Are Iron-On T-Shirt Transfers Trying to Make a Comeback in Fashion?

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Apparently iron-on t-shirt transfers are not just a thing of the past. There is a growing demand for old school iron-on t-shirt transfers. While I have no idea why, people would want the old Mork and Mindy iron-on t-shirt transfer peeling off at the corner or a My Little Pony picture-T crinkled and cracking from the dryer but they do.

In years past, countless youngsters have come home with an iron-on decals or stickers and begged their mothers to help them transfer the image to one of their t-shirts. Such t-shirt transfers were readily available and could be purchased in a variety of locations.

The iron-on t-shirt transfers gave people the opportunity to customize their t-shirts with characters and logos. One advantage to these iron-on t-shirt transfers was they were fairly easy to apply and were often much less expensive than purchasing a t-shirt with the design already in place on the t-shirt. However, although simple, the application process was not completely foolproof. There were many possible mistakes to be made, and there was a significant possibility that the t-shirt would end up ruined by the peeling, wrinkling or poor placement of the transfer.

I have been wondering recently if people want t-shirt transfers because they are just unaware how far we have come in Direct-to-garment printing technology. It used to be that T-shirt transfers were the only way to create your own t-shirt but now you can use a variety of tools to design your own shirt. If it is the peeling, wrinkling and misplacement of your graphic then you might want to stick with the iron-on transfers but if its just the ability to create your own custom t-shirt there are much easier ways and we can help.

Equestrians Are Born to Ride! (and wear t-shirts)

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I’ve never been very good on a horse. I love them, don’t get me wrong. “Pony” was definitely on my Christmas list for several years when I was growing up. A “townie”, I didn’t have many opportunities to go horseback riding, although a few friends had horses.

I can remember one such visit where I got to ride my friend’s sweet pony. She saddled him for me, and, mounting up on her daddy’s horse, we headed off into the woods. Sometime later, the horse started to canter. My pony wanted to keep up, so he started off. That’s when we discovered that my friend hadn’t tightened the saddle quite enough; suddenly I was riding sideways; parallel to the dirt road racing by way too close to my face. Somehow, I managed NOT to fall off, and we adjusted the saddle and rode on. Soon, we stopped at a nearby pond to water the horses, only to discover that 10 year olds with weak hands should NOT be relied upon to adequately tighten saddles. Let’s just say that I slid right down that pony’s neck into the water.

While I can’t really recall any close encounters with a horse going terribly well, I do still have a fondness for the beasts, and greatly admire anyone who can successfully ride. For those of us who choose not to indulge in this extremely popular pastime, we can still be involved in the lifestyle. Whether by attending horse shows, rodeos, exhibitions, or just helping out at a friend’s stable, we can share our love.

There’s another way we can share our feelings, and that’s by wearing equestrian tees! You can get any number of designs printed on your t-shirt; from art to comedy, there’s something out there for everyone.

Perhaps you most admire the beauty of a horse’s physique. Who would blame you? They’re muscular, powerful, beautiful and serene. A healthy horse is indeed a work of art in and of himself. Why not have a beautiful portrait of a horse on your tee? It shows everyone how much you love these graceful animals and is also a good conversation starter, say at a company picnic or your spouse’s family reunion.

Maybe you’re more into to funny side of life. There are any number of amusing sayings, cartoons and so on that you can have put on your shirt to proclaim to the world your passion for all things equestrian.

If attending horse events such as rodeos or shows is more your style, you can go with event tees; these babies have the event time, date, location, etc.¦ printed right on them, usually with the slogan of the event. “Rodeo 2008” and “Lafayette Invitational Ride” are some examples. Maybe you follow certain barrel-racing stars, wear a tee with your favorite rider or favorite horse on it and you’ll be sure to let everyone know what matters most to you.

If you belong to an equestrian club that participates in community functions such as parades, ordering some custom-designed equestrian tees for your group is an easy and inexpensive way to identify yourselves. You can go as simple or as elaborate as you wish–the only limit is your own imagination.

Raise Awareness of Autism with an Autism Support T-Shirt

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Designing your own t-shirt is a fun and creative way to express yourself. The whole process—from coming up with the ideas, to ordering the t-shirt, to receiving it in the mail, to wearing it proudly the next day—is a great way to have fun.

But custom t-shirts can be more than just a way to have fun. They are also a good way to express a strong belief or to raise awareness of issues that you care about. If you have information about your issue, or even just an intriguing phrase or image on your t-shirt, then perhaps people will stop and ask you about the issue. You can send that person away with just a little bit more knowledge about a topic that is important to you.

One example of an important issue that you might want to bring up is autism. Autism is a lifelong neurobiological disorder. It is relatively common: 1 in 150 people have it. There are many levels of severity to the disorder. Autism impairs a person’s ability to communicate with others. It sometimes leads to compulsive behavior, like extreme need for strict routine and repetitive habits. In most cases it makes it harder for the person to relate to those around him or her. Autism is more common in boys than girls, but it doesn’t discriminate racially or socially.

It is important for people to be aware of autism because it more than likely is touching their lives in some way, even if they don’t know it. They may have classmates, coworkers, or relatives who are autistic and maybe struggling to function in the fast-paced world that doesn’t understand or know about their disorder.

If you have a loved one who has been diagnosed with autism, you are in a great position to raise awareness in the general public about the disorder. In many cases, it is easy for people to misunderstand autism and label people that have it as less intelligent or even rude. It would be a lot easier on everyone if teachers, classmates, and friends could understand autism as a disorder that can be dealt with. For example, teachers have to deal with multiple types of personalities every day. If they were educated about autism, teachers could better adjust their teaching and communication techniques to suit their autistic students and even help integrate them into the class as a whole.

So, if autism is an important issue to you, you should speak up about it. You could have a strong phrase about autism on the front of your shirt, maybe with a statistic. This could serve as a teaser, making whoever is walking by a reason to ask you about autism. Then, on the back, you could have some more detailed information, including a website and maybe some more important and surprising facts about autism. Try to make it so that whoever walks by you will not be able to pass you without learning something new about autism. If you can change one person’s view, or make one person more curious, then your t-shirt has done its job.

Protest

An Example of Usings T-Shirts to Protest – Stop University Program Cuts

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Students at Canterbury University in New Zealand are using t-shirts to protest budget cuts at the College of Arts. In a recent proposal the University suggested cutting the American studies, theater and film programs. This would not only impact students but also thirteen full time professors and eight staff members who would be out of work.

Protest

To protest the proposed cuts students attended a university forum wearing t-shirts with images of burning artwork and the phrase “Mummy, what were the arts?”. Students sold over 120 t-shirts to raise awareness and protest the proposed program cuts. The University has not yet made a final decision but it will be hard for the decision makers to overlook 100+ students who protested the cuts and wore t-shirts to get their message across.

Read more about the story at Stuff.co.nz

Red Cross Cayman Islands

An Example of Raising Awareness of HIV with T-Shirts – Red Cross Cayman Islands

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The Red Cross in the Cayman Islands is spreading HIV awareness with t-shirts. According to the Red Cross the t-shirts have been very effective because they have “HIV” in bold letters on the front and the back of the shirt says “until proven negative. Get tested”.

The t-shirt phrase was created to challenge people’s assumptions about their HIV status. Anyone can have or get HIV no matter what your appearance, profession, economic or social status.

Over 100 t-shirts are being worn around the Cayman Islands and because the area is small and the topic of HIV is not discussed much it has received a positive response. This type of program probably wouldn’t be as effective in areas like London or San Francisco.

The Cayman Islands Red Cross started their HIV awareness program in 2003. Raising awareness by t-shirts was started because it is believed that the problem of HIV in the Cayman Islands is far greater than what has been recorded so far.

Red Cross Cayman Islands

For more information visit Together We Can, the British Red Cross Overseas, and Reuters.

Ideas for Family Vacation T-Shirts – Create your own

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You might not be “there” yet, but you can travel in style with custom family vacation t-shirts! Get ready for your vacation with shirts for your whole group. They are great for families and friends. Name your theme: Spring Break, Red Hatters, the boys annual hunting trip, the beach and ski trips. Whatever your vacation there’s a shirt.

It’s easy to craft a custom shirt with just a few mouse clicks. Try some of these ideas.

“Branson Or Bust. The Baker Brothers Family Trip. 2007” The brothers, who are all over 60, used a childhood picture of the four of them!

The front: “The Housers’ World Tour. 2006” On the back, the family listed all their destinations on their European summer trip just like a concert t-shirt.

If you need inspiration check out online libraries for phrases, artwork and ideas. Or use your own designs. Customize the shirts with your group’s destination and names. Pick colors and styles and you’re traveling in style!

Think family friendly with, “Are we there yet? Smith family road trip 2007.” “My other car is a monorail” complete with Mickey Mouse ears. “Brandon Family Beach Bums. Avalon, NJ. Summer 2007.”

Or, get silly with these. “I’m what happened in Vegas. Red Hatters 2007.” “What time is the 3 o’clock parade? Smiths do Disney 2008.” “My other car is a dune buggy. Spring Break 2008.”

Capitalize on the Griswold’s Classic European vacation. “Hey kids, Look there’s Big Ben, and there’s Parliament. There’s Big Ben, and there’s Parliament. The Riders’ European Tour 2008.”

And, for those family members not so into the t-shirt idea how about “I’m with them. Vale 2006.”

You can individualize each shirt with family members’ names and nicknames. Put them across the back shoulders like a team jersey or have names embroidered at the front pocket area.

Customized tees are more than just for laughs and memories. They are great for finding the whole gang on the boardwalk, an amusement park, and the airport. The Conicks choose a bright color every year with traveling in mind.

Make it fun to create the shirts! Have a contest or gather ideas from the whole family. When everyone’s sporting their matching shirts, it makes for memorable pictures.When the Taylors plan their trip they set up a website to organize ideas, directions and itineraries. While at the beach, they take a family photo in their t-shirts every year. At the end of summer, everyone posts their pictures on the website. Last year, they even put the site address on their shirts!

T-shirts make good souvenirs to remember your trip. When Zane Colley was just five years old, he started asking people to sign his shirt with a Sharpie pen. Now, at 18, he’s kept up the tradition. He’s got notes from everyone from his great uncle Alex to the cutie he met on the boardwalk.

Don’t wait to order! Design your custom t-shirts when you’re planning your vacation. It’s easy to design and order online. Expect it to talk only a few days for your shirts to arrive.

Make a memory everyone will enjoy!

Alternatives to Heat Transfers for Custom T-Shirts

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When creating a custom t-shirt for yourself or your group–be it a youth group, volleyball team, school club, corporate event or family reunion–there are many options to mull over. There are four obvious choices–embroidery, silk screening, heat transfers and Direct-to-Garment (DTG)–each come with their own rules and regulations but in the end we believe Direct to Garment is the way to go and is how we do the majority of our printing.

Embroidery is a classic option that uses minimalist principals to create a clean end product but you can’t just get one single t-shirt unless you pay a premium. Silk screening has the same issue but is an increasingly versatile method that employs fabric stencils and special ink and different screens can be used to create a layered, multi-colored image. Then there is heat transferring, which moves the image from the paper to the cloth using special transfer paper and an iron or heated transferring machine.

Heat transfers allow a direct reassignment of an image from the page to the fabric and unlike embroidery and silk-screening where the image must be examined and often altered by the t-shirt artist in order to match the abilities of the equipment at hand, heat transfers offer a direct design approach for the customer. In general there are two types of heat transfers: professional and at-home. Whether you choose to complete your shirts yourself or to have them professionally done, the process is very much the same. First, an image must be created. This is most often done on a computer. Programs such as Printshop or Photoshop can make creating an at-home transfer design easy. These programs allow the customer to combine text and images — including photos–in their design. If you choose to have transfers done professionally, the t-shirt artist will use comparable programs to help you create a unique design. Once the design is created, the design must be printed it on special t-shirt transfer paper and ironed onto the shirt.

The problems with heat transfer are that it’s not a very good print compared to other options. Many times you can see a film on the shirt around the graphic. Heat transfers can look cheap and homemade.

The last alternative is (and best choice) is Direct to Garment (DTG) printing instead of the heat press, embroidery or screen printing. Direct to Garment technology has really improved making it possible to just print one t-shirt and get a high quality and professional look. Silk screening is a great option if you need to print hundreds of shirts but if you want to create a custom t-shirt for a reasonable cost, little waiting time, and a professional appearance we strongly recommend that you choose a service with Direct to Garment printing.

Hunting for Easter T-Shirts

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Spring is many people’s favorite times of the year. Birds are chirping, bees are buzzing, and flowers are blooming. And nothing says springtime better than Easter!

If you are like most people, Easter is one of the two times you go to church each year. And what do churches have at this time? EGG HUNTS! All kids love to hunt for Easter Eggs, and some adults do, too. When organizing an egg hunt, volunteers are needed to dye eggs (or stuff them if plastic eggs are being used), assemble baskets, donate prizes, and hide eggs. Ordering matching t-shirts for the Egg Hunt volunteers is a great way to foster a sense of unity for the team. Buying custom-made Easter tees and handing them out to church members to wear a few weeks prior to the big Egg Hunt is another great reason to wear the Easter T-shirt. A cute graphic of Easter Eggs or the Easter Bunny can be used, along with the time, date, and location of the church’s Easter Egg Hunt. In addition, Easter Egg Hunt prizes can be commemorative shirts of the event; these prizes can be awarded for the most number of eggs found, the least number found, or for finding the golden egg. Some churches place tokens inside their plastic eggs, for which the kids can then trade in for small toys and games. Why not a shirt thrown in?

Of course, not everyone goes off to church for their Easter celebration. Lots of people simply get together with their families or friends (or both) to have a nice meal and their own Egg Hunt. Shirts can be ordered for the same reasons listed above, or they can get more creative and be individualized for each person. Some ideas include
– two brightly decorated Easter Eggs with “Check Out These Eggs” around them
– a picture of a candy rabbit that says “Chocolate Easter Bunny…Bite Me”
– a number of Easter eggs arranged in a wreath, with each family member or friend’s name on an egg
– a bunny juggling eggs and saying “Did you just say you forgot to boil these?”
There are lots and lots of ideas to add to the fun of this great holiday.

There are lots of people who have religious reasons for celebrating Easter. Traditionally believed as the day Jesus rose from the grave, it is one of the most important holidays for Christians. Wearing a t-shirt to spread the good news of the resurrection is a great way for believers to share the miracle. Examples of these types are:
– A graphic of Jesus with his arms open wide with “He Is Risen” below him
– A cross with an Easter lily
– A crown of thorns, 4 nails, and “Jesus is Risen”

These are all examples of different types of custom t-shirts that you can get made for Easter. While some people might think of this holiday of a serious occasion, there are others who look at it as a time for fun. If you are one of the latter, then one of these t-shirt ideas may be for you.

Hop on over and make a t-shirt for Easter!

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If you’re like most Christian families, then Easter is very important day of the year. Easter Sunday is a day for the family to reflect together and give thanks. As your children grow older, they will appreciate the deeper meaning while remembering the fun surrounding the day.

And we all know—especially those of us with children—that Easter time is also a time of celebration and excitement. What little kid doesn’t wake up on Easter morning, excited to see where the Easter bunny left those eggs, and maybe where he left some sweet treats too! Other events surround the Easter holiday, like egg dyeing and basket making. There is also the classic visit to the Easter bunny, who will give your kids some treats and maybe a picture to take home. These things make the holiday special for children who are too young to understand the religious significance of the day.

So there are two ways to go if you are thinking of designing custom t-shirts for you and your family to wear at Easter time. If you really want to focus on the religious holiday and take the day as time to spend with family and, perhaps, your church group, you could think of t-shirts that pay warm respects to the holiday. Maybe you could include your favorite quote from the Bible, or images from the life of Jesus. You could also include your own statements about what the holiday means, and what you believe is important to communicate on that special day.

The other option offers still more possibilities for creativity. If you want to make t-shirts for you and your kids to wear to the big egg hunt, or to go get your picture taken with the Easter bunny, then you should go with more colorful schemes and perhaps more eye-catching design. The traditional colors of Easter decorations are pastel—light pinks, blues, greens, yellows, and purples. Going along with this, you could include images of animals—the bunny, of course, plus all the other baby animals that tend to be associated with Easter. As far as text goes, you could choose anything from a quote from your favorite Easter song, like “Here Comes Peter Cottontail.” You could even design your own find-the-object picture, for people to find the Easter eggs on your t-shirt!

It is each family’s choice what to focus on at Easter time. The t-shirts you design can help you and your children create designs that encapsulate an aspect of what Easter means to you. Designing the t-shirts together could even be a great way to teach your children about Easter by opening up a dialogue with them. You can ask them what Easter means to them, and then share with them what Easter means to you. No matter what you choose to do with your Easter Sunday, making t-shirts with your family can be an easy and fun way to share the meaning of Easter together.

Bocce Ball is Awesome and I Have a T-Shirt to Prove It

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While Bocce ball is one of the lesser-known sports in the United States, it is a sport played all over Europe. The bocce ball sport requires great skill as well as a bit of luck. If you play bocce ball, you know just how much fun it is.

Others may not know how fun bocce ball is though. By creating custom t-shirts that display your love of the sport, you can begin a conversation about bocce ball and introduce the game to others.

Your custom bocce ball t-shirt can include just a simple phrase about your love of the sport, or you can be more elusive with just a graphic or a witty saying. Many shirts have the colors of the player’s country and several bocce balls. The shirts can indicate which surface you prefer to play on such as a beach or where you learned to play.

If you have a specific team that you play with, create a custom shirt for all the players. These shirts can be used to identify who is on your team, or to tell others who you are. If you have a team name obviously that is important to put on the shirt. A fun saying that describes your team would make the shirts even more personal. Graphics can be added to the custom bocce ball t-shirts to make them colorful and professional.

If you enjoy watching bocce ball, you can create your own shirt as well about your favorite team or player. If you don’t have a specific team or player you prefer, making a bocce ball shirt that shows your excitement of the sport can still be fun.

Shirts can be simple with “I love Bocce” or “Bocce Ball is awesome” or witty with “It takes balls to play Bocce.” The sayings can be without graphics, or you can include images or bocce balls on the shirt. If you like, the balls can be in colors of your favorite country to really personalize the shirt.

Family members can also wear shirts to support their bocce playing loved ones. Kids can wear shirts indicating a desire to grow up to play the sport, spouses can have shirts supporting their loves with “I love my bocce player” and mom’s and dad’s can have shirts that tell everyone they have a child that plays bocce.

While bocce is normally a sport played by older men, it is vastly becoming more common among the younger generations. Thus the reason shirts that say “I skip school to play bocce” exist. While promoting truancy is not the best example, it would be great for the young players to have shirts they can wear to show they love to play the sport.

Custom bocce ball t-shirts can really be fun to design, especially with the help of other players. Teams can enjoy trying to create a team shirt that shows off the personality of each player, while family members can proudly display their love for the team with their own custom shirts.

How It’s Done: Dye Sublimation for Custom T-Shirts

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How dye sublimation printing works is different than more traditional t-shirt printing like silk screening and heat transfer. In dye-sublimation printing, colors are not laid down as individual dots, like inkjet printers. Instead, there is a cellophane ribbon of color. Sublimation is what happens with dry ice when H2O goes right from a solid to a gas, skipping the liquid phase. That’s what happens with the ink. Heat causes the dyes to vaporize and stick in the fabric or on glossy surfaces and then they dry. So, the dye is actually in the fabric instead of sitting on top of it like the other printing types. This means there is no cracking or peeling over time. If you wash your t-shirt gently, the colors should have staying power without fading, too.

Because of the color spectrum used in dye sublimation, the end result is colors that look more like they do in nature. Instead of just the primary colors and their combinations to choose from, you get hues and shades giving your pictures a real life look and definition right on your t-shirts.

It’s important that you choose the right t-shirt. Light colored shirts produce the best result. Here’s why. With dye sublimation, the colors are embedded right into the fabric. The makers of dye sublimation printers explain it this way: if you add a dark red or green to black, you still have black.

The flip side of using a light colored shirt is that its colors will mesh with the colors of the image you print on it. For example, if you use a yellow shirt, the colors in the photo or logo will have some yellow, too.

There are some special transfer papers you can get to use dye sublimation with darker t-shirts. The quality of the t-shirt is important, too. It needs to be at least 50% polyester. The more polyester, the better quality and more vivid your image will print.

When using this printing method, you can simply scan a photo into a computer. Then add text or names and make adjustments. Then, you print. There are printers that you actually put the t-shirt through and print directly on the shirt. The other option is that you print on dye sublimation transfer paper and then heat press or iron the image into your shirt.

Because most of the work is done on the computer, it’s easy to make changes when using dye sublimation. This means if you are ordering shirts from a professional printer there are no screen set up charges and usually no minimum orders required. The cost of dye sublimation printers is dropping. If you’re doing it at home, just be sure to get the appropriate transfer paper, a polyester t-shirt and follow the instructions to get the right temperature for your iron. You’ll be putting clear photo-quality images on your t-shirts in a snap.

Increase Blood Donor Awareness with T-Shirts

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While most of your t-shirt designs will probably be for fun, every once in a while an issue will come up that is very important to you. It may be personal or work-related, or just a cause that means a lot to you. What better way to raise awareness than by literally wearing the issue on your chest? Designing a t-shirt about the issue you care about is a great way to use your imagination and draw attention to something you believe is important for people to know about. But be prepared: if your t-shirt succeeds, you may have to answer questions on the street!

Blood donation is an important and ongoing issue. In times of crisis or national emergency, blood donation numbers usually go way up. People are willing to help when help is needed. What a lot of people don’t realize, however, is that help is always needed, even during calmer days. It is a great idea to donate blood regularly—to make a habit of it. Many people may not think that they can make a difference, but you may want to enlighten them and tell them that they definitely can.

One area of knowledge that could help raise the number of blood donors is eligibility. You could make a t-shirt detailing where and when people can go donate blood. Very often people use ignorance as an excuse to sit back and not do anything proactive to affect the world around them. Your custom t-shirt is a chance to inform people of their options. What types of blood are the rarest and most needed? How do people find out their own blood type? Are there any conditions that might prevent people from being able to donate blood—like sickness, menstruation, pregnancy, or certain medications? If so, how long should a person wait, for example, after being sick or being on antibiotics to donate blood?

Other questions you could answer on your t-shirt: where are the nearest locations for donating blood? How much time will donating blood take out of the day? Are there side effects, and if so, what are they? Does it cost money to donate blood? How often can you donate blood? What happens to blood after it is collected? What is it used for during times of peace and non-crisis?

With information like this on your t-shirt, you can attract the attention of people walking past you, or coworkers and friends. Most of the information about blood donation is easy to understand—it’s just that a lot of people haven’t been educated about it. Some simple facts in people’s minds might make the difference between them never donating blood at all, and possibly beginning a lifelong routine of donating blood regularly. Your t-shirt could include anything from a slogan prompting people to ask you about blood donation to a list of statistics or helpful facts. This could at least open up a dialogue with interested people about the issue of blood donation. At most, you might save a life.

BMX Riders do Tricks for BMX Style T-Shirts

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BMX stands for bicycle motocross and consists of races which take place on a dirt track. The dirt track typically has a number of hills, bumps and dips enabling the racers to launch into the air while traveling at high speeds. It also typically has a number of turns which really makes the race interesting. In addition to track races there are also BMX freestyle events where participants perform tricks and are awarded points for categories such as style, difficulty and originality. However, more than just being a sport BMX is also a lifestyle. It is this lifestyle element which draws many of the fans of the sport to create custom BMX t-shirts to show their support for their favorite riders.

A popular option for custom BMX t-shirts is to create a t-shirt which offers your favorite racer encouragement. Whether you are going to see a friend or a family member compete, he is likely to be encouraged when he sees a large group in the audience wearing matching t-shirts designed just for him. Custom t-shirts with a catchy phrase encouraging the rider to go fast, beat the competitors or even just be safe is likely to be appreciated by your favorite BMX rider.

What better way to show your support for your favorite BMX rider than to have his picture emblazoned across your t-shirt. Creating custom BMX t-shirts with this type of picture is very easy. The picture can be screen printed or embroidered onto the t-shirt. You also have a number of different options for the type of picture you select. You may choose a close up of the BMX rider’s face, a full length shot of the BMX rider or even a picture of the BMX rider on his bike. Regardless of the picture you select, as long as it is easily identifiable, the BMX rider you are supporting will surely appreciate the gesture.

Custom BMX t-shirts which feature a personal message for a particular BMX rider are also very popular. This may include an inside joke or a question for a particular BMX rider. Whether you are creating a custom BMX t-shirt for yourself or for a large group, this type of message t-shirt can be very effective for getting the BMX rider’s attention. If he is a friend or family member, he will surely appreciate the gesture. However, if you are simply a fan of the BMX rider, your custom BMX t-shirt may attract the rider’s attention and compel him to seek you out after the race.

BMX fans that are supporting a freestyle BMX rider have other options available to them. They may wish to have custom BMX t-shirts created with the name of a particular move on the t-shirt. The move may be one which is a trademark of the BMX rider or it may be a move which he is attempting for the first time. This type of custom BMX t-shirt not only shows your support for a particular BMX rider but can also offer him a great deal of moral support. This is especially true if the BMX rider is attempting a new trick for the first time in competition.

Next Generation T-shirts 1

The Next Generation of Social T-shirts – Hearts, Hugs, and SMS

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T-Shirts have the ability to connect us as social beings or they can disconnect us from one another. The reactions they can evoke are based on the image, phrase, color or pattern of a t-shirt. Up until recently they have been used to display art, make statements or simply cover your skin. There purpose has now evolved into another form of ingenious social interaction. Below are three examples of the next generation of t-shirts.

1. The 8 Bit Dynamic Life Shirt
ThinkGeek.com released a black t-shirt with six red hearts and during normal activities the number of glowing hearts is two and a half. But if you get within hugging distance of another person who is wearing the same shirt six hearts will light up on both shirts.

Next Generation T-shirts 1

These seem really fun to wear as a couple or even just by yourself and hope that someday you will run into someone else who has the same t-shirt. I would love to see the hearts do more than just react to another t-shirt but to actually measure the temperature or moisture and change like the old mood rings. With something like that it could be the same way with hearts or actually opposite so the more worked up you get it would show danger skulls letting people know they should stay away.

Buy: 8 Bit Dynamic Heart Shirt


2. Reactee SMS/Text T-Shirts
Reactee launched a line of t-shirts that don’t change form or colors but it does leave an open invitation for others communicate with you. If someone sees your t-shirt and sends a SMS to the number on the shirt they will receive a custom text message response from the creator of the t-shirt. These shirts can be used by political activists, organizations, people who want a date or anyone who wants a new way to communicate whether for business or personal reasons. You can browse creations by others or you can create your own reaction t-shirt.

Next Generation T-shirts 2

What is great about Reactee is that there are so many opportunities entreprenuers to use this concept to connect with strangers

Buy or Create your own Reactee


3. Hug Shirt
The Hug Shirt by Cute Circuit is a shirt allows people send hugs via cellphone. Inside of the Hug Shirt are sensors that “feel the strength of the touch, the skin warmth and the heartbeat rate of the sender and actuators that recreate the sensation of touch, warmth and emotion of the hug to the shirt of the distant loved one”. When you send a hug using your mobile phone it delivers the hug data to your friend’s phone and transmits it by Bluetooth to their shirt. Hugs can now be sent around the world. The Hug Shirt uses RoHS components so it lead-free and non-toxic. To wash your shirt you remove the sensors and they can easily be put back with little effort. Hugs can be sent whether or not both parties have a hug shirt but it sure is more fun if a couple each has their own shirt. The shirt has received great reviews but don’t excited yet as it has not been released for sale to the public just yet. The Hug Shirt was expected to hit the market in mid-2007 but it hasn’t hit the street yet. It will be priced “around the same as an iPod” (CNN)

Next Generation T-shirts 3

While this may not be a shirt that you will wear everyday it does open up a new world for those who are still trying to work on that long distance relationship.

More Info on the Hug Shirt: Visit Cute Circuit

Filmmaker

Filmmaker to wear one t-shirt for 126 days

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A New Zealand filmmaker really wants to attend Film Academy in New York from July to November. Jamie Lawrence came up with the idea to sell advertising on his t-shirt and wear the SAME t-shirt for 126 days. The 126 days is the number of days he will be at the Film Academy. The t-shirt will have the phrase ‘They’ve got my back!’ and sponsors will fill the rest. Jaime will be studying screenwriting and acting for film. While he has only a few sponsors so far he stated “I’m incredibly stoked and so grateful to gain sponsorship from people who not only believe in my dream but also who believe in me. It’s pretty humbling.”

Filmmaker

Jaime is hoping to raise $20,000 to make his dream of attending the Film Academy a reality. If you want to support Jaime please visit www.2thebigapple.com.

Source: Scoop

Favorite T-Shirts

15 Celebrities Wearing their Favorite T-Shirts

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It is easy to learn about a person by the t-shirts that they wear. Whether the t-shirt is blank, full of color or maybe with a slogan it says a lot about their personality. Here is your change to read into some of your favorite celebrities who are wearing their favorite t-shirts.

Favorite T-Shirts

  • Matt Damon in a plain navy t-shirt
  • Terrence Howard in a Jimi Hendrix t-shirt
  • Andy Richter in fairty t-shirt
  • Neil Patrick Harris in a random shirt from Clovis New Mexico
  • Jason Segel in an Instant Sorrow band t-shirt
  • Alyson Hannigan in a yellow rubber ducky t-shirt
  • Michael Cera in shirt with the name Shirley on it
  • Jonah Hill in a shirt with an alien and the phrase “Hi How are you”.
  • Jane Krakowski in a shirt with the phrase “Easily Distracted”
  • Tracy Morgan with the phrase “King of what I do”
  • Tina Fey with The Who t-shirt
  • Chloë Sevigny with a “Tell em Groucho sent you”
  • Rainn Wilson with a periodic t-shirt t-shirt.
  • Jack McBrayer with a Central gym shirt
  • Portia de Rossi in an Iggy Pop t-shirt

Source: Entertainment Weekly

Wilton

An Example of T-Shirt Fundraising – Selling T-Shirts to Help a Cancer Foundation

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T-Shirts are a great way to raise money for what you care about and sometimes you will find that it can bring people together. Sixteen juniors in Wilton High School will shave their heads and sell t-shirts on March 13th to raise money for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. The Foundation is a volunteer based organization that works that focuses on childhood cancer. The head shaving event is done in honor of Brent McCressh who was diagnosed with cancer at the young age of two and a half. The McCressh family is hoping to raise $300,000 in 2008 and the Wilton students are doing what they can to help out and hope to raise $50,000. The idea of head shaving was to help the kids who have cancer to not feel out of place. But the fundraising will be done primarily by selling t-shirts.

Wilton

Last November they ordered 70 shirts and people bought up the shirts so they ordered another 150 in January and sold them in the first week. The students are excited to raise money and unite Wilton students at the same time. The students have raise $2000 so far and are not stopping until they raise more money to donate. If you want to help or learn more visit brentswarriors.org, stbaldricks.org and the Acorn-Online.

Print on Demand T-Shirts – One at a Time!

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Everybody knows that uniforms are a great way to look like a team. From businesses to softball teams, professional, custom clothing can make anyone look and feel like a tightly knit group. But what about those times when you want to express your individuality? Most professional t-shirt companies have strict minimums when ordering a custom design. If buying 20 or 30 shirts is not an option for you, not to worry, consider a company that prints “On Demand.”

Print on Demand means you won’t end up with a huge box of t-shirts sitting in your garage, just waiting for your next garage sale. You order just the number of t-shirts that you need–so no money, or garage space, goes to waste.

With Print on Demand services there is no minimum, making the possibilities for personal expression endless. Some companies who offer this service have a prepared selection of designs–from inspirational messages to elaborate images–for their customers to choose from. Print on Demand services are also useful for the small business owner who may only need five or six shirts printed today but will require more in the future. Many companies can keep your design on record and re-print t-shirts when needed.

Print on Demand services are slightly more expensive than their silk-screened and bulk-ordered cousins, but the ability to have your shits printed in the size and quantity you require is well worth the price.

Here is a story from one of our customers:

“I first discovered On Demand t-shirts when I began promoting my own knitting shop. I knew I wanted to generate interest in the store but was unsure how to go about it. My partner and I were scheduled to have a booth–selling our yarn and promoting our store–at many local holiday fairs. We had business cards and maps to our store printed up but wanted to get maximum exposure. My partner had the idea to create t shirts with our logo and name. She suggested we make them at home with iron-on transfers. I was a bit hesitant to use a transfer because I know they are easily ruined by washing or excess heat so I began doing research.

I soon found Fibers that would print our shirts On Demand for a slightly higher price per shirt than placing a bulk silk-screened order. We only needed three or four shirts and since we were just starting our business, every penny counted. I placed the order and received the expertly made and professional looking shirts a few weeks later. We wore our shirts to our holiday fairs and as make-shirt uniforms once the store opened. When we were finally able to hire two new employees, we had no trouble printing shirts up in their sizes!

Not only did our shirts help generate business and (clothe our employees!), they served as great “Thank You” gifts to everyone who had supported us along the way. My parents and sisters all received one for their unending love and patronage and my partner often dressed her young son and daughter in them–free advertising at play-group!”

Vegan

Celebrities back Vegan Lifestyle with T-Shirts

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Heather Mills was spotted wearing a bright green t-shirt with the phrase “Vegan, you can’t get greener”. Heather Mills is most commonly known as Paul McCartney’s estranged wife who is in the middle of a divorce battle. Mills is launching Viva, whose organization has the tagline “Vegetarians Voice for Animals”. The group has a series of celebrity backers (though many I have never heard of) and she has recently been approached to be in her own cooking show. While only 0.2-1.3% of the U.S. population, and 0.25-2.24% of people in the UK are vegan there is a growing population who dabble in the casual vegan/vegetarian lifestyle (Flexitarian)

Vegan

Celebrities are in a unique position. They have followers and they also have a ton of money and together this is a great position to be able to influence change. While most celebrities are not vocal about being vegan or vegetarian there are tons of folks who are. Happy Cow has a list of over 500 famous vegetarians (sorry couldn’t find a list of JUST vegans).
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Source: PopCrunch and Ecorazzi for the Heather Mills story and Wikipedia for the vegan facts

Ryan Phillippe Barack Obama

Barack Obama backed by Celebrities – T-Shirt Spotting

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Celebrities have a fair bit of influence on their followers and some celebrities are very open political choice. Actor Ryan Phillipe who is known for his recent performances in the movies Stop Loss, Breach, Flags of our Fathers, Crash was spotted wearing a Barack Obama T-Shirt. The t-shirt has a picture of Obama and the phrase “Progress”.

Ryan Phillippe Barack Obama

Source: US Magazine