Two members of Icon Printing were away recently…and we couldn’t possibly go on holiday without printing a holiday themed t-shirt could we!? Team Icon’s Alice and Chloe went to Croatia for Love System Festival, armed with two other BFFs and a few themed printed t-shirts…

Right, first of all we just want to say that Love System Festival didn’t have anything to do with these t-shirts coming about, they were created by us, well…just for the heck of it really! I think it was mainly down to the pure excitement of the anticipated sunshine, frivolities and festival fun. Alex (Icon Printing boss man) very kindly said he’d put through a few t-shirts for our time away, so Chloe (that’s me…hi!) put together this little design and we got it direct to garment printed onto some lovely Continental tank tops and cropped t-shirts.

I quickly put together something that had a nice beachy, retro feel to it…with a sort of 90s vibe. I’m not quite sure why I decided on this, I think I felt it was quite fitting for the beach side festival we were about to attend. I knew I wanted my design printed onto white t-shirts and that I wanted to test the abilities of one of our most favoured print processes – Direct To Garment printing. My design started life as a bunch of scratchy letters, (see image below) and I was interested to see just how DTG printing would handle this detailed part of my design. And I have to say, I was seriously impressed with the outcome – but why wouldn’t I be!? This print technique really is pretty great. And will only keep on getting more great, as technology progresses.

Now, unlike the picture postcard at the top suggests, we didn’t actually all rock up to the festival matching, this would have been a bit too much. However, my sister Nicole did turn up wearing her Continental Cropped T-shirt version and got spotted by the festival organizer, Danny – and he loved it! His face was a picture when he did a double take and realised it actually said Love System Croatia all over it and was specifically for the festival. Danny had probably spent a few sleepless nights and a bunch of crazy days putting this festival together (especially as it was the very first one!) and I guess he was probably pretty chuffed to see a t-shirt promoting his Love System “baby”.

Overall, it was a brilliant four days of festival madness. The people really made it what it was, and no one cared one bit that it rained a little and that things were a teany weany bit disorganised. There was a floating stage over the bluest sea we’d ever seen, the boat parties were outstanding fun and I’m pretty sure everyone came away smiling and with 50+ new friends. What’s not to love about that, eh? Roll on next year I say!

Icon Printing are a custom clothing company based in Shoreditch. For more an instant quote, please visit our website. Call on: 0207 183 8431

We recently had the pleasure of direct to garment printing these stunning t-shirts for a collaboration between independent boutique Other Shop and Illustrator, Gary Card. Now, if your not familiar with either of these names, you need to head over to their respective sites pronto!

Other Shop and Gary Card came together to create a collection of super collectable, limited edition t-shirts. The illustrations were hand drawn by Gary and were based on characters from the Richard Avedon book, ‘In the American West’. There were only three of each size in each style ever made.

These illustrations by Gary, are truly mesmerising. We can’t quite put our finger on why this is – maybe it’s the neon etched style of each portrait which is complimented perfectly by the black fabric. Each face tells a different story, the depth of colour and detail really is impressive.

One very popular item we often find ourselves customising, is the trusty tote bag. We are based in Shoreditch, east London – and in this area you can’t walk two minutes down the road without seeing one dash past you. Londoners love them. That’s why they make such great promotional items, merch and give-aways. For high volume orders, getting your tote bags screen printed would be your best bet and they will last super well. For more of a promotional ‘hand out’ bag, totes that are digitally Direct to Garment printed are a fantastic option.

Here’s an example of a DTG printed canvas tote…

We printed these natural canvas tote bags the other week for the Courtauld Institute Of Art, they were designed by Bullet Creative. These were digitally Direct to Garment printed and as you can see, this particular print technique has handled reproducing this “painting style” image really well. Even though canvas tote bags often do have a slight texture to them, DTG printing can still adhere to this particular surface very nicely, with the full colour artwork not suffering at all.

If you have any questions about any of our printing techniques, drop us a line at: sales@iconprinting.com or give us a ring on 0207 183 8431. For more info on Digital Direct to Garment printing on t-shirts and tote bags take a look at our website.

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!

We recently printed some super cool t-shirts for the guys at Icon Industries. Their style is a perfect mix of graphic art with a street and urban influence. We wanted to find out more about the label and what they’re into…

Your style is a fusion of paint, illustration and graffiti. Do you do your own graffiti?
It’s a mix of stencil, photograph, marker pen and computer illustrations. Graffiti – well it depends who is asking. The law – no. An art appreciator – hell yeah, we stencil when ever we can. We like art that tells a story – whether it’s controversial, funny or shocking.

What artists/designers inspire you and why?
We’re really into the Bristol art scene – Inkie and the guys at Upfest. However, we also get inspiration from the likes of Paul Smith and other high-end British designers. We do a lot of traveling, so we’re always taking a lot of photos too.

Why did you choose to create your own T-shirt line?
We’d come up with some great graphics and really wanted to share them with people. Our mission statement: Icon Industries aim is to make affordable art accessible to all.

Where do you sell your printed tees?
We are new to the market – but currently selling them on ebay, on our own site www.icon-industries.co.uk and a few select stores in London.

What’s your favourite website or blog at the moment?
thefancy.com – love that site. A great mix of products and an amazing way to share inspiration, it really gets the creative juices flowing.

What advice would you give to someone who was thinking about coming up with their own collection of statement T-shirts?
Start small, start simple and build from there. Get a good website!

Check them out!

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Youtube

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Feel free to get in touch about tshirt printing london, come chat to us at: sales@iconprinting.com or on 0207 183 8431.

1. How long will my order take?

Our standard turnaround time is 7 working days (including production and delivery). We also offer an express service – which is 3 working days. For express turnaround we charge a markup of 20% of your order total. If you need your items sooner, please contact us so we can check your quote and artwork details; additional charges may apply. Once your order has dispatched we’ll email you a dispatch notification.

2. Do you offer an artwork service?

If you need your artwork converting into a print ready format we can help with this. Just upload the files you have so we can check them over. Most of the time converting artwork formats is free of charge however if it’s a complex design, there is an artwork charge which is usually £14.95 per hour.

3. Do I receive a visual proof before my job goes to print?

Yes, once your order is confirmed we’ll email you a visual proof PDF for you to approve before we start production. This allows you to see exactly what you have ordered and check the artwork dimensions, colours, layout and text. We won’t go ahead with production until you have signed the proof off. We’ll also send you an email confirmation with the full order details.

4. How much do you charge for delivery?

Standard delivery (9am to 6pm on weekdays) are free to mainland UK address.

We can deliver on a Saturday and additional charges apply:
Saturday pre 10am @ £40.50 per box and Saturday pre noon @ £30.50 per box.

5. Can I collect my order from your London office?

Sorry, it’s not possible to collect your items from our London office as the production takes place at one of our specialist print houses outside London. We always deliver the printed or embroidered items to your door via courier companies on a next day delivery. We use DPD or APC couriers who deliver next day, we’ll send you a dispatch notification when your items have been sent so you can track your order.

6. What artwork formats do you accept?

Before we start printing or embroidery, we always need your artwork in a print ready format. Depending on which customisation method we use we need the artwork in one of the following formats:

Vector Format for screen printing, embroidery or transfer printing:

– Adobe Illustrator, EPS or PDF files

– All fonts and strokes should be created to outlines

High res PNG files for DTG printing:

– PNG files saved with a transparent background

– Must be saved to at least 150 dpi and at least 100% of intended print size

If you’re not sure or unable how to supply any of these artwork files, please just upload whatever you have and we can recommend any changes if necessary.

7. Do you have a minimum order?

We have no minimum order for DTG or Transfer Printing. We have a minimum order of 20 items for Screen Printing and 6 items for Embroidery due to the set up, screen or digitisation costs involved. If you are supplying your own garments, we have a minimum order of 10 items.

8. Can you print over seams or zips?

No, we’re not able to.

9. If screen printing, can I change the colour of the print on some t-shirts?

Yes, as long as the design remains the same we can change the print colour. There is an additional colour change fee of £15.00 + VAT.

10. Do you deliver outside of the UK?

Yes we can deliver to mainland Europe but delivery costs will be higher and turnaround times can be longer. Please contact us if you wish to get your items sent to an address outside of the UK and we can provide full details for the cost and delivery timescales.

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any other queries you may have…need express t-shirt printing? We can help!

email: sales@iconprinting.com
phone: 0207 183 8431

Muse of Fire – Film Trailer

We’ve recently had the pleasure of printing a run of tees for these two funny fellows, who are on a mission to change the world’s perception of Shakespeare.

“This unique feature documentary follows two actors, Giles Terera and Dan Poole, as they travel the world to find out everything they can about tackling the greatest writer of them all. Together they have directed and produced an inspiring film that aims to demystify and illuminate Shakespeare’s work for everyone: from actors, directors and students of all disciplines, right through to the man on the street.

Denmark with Jude Law, Baz Luhrmann in Hollywood, a prison in Ireland, and on set with Al Pacino’s King Lear. Think Shakespeare is boring? Think again!

Featuring: Dame Judi Dench, Ewan McGregor, Sir Ian McKellen, Jude Law, Sir Derek Jacobi, Dame Helen Mirren, Fiona Shaw, Alan Rickman, Baz Luhrmann, Zoe Wanamaker, and many more.”

More info here – shakespearefilm.com

These t-shirts were DTG (direct to garment) printed on one of our most popular unisex tees by Gildan. This brand of crew neck t-shirt is always a fantastic choice due to the quality craftsmanship – making them super durable. They’re 100% cotton, which is an ideal surface for all print methods.

If you’d like more information on direct to garment printing garments for events and functions, please get in touch.

email: sales@iconprinting.com
phone: 0207 183 8431

Last year, bimonthly visual culture and design magazine Print, invited 12 leading visual artists to choose a cause they would like to support and create a design for tote bags that would then be sold on MyDesignShop.com. One hundred percent of the profits from these bags went to the causes chosen by the artists.

The artists included in this project were:
Spin for Bone Cancer Research UK
Laurent Fetis for The World Wildlife Fund
James Joyce for Save the Children
Geoff McFetridge for Gabriella Charter School
Atélier Telescopique for Fondation de France
Sawdust for the British Heart Foundation

One design we found resonated with us in particular was created by Atélier Telescopique for Fondation de France. This organisation helps individuals and companies who wish to be involved in philanthropy by enabling them to create their own foundations under its aegis. They set up action programs in many areas – including education, medical and scientific research, culture, and the environment.

The tote bag design concept –

“This design is directly inspired by the tote-bag material. We called this model ‘Wild Canvas,’ and we chose to use an embroidery technique to print the pattern on the canvas. We do not really know why, but the tiger is certainly one of the most re-produced patterns on embroidered canvas! This tiger is a symbol for the environment and ecology.”

It’s nice see a concept for an embroidery based tote, as opposed to a typical screen print. Both these processes are just as impactful, but embroidery often denotes a slightly more professional, corporate feel.

If you’d like information on any of the print processes we offer or have any questions about custom tshirt printing, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
email: sales@iconprinting.com
phone: 0207 183 8431

twitter: iconprinting

This is a quick tutorial on how to save your artwork ready for DTG (direct to garment) printing.

Here are a few pointers to remember:

When creating a .PNG file to be DTG printed, make sure your artworks colour mode is set to RGB – otherwise it will not save as a .PNG file.

The best file type to create a print from is either an Illustrator .ai or .eps file (a vector file) or a high resolution .jpg file – that is at least 300 dpi and saved at 100% of the intended print size.
For more information on DTG printing in general, take a look here.
So, this is how you save a 300 dpi image in Photoshop as a transparent PNG for DTG printing.

To make things a little easier, we’ve made you a lovely PNG template – click here to download and follow the instructions.

Now create your artwork. If you’re using a logo you’ve made, a photo you’ve taken or even an illustration you’ve created, make sure it’s not sitting on a white background (unless you want it to), as this will print. For example…

Once you’ve created your artwork, it’s time to save it. You can maintain the transparency on the file, as we’re able to print full alpha, but remember any transparent areas will show the colour of whatever shirt you chose to print onto.

Having used our downloadable template, your file will already come up as a .png so just rename it and hit save. Don’t worry about the layers warning that may come up, your file will still save fine. A small PNG options window will then pop up, just tick the NONE option and you’re done.

Any questions on direct to garment printing? Give us a ring!

0207 183 8431