Designs that Make Money: A Tale of Two Shirts

The Rihanna

An article in The Guardian reports that Rihanna has successfully stopped Topshop from selling a shirt with her image. The article, by Paula Cocozza, does a terrific job of explaining the circumstances which led to Rihanna having been able to accomplish what many other celebrities have not. Here is an excerpt,

Credit: theguardian.com

"But what makes Topshop's sale of this T-shirt wrong? The world is full of unofficial merchandise, and Rihanna – as for all of us – does not own the copyright to her face. (Though she could try to trademark it, as Damon Hill once did with the image of his eyes staring out of his helmet.) The rights will have been owned by the photographer, who must have licensed or sold his image to Topshop. So what is the difference between straightforwardly reproducing an image on a T-shirt and "passing off"? "The question is simply this," says Mike Brookes, a lawyer who specialises in entertainment dispute resolution at Lee & Thompson. "If you walk into Topshop and see that T-shirt, do you think that it is an official, Rihanna-endorsed T-shirt, or do you think that it is a piece of merchandise that someone else is selling without her approval?" In this case, the judge decided that the former is true. Brookes says that there are three elements to proving passing off. The claimant needs to have established a reputation. The defendant needs to have misled the public. And third, there needs to have been damage. "I suspect that the argument will be that for every person who buys a Topshop Rihanna T-shirt it does them out of a sale of an official one," says Brookes."

Cocozza continues,

"Rachel Cook, an associate at Fox Williams, read the 16-page Rihanna judgment and says that this "was very much a case of specifics". The Topshop tank shows Rihanna wearing a dungaree-strap bra top – the same outfit that she wore on the video for We Found Love, albeit one of about 47 outfits, each of which you get to see for a few seconds. (See it here at 2:57 seconds.) The photograph was taken unofficially during the shoot in Northern Ireland. "The judge was talking about the way they [Topshop] were using it, the time they were using it. It almost looked like the marketing campaign for that record." Plus, Rihanna has an active endorsement programme, having designed a clothes line for River Island."

Capitalizing on a State Capitol 

Credit: Fouryou Designs

Contrast the Rihanna story with recent news from newsobserver.com about the achievements of a small Raleigh, North Carolina based company called Fouryou Designs. In the article, Joe Fitzpatrick, owner of Fouryou Designs says that before he started his company, he created what he calls the "Raltree" shirt because he "wanted an original design not found in the Raleigh area." After many compliments, Fitzpatrick decided to see if the shirt would sell; soon after this, Fouryou Designs was born, and the report is, "business is booming". 

Both the Rihanna and Raltree shirts have garnered publicity. But, while a picture of a celebrity will attract attention, using it can be a gamble. An original design has the upside that it will not make your company susceptible to law suits. The difficulty for any designer is creating an original design that will possess the gravitas needed to sell. Using a celebrity image is a shortcut to mass appeal, and may lead to quick sales. But creating an original design that catches the eye can lead to long term branding. The key to success in any business is finding a niche, and building a business model that allows the exploitation the of upside potential of that niche with maximum efficiency and minimal risk. One could say that
designers who are looking to make the most of their designs would do well to incorporate the most lean rendition of their business model into their design. Creativity and practicality both have a part to play in t-shirt design. One key pertinent attribute that is shared by both the Raltree, and the Rihanna is that they each transcend the t-shirt, appealing to an idea that is bigger than the design itself. If Rihanna weren't who she is, and if Raleigh were not a beloved city to so many, then the shirts would most assuredly not have seen the sales numbers that they did. Bottom line, profitable designs are smart; they take into consideration the business they represent, and the culture they attempt to charm.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/07/31/3070583/raleigh-t-shirt-designer-displays.html#storylink=cpy

Google Trends: Public Interest in Digitally Printed Shirts Shows Growth

Screen Printing, Embroidery Losing Steam

The digital t-shirt printing business is still relatively new to the clothing industry. While the over-all interest for the digital solution is small in comparison to other garment decorating methods, such as screen printing, trends still show growing public interest in digitally printed shirts. The following graph reveals a mostly steady search volume for three similar terms which are all related to what is commonly referred to as "Direct to Garment", with a slight upward tick:

Digital tshirt printing, direct to garment printing, and digital shirt printing compared

While August of 2008 saw the highest spike in volume of these three searches, spikes have continued to reach near that point since. While peaks and dips appear throughout the graph, the year over year trend shows growth. June of 2013 saw an average 7.7% rise over June of 2012 in the three search terms.

The next graph shows the search volume trends of both screen printing and embroidery. For both decorating mediums, the highest peaks on the graph occurred prior to 2005, and the trend of interest has continued downward.

Screen printing and embroidery compared

This final graph compares all the previous search terms, and displays the fact that, compared to both embroidery and screen printing, digital printing does not even register a blip in search volume.

Digital printing compared to embroidery and screen printing

The upward movement of interest in digital printing, while not yet significant in view of the industry as a whole, is still a positive sign. The relatively small level of interest is not the story, since this is to be expected while the technology is in its infancy. The contrast between digital and traditional methods of garment decorating is a sign that digital has a different appeal. One could speculate that digital's ability to be utilized for printing short runs and "one off's" at a lower cost than screen print could be part of the reason for it's growing popularity. Another aspect of digital garment printing's charm is it's ability to create high detail, customized images with ease. The simple integration of digital technology means that embroiderers can begin offering a printed product that sells at a similar price point to embroidery. An Anajet.com article points out that in SGIA's 2012 DTG Benchmarking Report, 78% of DTG owners also own embroidery equipment. Finally, digital represents a leaner means of production and sales. No longer do companies have to keep large stock of single prints in inventory, tying up valuable capital with the risk of over purchase. Shirts can be left blank until the order is made, and the order does not have to be enormous to be worthwhile. Whatever the reasons, the outlook is positive for companies who are looking at adding the Direct to Garment technology. There is still more than plenty of room for growth as companies find new ways of leveraging digital's strengths, and consumer demand for it's unique product offering increases.

Journalism Fail: Plain White Tee's

There is a t-shirt "story" being repeated across internet blogs and news sites these days that grabs attention with headlines like, "White t-shirts make men 12% sexier". Some articles are making the claim that a Nottingham Trent University Study revealed that women find a man wearing a plain white t-shirt more attractive. For instance, this newsfixnow.com article reports, "And now, a groundbreaking scientific discovery. Women think guys who wear white t-shirts are hotter than men who wear other colors of t-shirts. 12% hotter". While some men might find hope in the idea that a white t-shirt could help them appeal to more women than they usually do, the headline leaves one wondering "sexier than what?" It turns out that a little research into the study reveals that, in fact, the study did not determine anything about the sex appeal men can derive from a white t-shirt, but rather the effect the participants of the study reported when an optical illusion that is provided by a "T" design is added to a shirt.

From the Nottingham Trent University Article: "It involved showing 30 female participants images of different male body shapes, wearing a plain white t-shirt, and asking them to mark their perceived
attractiveness, health and intelligence.They were then asked to do the same when shown the bodies again but with upright and inverted T-illusions of varying shapes and sizes on the t-shirts. The results showed that upright T-illusions increased attractiveness and health by about 10%, while inverted T-illusions resulted in a drop of attractiveness by the same amount. The upright and inverted 'T' with wider horizontal bars showed a bigger average effect, both positive and negative. And the size of the effect depended on how close the individual body was to the ideal WCR - bodies closer to the optimal ratio received less benefit than those further away. Nottingham Trent University psychologist Dr Andrew Dunn said: "The wider barred 'T' seems to emphasise the upper chest when upright, which accentuates men's optimum shape. The opposite happens when inverted[sic]."

Credit: Nottingham Trent University

Clearly, the study determined nothing about how the color of the t-shirt a man wears affects a his attractiveness to women, that the plainness of a t-shirt leads to a positive female reaction, nor that the t-shirt itself is a particularly eye-catching style. Rather, the study used only white t-shirts so as to create a benchmark. No other color is compared. The study did show an increased attractiveness in males when a specific design, which tends to give the illusion of broader shoulders was added to the shirt. The study also concluded that a certain design could accentuate areas of the male body which would make it appear less attractive to women. The effects of the designs were most pronounced when worn by men who did not already possess the bodily proportions which are commonly most attractive to females (duh).

These facts do not prevent the common tripe from being lazily regurgitated onto blog pages. Let the worship of the plain white t-shirt begin: Jezebel.com

Kanye West is certainly benefiting from this non-trend, recently selling out of his "designer", plain white, $120.00 t-shirt. Of course, there's nothing wrong with a plain white t-shirt every once in a while. But given the actual findings of the study, there are going to be some disappointed men wishing they had their $120 back when they find out that they are not, in fact, experiencing a 12% (or even 10%) lift in female attention. Given a little time, a smart designer is going to catch on to the realities of the Nottingham Trent University study, and create designs on shirts that actually do make men appear more physically attractive to women than they do without the design.

Bunbury Music Festival Doing Customized Tees

Credit: bunbury.wearcast.com

Cincinnati, Ohio will play host to some of the biggest names in music this summer during the Bunbury Music Festival. Headliners will include FUN., MGMT, The National, and customized concert tees. Bunbury is breaking the mold and giving the people what they want, literally. Concert goers can log on to http://bunbury.wearcast.com, and select one of four t-shirt designs that they can then customize with the names of their favorite bands that will be at the show. What a cool way to meet other people who like the same music! With 80 plus bands playing, I wonder if there will be any two people with the exact same shirt.

Credit: bunburyfestival.com

Helpful How To: Fold a Shirt Origami Style (Includes Long Sleeve Demo)

For those who have not seen this before, it can seem pretty tricky at first. But once you have done it a few times, you will realize that folding a shirt origami style is actually quite easy, and time saving. Here is a video from Screeners Choice by Jerid Hill (now of BelQuette, Inc., a Direct-to-Garment printer manufacturer). Check it out!                         Video Credit: YouTube

The Right to Tee Speech

Credit: RollingStone.com

Say What You Mean

Recently, new DTG Awareness reader, Dustin Devos commented,

"Not only are consumers becoming design-savvy but they also are realizing that the Tee-Shirt is more than a fashion statement or a cheap piece of apparel. In this new age of social media and technological communication the founding right and principle of free speech is now in full swing when it comes to custom designed tees. Now you can convey a message without even speaking to a person and they know your serious because you are willing to wear it on your body. Yep, I'd say DTG aware is the tip of the ice burg!"

Dustin, I'd say you nailed it. In my previous post, "T-Shirts: 100 Years of Awesomeness" I made a similar point.

"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."

DTG differentiates itself from other forms of t-shirt printing in that it is easily customizable down to a single article of clothing, and it allows for high quality design and feel. The wearer is not relegated to the words and ideas of another thinker, nor inferior or amateur looking style.

The fact that a t-shirt can have an impact has been the topic of many news stories. The recent case of an eighth grader in West Virginia is a poignant example of this. ABC News reports, "The shirt included the logo of the National Rifle Association, an image of a rifle, and words 'protect your right.'” Police were called to the boys school when he refused to turn his shirt inside out.

The effect of wearing a t-shirt with an idea on it can be profound. In a sense, the wearer becomes the message. To reiterate Dustin's point, if you are willing to wear it, people get the sense that you can back it up too.

Making Use of a Billboard

Hollywoodlife.com picked up on what Taylor Swift was going for when she wore a t-shirt with a message at the most recent Billboard Music Awards.

"The star was cool and confident at the show, where she sent a very strong message to all of the haters who were trying to bring her down, sporting a shirt that sent a very powerful saying.... While her tee seemed so playful it was actually quite bold — it read, ‘Haters Gonna Hate.’ If Taylor’s haters were, in fact, hating the singer could care less!"

Being that Ms. Swift took home eight Billboard awards, the casual observer could note that whoever these "haters" are, they likely got her point. Of course, it's long been a hallmark of the famous that they speak their mind. Agree with them or not, you pay attention to them.

So, can DTG make you a rock star? Wrong question.
Are you a rock star? You can prove it by wearing what you believe. DTG makes that easy.

Credit: https://www.facebook.com/junkfoodclothing

Breaking news.... Taylor Swift is now dating her famous t-shirt. Sources say the songstress is scheduled to record the breakup song at the end of June.

"The Right to Tee Speech" is a trademark of the DTG Awareness blog and it's writer.

Digital Passion

Credit: Tumblr

Good advice from the blog of Lara Warmwinter, at Digital Art: 

  "If the T-shirt design related to your colors and photorealistic images, then digital printing should be your primary choice [sic]."

Digital direct to garment printing is the best way to get high quality images, and a high quality feel with gradients. Not to mention the fact that digital DTG is fast. People that have tried DTG are passionate about it. I remember when I was younger and I wanted to get a couple of custom t-shirts made. I had the ideas, but when I went to my friend who owned a t-shirt printing shop to ask about getting them done, I was disappointed. He told me that in order to be affordable on a per shirt basis, I would have to order a large quantity of shirts. The time he would have to invest in making screens, just to do four colors, would be cost prohibitive for only two or three shirts. That was 16 years ago. Today, I can walk in to many shops, and walk out that same day with a custom printed, high quality shirt with gradients, and thousands of colors. And, all for around $20. There are also many online custom DTG printing shops. I can design a shirt from the comfort of my living room, and have it sent to me. When people finally realize the awesome power they have with DTG, the clothing industry is going to be radically changed. Big name corporate clothing designers, meet the Indy artists of the world.