Direct to Garment printing – what you need to know (more…)

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!

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

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