By Eva Reinoso Tejada :::
Did you know that nearly 80 percent of Americans feel attached to at least one of their old t-shirts? According to a study conducted by Synovate, Americans hold on to an average of 2.5 favorite t-shirts. Toping the list are those picked up on vacation, but also those from concerts, a business, a sports team or a run or walk are up high on the list.
If you own a business and want to be up there close to your customers, it is time to consider printing t-shirts for your business. But before you do that, please consider the following factors:
1. Not all t-shirts are made equal: There is a wide variety of products, but it all comes down to the fabric they are made of. The traditional 100% cotton is soft and comfy, but, due to the nature of the fiber, it naturally shrinks and fades (for darker colors), and it takes longer to dry, once wet (after washing, with sweat or rain). On the other hand, t-shirts made out of 100% polyester, usually called ‘performance’, dry very fast and hold the colors well, but some people (like me) think they feel funny and stick to your skin. Then comes the magic balance, the 50/50 blend, which includes the best of both worlds: Feels like cotton, but it doesn't fade or shrink, and it dries relatively quickly. Nowadays there are many more options in blends and fashion tees that can be made all the way from bamboo fibers to recycled plastic bottles.
2. Not all t-shirts are designed the same way: Back in the day, all t-shirts were ‘unisex’, just because there were only t-shirts designed for men. That has changed a lot! There are many t-shirts now designed for women’s bodies, where the sleeves are shorter, narrower, and the cut is curvier and more flattering. Always know if you are buying men’s or women's t-shirts as the sizes run very different. I might wear a size Large in ladies’ but a size Medium in men sizes.
3. What you print affects the final price of the t-shirt: Some logos or print ideas might include multiple locations and colors per location. Keep in mind that you are asking your printer for more work, and the cost will be higher. When I quote a t-shirt with many colors and prints, and the customer is surprised with the price, I always like to offer alternatives for a money-saving version. These are: simplify your logo, by using a one-color version. Remember that printing a larger quantity will always cost less, and printing too few pieces will make the project very expensive, as setting up a job for printing can be time consuming and costly.
4. Design something that people would want to wear. We know the goal is to promote your business, but sometimes, a more discrete logo and a more fun idea will make the t-shirt more desirable and will make people wear it more, which is what you want in the end. Printing t-shirts with a tone-on-tone logo, where the print is a color slightly darker or lighter than the color of the shirt, will make for a very attractive, fashionable design.
5. What sizes should you buy? If you are buying t-shirts for your team, that is easy, as you can just ask what sizes they wear. But if you are trying to buy t-shirts to give away, first find out who is your audience: Children? Women? Everyone? If you don’t have a specific audience, keep in mind that demand for t-shirts usually follows the pattern 1-2-2-1, referring to the sizes S-M-L-XL. You can always buy a few bigger ones, but this formula usually works very well.
It is time to do some thinking and decide if you are ready to use the mighty power of t-shirts to promote your business. Remember that we always create a digital proof where you can see what your project will look like, and you can refine your ideas before the ink hits the fabric. If you need help with ideas or just have a lot of questions, you can call Image Impressions at 303-308-9444 and we will be glad to help you. Happy promoting!