The t-shirt industry is like a secret society with lack of customer knowledge on there end and goes deap
The more I read hear the more I realize how complex screen printing is and how little people know about the t-shirt industry and screen printing. The ignorance is that they figure a shirt is $2 and holds the same for a simple text or logo design or a complex graphical design with lots of color or expensive process. I know I was one of these people before I started screen printing as a study hobby a few months ago and am really starting to understand this as I read the posts on this forum and on the web and watch youtube videos on colors and process. I am slowly learning different processes but would really like to find a good read on all the different processes. Now there are people out there that have more knowledge about it and appreciate good shirts and artwork , I look at it more as artwork and a artform right now than popping out t's. I have met quite a few people like this and they seemed to take t-shirt art serious.
As for knowledge one of the first places I checked on the web was wikipedia and they have a screen printing entry that is not to bad
While traditionally people have used silk screening for placing designs carefully on t-shirts, recently new methods have been adopted such as digital printing on shirts using common consumer-quality inkjet printers. Silk screening, however, has remained an attractive source of high quality prints on
Be nice if we can get some of the boys over there and edgucate some people on t-shirt sceen printing or have a linked entry on it that will really give a reader some insight into the industry and identify it as an art form and art. Be nice to list the different process and the differences in costs associated with more colors process and complexity of design.
This ignorance holds real true as an example I told my dad that I wanted to open a online linux swag shop and sell t-shirts and stuff and his two responces what are you going to sell pens and the other is you can not make money making t-shirts zellers sells them for $10 (zellers is like a small Canadian Wallmart) my answer to that is ya no one buys them lol.
The knowledge is there under the serface but you have to dig for it so a lot of people remain ignorent to how complex and rewarding the t-shirt industry can be.
I am also was amazed that I have seen a few shops in the area I live in with high end shirts with good graphic artwork selling t-shirts in the high $40 to $60 range and the stores seem to be doing rather well compared to cheaper stores , seems people are still willing to pay to look in fashion. I would like to see more of these people that know and appreciate a good t. I have changed my perspective and really look over a good t-shirt when I see it and appreciate what whent into it and understand why a good shirt costs more than a pop out.
Re: The t-shirt industry is like a secret society with lack of customer knowledge on there end and goes deap
On the extreme end of things, I walked into a Forum shop(Ceasar's Palace, Vegas) and saw some Ed Hardy slim fits selling for between 300 to 600 dollars a shirt. I laughed out loud but secretly wished I had that kind of gig...
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Re: The t-shirt industry is like a secret society with lack of customer knowledge on there end and goes deap
Quote:
Originally Posted by JHanching
On the extreme end of things, I walked into a Forum shop(Ceasar's Palace, Vegas) and saw some Ed Hardy slim fits selling for between 300 to 600 dollars a shirt. I laughed out loud but secretly wished I had that kind of gig...
I wish I earned the same money as the Ed Hardy crap. But could keep some integrity in the indie fashion world. I think the only people who have managed to really do that are Johnny Cupcake, Kid Robot and maybe a couple others.
Re: The t-shirt industry is like a secret society with lack of customer knowledge on there end and goes deap
I saw a Tsubi shirt on Ebay. It was a one colour, with a just a massive splat design. It also had a little zipper. Bidding was over $150 when I last looked.rrr
Re: The t-shirt industry is like a secret society with lack of customer knowledge on there end and goes deap
In general people are not educated on how much goes into printing a shirt especially complex graphics, but at the same time why should they be. When I have customers expecting a lot of work for cheap I try to explain to them what is involved, if that doesn't work a few times I have invited people to come do it themselves after about 5 mins most understand.
Re: The t-shirt industry is like a secret society with lack of customer knowledge on there end and goes deap
What I see as a huge obstacle to overcome as a small label, while acknowledging that all decorated garments must have style and be artistic, is the buying public’s attraction to perceived image, prestige and status over true quality, craftsmanship and value.
Re: The t-shirt industry is like a secret society with lack of customer knowledge on there end and goes deap
Honestly, if your only out to make money in the screen printing business you can churn out low quality prints all day at a low margin and, as long as you have the mindset that your not a high end printer, and the price only oriented client base to support it, you'll do well. If you want to look at screen printing as an art form and cater to this type of clientele then you need to equally understand the costs involved, the processes in creating high quality prints and the needs of the clientele that will support your business. The former is probably easier, but the latter seems more rewarding in the end.
This is a discussion about The t-shirt industry is like a secret society with lack of customer knowledge on there end and goes deap that was posted in the Screen Printing section of the forums.
The t-shirt industry is like a secret society with lack of customer knowledge on there end and goes deap 
