Direct to Garment printing – what you need to know (more…)
Alongside promotional and corporate clothing, we also print garments for established and up ‘n’ coming clothing labels. Much of this artwork is fashion lead graphics or hand drawn illustrations. Bold, one or two colour designs print really well and can make very desirable items of clothing.
At Icon Printing, we are really passionate about what we do and we’re always on the look out for inspirational printed clothing to post up on our blog. So, check out these bad boys. Syndicate Original is a clothing label from Ukraine, who are inspired by “American heritage and also by the simplicity and minimalism of Scandinavian aesthetics.” Their focus is combining the aesthetics of classic menswear and enhancing cuts and concepts with up-to-date elements. They often collaborate with well-known artists, illustrators and designers which allows them to treat street style in such a unique and fresh way.
If you’ve got a favourite clothing line you think we should shout about, get in touch! We’d love to hear from you. Check out this link for t-shirt printing london information.
email: sales@iconprinting.com
phone: 0207 183 8431
We often get asked which t-shirt gives the best print results. If we were to recommend just one from the vast range we stock, we’d go for the GILDAN Softstyle Adult Ringspun T-Shirt (GD001).
Here’s why…
PRICE – It’s the cheapest t-shirt we stock. They’re so reasonable and great value for money, price per unit starts at just £1.91
QUALITY – We stock another Gildan – the Heavy Cotton Adult T-shirt (GD005), that comes in at the same price as our recommended Softstyle Gildan, but the quality is noticeably different. The Heavy Cotton Gildan isn’t as soft, has a baggier fit and isn’t finished as nicely – the hem stitching is really basic.
PRINTABILITY – This Softstyle Gildan is 100% cotton, so any of the print techniques we offer will take to it really well. It washes and wears well too. This style comes in so many different colours, the brand Gildan are great for that.
WEARABILITY – It’s very soft and comfortable to wear. It is a perfect length and the sleeves don’t gape too much.
N.B. If we were to recommend a t-shirt that produces even better print results (this one does come with a slightly higher pricier tag), we would go for anything by Earth Positive. These t-shirts give outstanding print results, as the weave is nice and tight. So, if you’re feeling flush – these are definitely the ones to go for!
The reason we stock so many T-shirts, is because we want to be able to offer something for every budget. And if you still can’t find exactly what you’re looking for, we can help you find it. Choosing a T-shirt depends on your intended spend per unit and what you’re actually going to use your printed T-shirt for. It could be a promotional give away, fashion resale or for uniform, etc. We reckon our recommended Gildan would fit the bill for all of these requirements, it really is a great tee.
If you would like any more information on the types of custom t-shirt printing we offer, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!
An eye on this unique label (more…)
We’ve been meaning to do a blog post on this brand for a little while now. Not only because they’re a fan of Gotham typeface as much as we are (our new logo is Gotham…keep your eyes peeled, it’s coming soon – along with our new website!), but we’ve recently noticed just how successful they’ve become in their unique market. They’ve perfected the blend of chilled, surf lifestyle combined with the sophistication of a big city. We can’t fault their brand identity, we’d happily sport a plain white tee with their black Saturdays logo across it. It’s wonderfully simple but equally as eye catching.
You’ll be surprised to know that they actually are a surf shop in NYC, it’s not just a fancy name. You may have also seen their logo sitting upon paper coffee cups – don’t worry that’s not some kind of mistake either, just another string to their bow.
In late ’09, downtown Manhattan became the site for Saturdays Surf. The store, which caters to New York’s surfers and coffee drinkers alike, is a small boutique focused on clean, stylish apparel, classic hardgoods, and a sampling of finer accessories and footwear. In little over a year the store has become an icon of sorts, and its private label is becoming a brand in its own right.
Out the back our their store is a fully planted yard that acts as a wood-decked sanctuary from the streets. It is a place to enjoy their coffee, hang out with friends or have a quiet meeting. Sounds ideal!
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For any info on creating your own branded merch or custom tshirt printing, feel free to get in touch…
email: sales@iconprinting.com
phone: 0207 183 8431
1. Gather Inspiration, Brainstorm and Create a Brand Identity.
One of the first steps to go thorough when starting a business selling t-shirts, hats, tote bags, or any other item, is deciding what you’re going to be printing on these garments. Don’t rush into it, take some time gathering inspiration from all over. In order to try and evaluate the chance of success of your new apparel line, look around to see if other people are already successful with similar products.
Look at existing branding and clothing labels, follow blogs, read magazines and collate as much imagery as you possibly can. This will not only help to inspire you, but it’s an important process as it helps you to find out what’s all ready out there. It’s also vital to define your target customer. Remember that you can not be all things to all people. Take a look at what’s popular, and what is selling, and decide where you fit in. Keep in mind that a logo, design style and even brand name that would appeal to fashion conscious teens probably won’t fare so well with suburban Mums.
Interview members of your market in order to help develop ideas about pricing, marketing and design styles. Take advantage of social networks to conduct polls among members of your target group as well.
2. Brand & Design Development.
Develop a range or graphic T-shirt designs, logos and a brand name using your market research. Every aspect of your brand should reflect the values and tastes of your target market. Don’t try to appeal to everyone, or you may end up appealing to no one. Create multiple graphic representations of potential logos, brand names and T-shirt designs. Test your designs with members of your target audience to help assist in narrowing your choices down.
Take the time to learn about the various print processes. We’ve posted various blog entries on the different print methods and how to prepare your files – the four print processes (screen printing, direct to garment printing, embroidery and transfer printing) we offer are very popular ways of transferring designs onto clothing, but by no means your only options. Study variations of your chosen garment carefully. We’re able to send you samples, so if you’re thinking about creating your own t-shirt line, compare the cut, detailing and fabric composition of your t-shirt options.
3. Know Your Costings.
Having done your research into garments and price per “plain” item, pair these figures with your chosen print process per print cost. Ideally you want to make a profit not just break even. Does your chosen retail price fit in with your target market? This comes back to knowing your audience and understanding their budget.
Think about the kind of designs you’re selling when setting prices. For example, limited edition runs of certain T-shirt designs may do better at a higher price because increased price often implies rarity or special quality to buyers.
4. Have a Marketing Plan.
After you have defined your customer, figured out how much you can charge them for your products, you need a marketing plan that will get your name out there. Take advantage of all the various free marketing/social networking sites that are available (Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pintrest, Youtube, etc.) – raising awareness of your brand has never been easier. Also, carefully distributing free samples of your T-shirts or sweaters to influential members of your target market can create a word-of-mouth buzz and viral marketing possibilities at minimal cost to you.
Remember, just because your have a great product does not mean people will automatically know about it. And the more buzz you generate for your product, the more likely stores will sell it. That means in order to get sales, you’ve got to let people know how to find you. And once they find you, you have to make them want to buy. The web has the ability to level the marketing playing field in many aspects. A new start-up t-shirt line has the same ability to show up in an online search right next to the biggest name brands.
5. Choosing Where to Sell.
This really depends on what works best for your target market. Some labels choose exclusively to sell online, or in stores – some sell across both. The people shopping on Etsy (an international handmade and vintage e-commerce site) might not be shopping on Bigcartel (self run e-commerce site) and vice versa. Initially people will buy your garments because they like the way they look/the designs and so forth not for their brand name. Be aware of aesthetics and how you’re visually representing your brand/line – use really strong photography if web selling or focus on your visual merchandising if shop selling. Think about the finer details too – be sure your swing tags and packaging reflects your brand and are of the same high standard.
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We hope you have found this post helpful. Please feel free to get in touch with any questions or check out our website for an instant quote. Icon Printing are specialists in creative customised clothing and bespoke t-shirt printing.
We also have a post here on Frequently Asked Questions.
email: sales@iconprinting.com
phone: 0207 183 8431
American label Make Believe Clothing have some awesome screen printed items for sale on their website. Their “thang” is classically inspired designs with a modern twist. Up on the Make Believe blog they have photo documented festivals they have attended – for which they’ve created a line of specifically “made for” tees and totes.
Their prints are inspired by the aesthetic appeal of the 1950s simplicity, composing designs that are both timeless and appealing to all generations. They’re into one colour prints – two at most, keeping things clean and unfussy. Some of their designs are pre-distressed at the artwork stage, which adds to the retro feel.
If you have an event coming up, and need some printed merch – get in touch! We’re good with short notice and quick turnarounds too…
email: sales@iconprinting.com
phone: 0207 183 8431
One of our most popular brands we stock at Icon Printing, is the well known clothing manufacturer – American Apparel. This LA based label excels in producing fantastic basic pieces that are great fitting and of excellent quality – resulting in ideal clothing for printing. Due to their garments pure cotton or cotton/poly content, we find they last the best both in terms of printing and wear.
Now for a little background information – as how they go about things is pretty interesting. They are a vertically integrated company – which means not only are they a clothing manufacturer, wholesaler, and retailer, but they also perform their own design, advertising, and (award-winning) marketing. They provide more than 10,000 jobs worldwide and produce one million garments each week at their sweat-shop free factory in Downtown Los Angeles.
Their site is well worth a look around, as throughout, there is a wonderful sense of personality and alternative thinking. Below is a screen shot of one of the best sections of their website…where they urge you to ‘Explore Our Factory’.
By hovering your cursor over the black and white image of their massive factory building, various departments appear highlighted – each one presenting it’s own related short video clip. Here’s where it gets cool, the video snippets are not exactly what you think they’re going to be. For example, their “Shoemakers” section video clip is on their “favourite pairs” – but not favourite pairs of shoes, but people within the company. You then get to meet couples who have met since working at American Apparel, also best friends and twin sisters…it’s really rather nice. And creative department video is brought to you by the studio dog, obviously much more insightful than a human being…and way more fun!
Check out our catalogue to see what American Apparel products we carry, or just get in touch with any t-shirt printing London inquiries…
sales@iconprinting.com or on 0207 183 8431
This caught our eye recently at Icon Printing, as we actually print onto sportswear too, if you didn’t know? So this little gem didn’t go a miss.
Inspired by the sports brand PUMA’s – “Make Football Anywhere” DIY campaign, London design studio GBH wanted to capture the “raw, passionate enthusiasm” of grass-roots football. Tape plays a pivotal role in amateur footy, from securing the nets to holding shin pads in place, so it seems appropriate that GBH has created PUMA’s new typeface out of gaffer tape.
“The start point was to order 150 rolls of tape and begin experimenting with folding, ripping and sticking it into shapes, to form a full Roman alphabet and the all-important kit numerals,” GBH’s Jason Gregory.
See the full article here.