Wash and Wear or Not to Wash and Wear T-Shirts? – That is the Question
Do you need to wash your T-shirt before you wear it for the very first time? That is very much a debatable question. Ask a group of people and you will get some who say yes and others who say no and many who will say does it even matter. In reality, washing your new T-shirt before you wear it for the first time is a good idea for several reasons.
Often there is excess dye in T-shirts and other clothing items. By washing them before wearing them for the first time, you will remove the most of the extra dye and will not have the problem of the dye rubbing onto other clothes and your skin. Just be careful to wash the shirt by itself for the first wash, especially if it is a vivid or unusual color. If you want to set the color and make sure it does not run or lose its vividness, many people suggest adding a cup of vinegar to the water during the first wash.
Most T-shirts now come preshrunk, however there is still some room for additional shrinkage, which needs to be taken into account when you purchase a tee. Washing it before you wear it ensures that the T-shirt is at the right size you want it to be, since often we buy them a little large. This is particularly true if the T-shirt is 100% cotton. Another tip to keep in mind is in order to keep your T-shirt looking its best, reduce visible wear and protect anything that is printed on it, T-shirts should be turned inside out for washing and drying.
Another reason to wash T-shirts or any clothing before wearing it is because it has been manipulated in a variety of places from manufacturing to packaging to the retail store. It may have come into contact with all types of germs or unhygienic conditions. If you have allergies like one to dust mites, it is even more important to wash your T-shirts before wearing them. There may even be chemicals on the shirt that may cause sensitivities. Pay particular attention to washing clothes before wearing them if you tend to have skin conditions like eczema, any contact allergies and skin sensitivities.
Many people suggest that you should wash a T-shirt, or any item of clothes before you wear it simply because you don’t know who tried it on before you. (This may also be a good reason not to try on clothes at all before buying, but we all do that.) By buying custom-made T-shirts from a company that produces them just for you and sends them directly to your home, you don’t have to worry about that. They haven’t been hanging around in a store and no one has tried them on before you.
Get yourself a custom-made T-shirt today, made exactly how you want it to be. Just don’t forget to wash it before you wear it!
How Make a Vintage Looking T-Shirt at Home
There is a better way to create the ultimate vintage looking T-shirt, without paying outrageous prices for a cotton blend shirt that’s faded juuuuust right. With a little more time and a lot less money, you can achieve this look at home. Just follow these instructions:
Follow these steps to make your t-shirt look aged or vintage:
1. Soak your T-shirt in a solution of 8 cups water and 1 ½ cups of salt for around 3 days. To make the solution, bring the water to a boil and slowly stir in the salt. Remember to let the mixture cool off before adding your shirt, or the shirt may shrink.
2. After the 3 days are up, wring out your T-shirt and rub down both the inside and outside briefly with a super fine grit sandpaper. Go easy over any designs, silkscreening or iron-ons–the paper will take them right off.
3. Hang your shirt out to dry and fade in the sunshine.
4. Rinse the shirt quickly and wring it out in your sink.
5. Wash your shirt in the washer and dry in the dryer and you normally would.
A soft, perfectly aged T-shirt should emerge. If you have any other tips on how to create a vintage t-shirt we would love to hear them.
Do All Color T-Shirts Go With Blue Jeans?
Jeans and T-shirts seem to go together like so many other classics: hamburger and French fries, prom and dresses, bat and ball and cookies and cream. It just feels right and is a natural combination. The greatest thing about the jeans and T-shirt combination is that it requires no thought at all. They always go together and always match. There is no bad color combination of T-shirt and blue jeans. Whether the T-shirt in question is red, green, black, blue, orange, yellow, purple, white, gray, beige, pink or some other color, it matches blue jeans. Jeans and a tee make for easy dressing for the millions of us who love to wear our blue jeans every chance we get.
If you were to change the jeans color to anything other than blue or black, then you will have complicated the matching process. White jeans work well with almost any color T-shirt with the exception of white and off-white tones. Putting white and white together tends to give the look of wearing an all-white uniform typical to certain professions. When the jeans are any other color besides blue, black and white, you run into the regular color matching questions that you’d find in any wardrobe dilemma.
Depending on where you live and what you do, jeans and a T-shirt can be pretty much an everyday outfit. For many people they can even be worn to work. When outside of work, jeans and a tee make a perfect outfit for doing chores, running errands, socializing and more. It is even acceptable to wear jeans and a T-shirt in many restaurants, churches and other places where traditionally one has needed to dress up. Our world is becoming a much less formal place and a clean T-shirt and jeans can go almost anywhere.
In fact, the matching of blue jeans and a T-shirt is so versatile that it can be dressed up or down to match the occasion. By wearing sandals or sneakers with a regular T-shirt and blue jeans, you will give a casual and relaxed appearance. By dressing up your blue jeans with a nicer T-shirt, high heels, boots or nice shoes and a blazer or a wrap, you will have successfully transformed your look into something much more stylish. It will be appropriate for going out to dinner, to a club, or anywhere else that you want to present a more polished look.
You can get a custom-made T-shirt for yourself that talks of the versatility of the classic blue jeans and T-shirt combination. Some options to have printed on a tee are:
- Yes, blue jeans and a T-shirt do go with everything
- This is my dress-up T-shirt
- A match made in heaven – blue jeans and a T-shirt
- Blue jeans and a tee – my uniform for life
- I’m a blue jeans and T-shirt kind of guy/girl.
Get your custom-made T-shirt today in any color and proudly wear it with your blue jeans, knowing that you are perfectly matched and ready for just about anything.
Cool T-Shirts Say It All
A T-shirt is just more item of clothing in your closet, but it has the potential to be the coolest thing you own. That’s quite a feat, considering it’s probably the least expensive part of your outfit.
But what exactly makes a T-shirt “cool”?
Is it the wearer? James Dean and Marlon Brando certainly looked cool in their T-shirts and jeans in movies like “Rebel without a Cause” and “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Whereas people who appear, say, on the TV show “Cops” are quite the opposite of cool, even though they’re wearing the same shirt.
Is it the attitude? A T-shirt featuring the kids’ character Strawberry Shortcake might be the lamest thing on the block to Susie Q.’s big brother, but for Susie Q. And her friends–well, it’s just the coolest thing ever.
Is it the design? Mindy P. mumbled a half-hearted thanks to her high-school boyfriend when he presented her with a Whitesnake concert T-shirt in 1991–in honor of their first date. It didn’t move from the back of her closet for two decades. Now, when she does trot it out for ‘80s parties, she gets all the attention she can handle over her “cool” shirt.
Is it what it represents? T-shirts given to finishers of the Boston Marathon may seem cooler than those given out during the hometown 5K walk-a-thon. But for the walker that finished first–maybe not.
Ironic T-shirts are all the rage these days. As a matter of fact, they’re sort of the uniform of the iPod-holding, always-texting, slim-jeans-wearing person–also known as a “hipster.”
Hipster T-shirts are cool and usually carry slogans like:
* I Heart Mix Tapes
* Hugs Are Better Than Drugs
* Wisconsin: Come Sniff Our Dairy Air
What do you think makes for a cool t-shirt? What are your ideas for slogan t-shirts?
How It’s Done: Screen Printing T-Shirts
Silk screen printing is one of the most used and the oldest form of making t-shirts. There are stories and pictures dating back to the 900s about how its origins. It’s considered an art form in Asia and has evolved into America’s classic way to make t-shirts. The basic process of silk screening involves paint or ink being forced through a mesh screen with a stencil with a tool called a squeegee. Silk screening traditionally used screens made of woven silk stretched over a wooden frame. Now, the mesh screens are typically made of polyester. Because polyester fibers are so smooth, they have to be roughed up so the paint and ink will stick. Then, it’s stretched over a steel aluminum frame to prevent rusting. There are some artists that prefer using natural fibers for silk screening. The expense of silk makes it impractical for most. So, some use cotton to make the mesh screens.
Silk screening used to mean hand cutting a stencil and gluing it to a screen. This had to be repeated for every color involved in a design and for every change needed like a different name on different shirts. It was a time consuming process. Now, designs can be printed from a computer. A thermofax stencil is the popular choice for printers. The image is fed through a machine that burns away the image areas for the stencil. Then, it’s ready for ink and paint to pass through.
Inks and paints key to making your t-shirts look their best. It’s a real chemistry experiment for t-shirt makers to coordinate the right ink thickness and the right screen size. It all depends on the level of detail each design requires. If the ink is too thin, it will run and your image will not be clear and defined. If the ink is too thick, it will not easily press through the screen.
Squeegees are very important to the silk screening process. They are similar to the tool you use to clean your windshield at the gas station. Squeegees force the ink and paint through the stencils. Typically, they are made of rubber, plastic or polyurethane depending on what type of ink is used.
The advantage of using silk screening is you can do it on any color t-shirt and any fabric blend. You’ll want to wash your shirts gently for the design to last longer. It’s traditionally an easy and relatively inexpensive way to make large batches of professional looking matching t-shirts. That’s if you have the pros do it for you. There are silk screening kits made just for consumers to give it a try at home. You can find them at craft stores and online. Keep in mind that it’s time consuming to make the stencils and screens for every color you want to use. And, all the ink makes it a messy process. But, trying it on your own might be just the kind of project you and your family have in mind for a creative day.
If you are looking for an easier way to create a t-shirt you may want to consider designing a t-shirt using our tools and we can print it using our advanced direct-to-garment printing method.
Lose the Coat and Tie - T-Shirts Find a Home at Work
Forty years ago, a t-shirt at work was about as fish-out-of-water as you could get. Collared shirts, ties, skirts and sweaters were the office uniform and no deviation was allowed. While many offices still have dress-codes, more and more establishments are working to create a work environment focused on professionalism, trust and respect, and less on what you’re wearing.
This trend away from the antiquated notions of “correctness” has slowly integrated itself into the business world over the last few decades. With the rise of multi-million-dollar internet companies built from scratch out of dorm-rooms and lofts, the idea that success must be reflected in ones wardrobe has gone out the window. The dotcom boom produced millionaire college students and silicone valley–one of the wealthiest industries in recent years-is largely run by man-boys in jeans and tees. Now, years later, the results of the dress-down trend that began in the late 80’s can be seen all across America.
Silicone valley is the best example–Steve Jobs wore jeans and mock turtle neck to present the iPhone to the world–but every industry from janitors to high-finance has loosened up the reins on dress-code. Auto mechanics used to wear full jumpsuits emblazoned with their name and company–most now wear a t-shirt and jeans. You never used to see a stock broker without a jacket, but now, many companies feel that their workers are most productive when completely comfortable. If you find yourself working for one of the thousands of companies that welcomes casual dress, why not take the opportunity to thank your employers by making a statement with your clothing.
Personalized t-shirt are always a great way to express yourself. And creating a garment that you and your co-workers appreciate together can raise community moral and bring an office together. Maybe Deborah from accounting is a wiz at drawing; a tasteful–and flattering–caricature of your boss may be the perfect design for office-t-shirts.
Pre-made occupationally focused humor t-shirts can be found in stores and on the internet. A purple vintage inspired t-shirt that reads “Computers are fun and useful!” made a computer programmer in my family very happy. He wears it frequently to inspire jealously–solidarity–among his office mates. Keep an eye out for these types of shirts in stores that cater to the twenty-something crowd and be sure to check the internet for additional options.
Maybe your boss doesn’t believe in comfort in the office, or maybe you simply don’t have anything nice to say about your job–why keep those complaints to yourself! You may have a hilarious piece of occupational humor to share with the world but are uncomfortable sharing it with your office mates. No problem. Friends and family are sure to appreciate a good jab at your boss, or a favorite, perhaps unflattering, co-worker quote. Make yourself a shirt to wear at night, or on the weekends, just be sure not to bump into any office-mates while running errands!
Share Your Favorite TV Show on a Custom T-Shirt
Ok, let’s face it. We all have our favorite TV shows, even if it’s C-Span or the Weather Channel. Ours is a media-saturated culture, and nearly everyone has a TV at home and has at least one or two shows they watch every week, as loyal as a hound dog.
There are lots of popular shows out there, and chances are you like at least one of them. Why not wear a t-shirt that shows it? While you need to be careful about trademark infringement, owning a t-shirt that shares what show you think is the best is a great way to meet others who share the same opinions as you do.
Say you absolutely can’t miss Grey’s Anatomy. You can get a tee that’s got some of those great sayings from Meredith’s monologues. Try “Don’t look at me like that. You’ve seen me naked,” or “Somebody sedate me!” “This is a good day to save lives. Let’s have some fun” is another good one. Maybe you totally dig one of the hot docs on the show. Try a tee that says “I Heart McDreamy”, or “I Heart McSteamy”. These are all examples of t-shirts that won’t fail to find other fans to gossip about the show with.
If you or a friend are big High School Musical fans, you can get a tee that says “EHS”.
Lost fans can get all kinds of tees; try having one printed up in camouflage with the words “Find yourself” typed somewhere on the shirt. Put some of the more popular symbols of the show on your shirt or the Numbers across your chest.
No matter what TV show you adore, there’s a shirt out there for you. Whether you want to go retro and pick a show or character from the past, or want to stay in the present and let the world know what you watch each night on the toob, a great TV show t-shirt is the way to go.
An Example of Raising Awareness with T-Shirts - It Affects Me T-Shirts - Rape Awareness
A student group in Santa Barbara was formed to try an educate the UCSB student body and community on how to prevent and raise awareness of rape. To raise awareness the group started the “It Affects Me” t-shirt campaign. For a week, student body members are encouraged to show their support by wearing an “It Affects Me” T-shirt. Students can get an free organic and sweatshop-free t-shirt on campus. This t-shirt campaign coincides with Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April. For more information or to show your support visit studentsstoppingrape.org.
What to Wear to the Cinco ce Mayo Fiesta - A Custom T
Cinco de Mayo, also known as May 5th here in the States, is a day Mexicans celebrate their heritage. The day marks a victory more than 100 years ago by Mexican forces, led by General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguin over the French in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.
It’s interesting to note that while the U.S. celebrates Cinco de Mayo every year, the holiday is virtually ignored in Mexico. The regions in Mexico that do recognize the holiday usually do so with food, music, and dancing.
Here in the U.S., it’s a more elaborate affair. Along with food, music, and dancing, cities with a high percentage of Mexicans take the entire day to highlight their culture with historically significant lectures, cultural demonstrations and other events.
No doubt when you head out to one of the many Cinco de Mayo celebrations this May you’ll see revelers wearing many of the same, generic T-shirts. The best way for you to stand out from the crowd is to create your own custom T-shirt.
It’s simple to custom design your own shirt. Just add a Mexican icon, add text, and you’re set. You can create and wear a new one every year, or stick with a favorite shirt year in and year out.
Here are some icon suggestions for creating your own custom T-shirt for Cinco de Mayo:
* a sombrero
* a margarita
* chili peppers
* maracas
* the flag of Mexico
* the colors of the Mexican flag
* Tequila and/or a worm
* a mariachi band
* a chiuaua
* a pinata
* an acoustic guitar
Now that you have your icon, or your arrangement of icons selected, it’s time to add text to your custom T-shirt. Here are some suggestions:
* Hola!
* made in Mexico
* kiss me, I’m Mexican
* hombre
* chiquita
* I love Mexican boys
* I love Mexican girls
* Fiesta!
* Independence, freedom, pride, Cinco de Mayo
* I “heart” Cinco de Mayo
Once you’ve settled on what you want to put on the shirt, it’s time to select the shirt itself. You have a host of choices, from long and short sleeved for men, women and kids to “girlie” tees to sweatshirts.
Sizes range from XS to 6XL, depending on where you look. There are also hundreds of colors to choose from, but it’s best to keep it simple–you don’t want to drown out the design you spent so much time creating. A good, economical fabric choice is cotton, but just be aware that the shirt will shrink a bit after washing.
It’s a good idea to order you custom T-shirt a couple of months in advance. That way you’ll be sure to get it on time, and if the color, image or fit isn’t want you wanted, you still have time to fix it.
So for this year’s celebration, plan ahead, design and order a custom T-shirt. It’s personal, affordable, and will earn you plenty of attention.
Shop with a Conscience! No Sweat with Custom T-Shirts
Do you know where your clothes are coming from? You’ve seen the stories on the news about millions of toys being recalled because they are made in unsafe conditions overseas. Many of your clothes and t-shirts are being manufactured by men, women, and children working in deplorable conditions for little pay.
You can help stop this trend of sweatshop labor! Join the consumer movement to buy clothing made under fair labor conditions. Anti-sweatshop organizations are joining together to help keep you informed.
You can start helping by looking for t-shirt makers who use workers in the United States. Also, look for businesses who allow their workers around the world to organize into labor unions or worker-owned cooperatives. These groups are working towards safe and healthy working conditions, wages and benefits that can support their families’ basic needs, respectful treatment and the freedom to participate in workplace policy making.
You might pay a few bucks more for a shirt. But, many say it’s worth it. It’s a tough life for clothing workers in these poor countries. They work in uncomfortable conditions with no job security. Factories often close shop and move in search of lower labor costs and easier working regulations. Competition to sell cheap clothes to U.S. consumers means wages and working conditions around the world go down.
When it comes to making t-shirts, labor laws around the world are poorly enforced. The International Labor Organization (ILO) created standards but there are not nearly enough inspectors to examine facilities. Most workers do not even know where to go for help. Cheap labor is attractive to foreign investors and corporations. Often companies based in the west, cash in on the availability of workers used to working for low wages without benefits. Typically, these foreign plants are not up to the standards of those in the United States. That often means the buildings do not meet U.S. codes, workers do not have U.S. labor laws around age and work time to protect them and unionizing is almost unheard of.
Luckily we offer American Apparel’s “sweatshop free t-shirts.”