of the claims against "modified printers" or claims that printers built for DTG from the ground up are somehow better, the truth is, all of these printers are the descendants of the desktop inkjet. And this is why many of the DTG printers that are available today are modified from other printers. For example, currently, Epson sells the r2000 printer and it utilizes Epson's DX5 print head. This is the same print head that several DTG manufacturers also use. A fear tactic that is sometimes used to sell against printers that utilize print heads that originate with other printer models is that when the original manufacturer stops making the printer, the print heads will no longer be available. However, this does not mean that the DTG manufacturer has no access to the print head. Some DTG manufacturers keep a large stock of print heads on hand and can service their customers for years to come. This means that if you purchase a DTG printer today that utilizes the DX5 print head, your manufacturer should be able to supply brand new print heads should the need arise. Print head cost is a weak point for some manufacturers, which is part of the reason they use such fear tactics when selling against other companies. One DTG printer can have as many as 6 or more print heads, with a cost of $1,100 each, while a printer that utilizes the DX5 generally only needs one print head at a cost of $700-$900.

The bottom line is, whichever printer you choose, be sure to understand the full cost to benefit ratio of any features or parts mentioned. How much are you paying to get the printer that uses "original" or "exclusive" print heads. How much are you paying for the ink? Is the printer really that much faster? Did you time it? The right printer could mean the difference between profitability in 6 months or 2 years.