Custom Church Retreat T-shirt Ideas

Church groups often spend a significant amount of time together. It’s not just in church services, but in extracurricular events, such as Bible study, youth groups, and church events. These occasions call on church members to unite and form special bonds. They share common ideals and beliefs. There’s no limit to the memories they make or the experiences they go through together.

Especially on church retreats there are more memories made than at any other time. The youth groups will stay overnight on camp grounds and go through different exercises, workshops, or discussions that bring them closer together. These landmark occasions are usually decorated with the commemoration of a cool custom t-shirt. In fact, the practice of having custom t-shirts made is becoming increasingly common. More and more people feel that the t-shirt is an appropriate representation of the memories they make. Plus, custom t-shirts are fun, cool, and inexpensive.

As a youth leader or as the director of a church youth retreat, it might fall to you to make the decision to purchase the custom t-shirts. It’s your responsibility to make sure that the participants have a fun way to remember the time they spent together. Custom t-shirt companies are becoming more popular than ever. Most of the custom t-shirt business is conducted on line. You can make all your decisions and specifications over the internet. It’s simple, easy and very efficient.

If you’re worried about the complications of a design, or choosing a look that will please everyone, don’t be. The custom t-shirt companies are ready and willing to help you make the perfect choice. To begin with, there are hundreds of pre-drawn selections and suggestions that you might choose from. On the other hand, the image or print that you decide to go with might be of your own creation. Better yet, it might be something that members of the retreat came up with. Hold a contest to pick the best design from the participants, involve everyone in the creation of the custom t-shirt. The group involvement will make the t-shirt that much more of a memory.

Cost wise, there’s not much to worry about either. The custom t-shirt business is a bulk buying experience. You pay a fee and must purchase a minimum amount of t-shirts, but other than that, there’s no limit on the quantity you can purchase. The style of the t-shirt is the last important factor for consideration. Seeing that everyone enjoys a different fit of shirt, it would be wise to take into account the preference of girls to guys. Formfitting styles, baggy styles, traditional t-shirt styles, long sleeved styles etc. Once again, because the custom t-shirt is a bulk buying purchase, you shouldn’t have any problem including all the different styles that you think should be made available to the youth retreat participants.

The custom t-shirt is a part of the experience that all people involved in the retreat will continue to wear and treasure. It’s a way to keep the memory of those few days alive for many months to come. In fact, the custom t-shirt is such a wonderful tool for memory and such a cool keepsake, they could be wearing it for years.

Raise Awareness with Custom Breast Cancer T-shirts

“I walk for my mom”
“Walk for Bust!”
“You don’t scare me: I’m a cancer survivor”
“New and Improved: Now Cancer Free”
“I wear pink for my mom”
You’ve seen the catchy slogans dot the street whenever tens of thousands of women march to raise awareness for breast cancer. It’s hard to miss the messages from survivors and supporters. Even if a woman is wearing her shirt while shopping alone at the grocery store, that t-shirt sends a message to all shoppers to do their part to help. That could mean participating in a local event, making a donation or a reminder to all women to do a simple breast check.

The shirts not only raise awareness to people driving and walking by, they unite and empower participants. A transformation takes place when a patient, survivor or caretaker puts on a t-shirt that says, “Beating Cancer, Priceless” or “Squeeze a boob: Save a life.” Some shirts make us laugh while others are provocative and feisty. They send clear messages about beating cancer, raising awareness and the camaraderie that goes with being a survivor.

The best part is that most of the money raised from the sale of Breast Cancer awareness shirts actually goes to helping patients, research for a cure and prevention education. You can buy shirts from organizations like the American Cancer Society, Relay for Life and Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. You can also sell your own designs to make money for local and family organizations or to send a pool of cash to the big national groups in the name of your friends and family.

There are a lot of resources to buy t-shirts online. It’s typically easy and inexpensive to create and buy t-shirts over the internet. And, you can do the designing and shopping from the comfort of your own home. You can choose from a wide variety of shirt and ink colors, and you can customize shirts for your walking team or family by putting team names on the back. You can also create your own design decked with the face of your survivor. This allows you to get the exact t-shirt you want. And of course, the end result is quite professional, and will be something that you are proud to wear day in and day out.

With most online design sites it’s easy. You pick your t-shirt color, add text, pictures, and names. You can choose from ideas and ready-made art and slogans or use your own. Choose different styles and sleeve lengths. Then, get a quote. In some cases there is a minimum order. But, usually, the more t-shirts you buy, the better the discount. It typically takes about two weeks for your shirts to arrive.

For one group, the t-shirts started as support, turned into a fundraiser and then into an empowering memorial as they continued to raise money for cancer. Here’s what Ellen B. said about their custom t-shirts, “We originally made T-shits as a support to our hero and friend Sara who battled breast cancer twice. After so much interest we upped the order and developed a fundraiser for her and her family. We sold over 100 shirts and provided the family a means to help pay for medical expenses. We wore our shirts during the Relay for Life event. Sara came to cheer us on. We took a team photo and now it’s on this year’s team t-shirts. Sara died this year. But, we honor her and wear her memory as walk this year. We are very proud to have known her and what it means to give support to a family who is in need. The T-shirts were and still are a voice in her honor.”

Spread the Drama with a Custom T-Shirt

Advertising is expensive, plain and simple. Still, if you’ve got an event to organize and sell, then you’ll definitely be in need of a solid advertising strategy. You need a dependable way to get the word out on the street. The best type of advertising is the kind that moves through audiences in different areas. You want a moving target, so to speak; something that makes itself available to a wide audience. This way, the word gets spread everywhere. Custom t-shirts are cheap, effective advertising strategies that do just that.

Theater productions can really benefit from the advertisement custom t-shirts provide. To get the community hyped about an upcoming performance, be sure to sell t-shirts before, during and after the shows. With people wearing the shirts, you’ll ensure that anyone who sees them will be exposed to the play. In short, what this amounts to is free advertising.

• Design–From Shakespeare to Show Tunes, you’ll have no trouble getting a design or graphic that perfectly fits your needs. There are thousands of pre-dawn selections to choose from. Any custom t-shirt company will provide the customers with these choices. And if none of these are to your liking, there’s always the option of creating your own design and sending it to the company for mass print.
• Style–There is also name brand styling available in shirt design. For example, the make of the shirt can be long sleeved, three quarter sleeved, or short sleeved. The apparel does not have to be strictly a traditional t-shirt. There are several different styles available for selection and this often appeals to a more diverse crowd when on display for sale. In the situation of the theater looking to advertise, it might be best to try and appeal to as many people as possible.
• Financing–Usually, people charge a heap of money for advertising opportunities. Taking an ad out in a local high school magazine also requires taking out a loan. Not so with custom t-shirts. There are a number of companies in the t-shirt business, all trying to appeal to your interests. They mass produce the product you need for a reasonable price and the competition for your business plays to your advantage. Usually, there is a minimum number of t-shirts that must be purchased when you order. Other than that, custom t-shirts are an inexpensive, personally crafted answer to any advertising needs.

In addition to their advertising appeal, these t-shirts are also a great way to commemorate a successful production. When you think of all the time, effort, and manpower that go into a theater production, it makes sense to provide some sort of memory for those involved. Custom t-shirts can be bought en masse and distributed to cast and crew alike. The t-shirt will always represent the remembrance of the production to the person that wears it. Each production has its own uniqueness and the t-shirt in honor of the production can be a vital part of the memory.

Custom T-Shirts for Dance Squads – Memories You Can Wear

There’s nothing that can rival the feeling of closeness and unity that comes with being part of a team. Athletes in particular know the incredible feeling that teamwork and togetherness can provide for all members involved. The feeling intensifies during times competition and success. Achievement as a team is a memory that can never fade because the accomplishment doesn’t just belong to one individual–it belongs to the group.

Dancers are among the most athletic individuals on the earth. They are performers as well as athletes and this lends to their imperative skill and training. Dance squads are fascinating to watch and be a part of. The memories that are made on this type of team are precious and can be preserved in many ways. One way to make sure that the entire team has a fun way to remember their time together is to display them on t-shirts. It’s an inexpensive investment that will be sure to cater to what the team wants. The custom t-shirt can be designed and centered on whatever graphic or image you choose, be it a photo of the team members or a personally drawn picture or symbol.

Custom t-shirts are becoming one of the coolest, most fashionable ways to make team memories. Dance squads especially can benefit from the designs and photo opportunities available. There are hundreds of options that can ensure your t-shirt design is completely unique. A team experience is perfectly commemorated by having a custom t-shirt company print up your chosen design on shirts for the entire team.

Costs–Custom t-shirts designs have become such a popular industry that there are more than enough prices and qualities to choose from. Most business is handled over the internet and orders are easily placed and specifically made online. In some cases, custom t-shirt companies will assure their buyers that shipping is free. The custom t-shirt is perfect for team situations because there is usually a minimum amount of t-shirts that must be purchased.

Styles–The t-shirts you choose from don’t even have to be t-shirts, in the traditional sense of the term. In fact, there are many different styles to choose from, including girl’s styles, sweats, athletics, and outerwear. Name brand goods are available in a variety of styles.

Design–The t-shirts you create should be for the express satisfaction of the wearers. In other words, custom t-shirts companies are in business to make you happy. There are hundreds of images to choose from, graphics that can be selected and then altered, or even an opportunity to create your personalized design or image and have it printed on the order of t-shirts.

Team uniforms are an intricate part of group identity. Especially in dance squads, where presentation and appearance are often so important, the uniform plays a vital role. In many ways, the custom t-shirt is an extension of the uniform. The custom t-shirt is a perfect way to capture and relive the memory of time spent together. For a dance squad, specially designed t-shirts can be an awesome way to commemorate a team and help it live on forever.

Custom T-Shirts for Church Groups Create Unity

Whenever a group of people spends time together, they develop a certain unity. It comes from seeing each other on a regular basis and sharing a common interest or goal. One of the best examples of this is a church group. The religious experience undeniably brings these individuals closer together in their beliefs and discussions. At community functions and church gatherings, it has become more common for these groups to have a familiar representation, often in the form of a t-shirt.

Not only is the custom t-shirt an excellent way for other people in the community to identify the church members, but the t-shirts also provide a sense of identity to the wearers. The t-shirts give their various churches more exposure and can contribute to higher church membership if worn often. Also, in the experiences of the youth group or choir, the t-shirts can be specially designed and purchased in honor of certain events, such as retreats, camps, or Bible studies.

• Costs–A church can easily invest in the custom t-shirts and make them available for sale to the congregation. In fact, the purchase of these t-shirts is made in bulk and is relatively inexpensive so that the church might even make a profit once it has distributed the shirts to the members. Certainly the church will benefit from the advertisement that comes with the custom t-shirts. With church members wearing their t-shirts, community awareness will be raised and interest in the church might increase. Overall, the custom t-shirt is a sound investment for any church to make.
• Designs–For a church especially, a custom design must be very important. While there are many designs to choose from, a personal creation might lend much more meaning to the t-shirt for church members. Maybe a photograph of the church would be appropriate or the motto of the church inscribed in writing. Whatever your church prefers, a custom t-shirt can provide it.
• Styles–The t-shirts themselves are of various styles. The term t-shirt calls to mind a particular fit, but in fact there are several different fits to choose from. Some shirts are more form fitting than others, some have long sleeves etc. Whatever style the church decides on, the image and message that they send out is of great importance and should be decided on with care and enthusiasm. These shirts will mean a lot to the members of the church because they will project an image of the church to others.

People are often very proud of the church they attend. It’s a mark of dedication when they have a custom t-shirt to wear. This t-shirt can display not just the level of their religious devotion but of their spiritual devotion as well. The t-shirt is a reminder for members that they are an important part of something. The memories they have within the church are tremendously important and the custom t-shirt helps them preserve that. It’s a fun way to display their beliefs, promote the things they believe in, and remember the people that they love.

Create Buzz and Make Money from Custom Band T-Shirts

So, you’re starting a band. You’ve got the talent, the people, and the drive. Practices have been going well, and you are ready to start booking gigs. The next step is to get the word out—generate a buzz, so people will want to book you or come see what you’re about. There are plenty of ways to advertise your band. In this technological age, the options can actually get overwhelming: posters, postcards, email, websites, online social networks and publications, newspapers, text messages, and more. Where to start? What’s going to help you the most for the least amount of money?

One solid option for advertising your band is to design and order custom t-shirts. Making your band’s name a brand image that people recognize can go a long way with word-of-mouth advertising. Also, t-shirts will give you many opportunities to talk up your band, and even to make money. Depending on what your top priorities are, you can sell the t-shirts at your shows or online, to raise money for your band. You can also just give them away if all you really want to do is spread the word as quickly as possible and give your fans a way to show their support. You can wear the shirts yourselves, at your shows, and just around town—maybe people will ask about your cool t-shirt and you’ll get to tell them about your band!

With t-shirts, you have the opportunity to design your own logo—a creative way to start putting your band out there visually. You can work simply with your band’s name, or you can add images and contact info onto the t-shirts to give fans even more of a chance to follow up. Making the t-shirts can be a great way to solidify your band’s image: how do you want the world to see you? What kind of band do you want to be? Creating a logo and images to go on a t-shirt can really help start this discussion between you and your band mates.

Some other ideas for band t-shirts include: creating a tagline for your band, as a kind of teaser to intrigue people; responses from fans or critics—nothing too long, just some simple glowing reviews; a list of past and upcoming dates; an advertisement for a specific upcoming show that’s particularly exciting; actual contact information for your band, like a website or phone number that fans can contact for more information.

If you have a band that you’re excited about, and you want to take your marketing to the next step, custom t-shirts could be the way to go. Designing the shirts will give your band a chance to get creative in a different way, to brainstorm about your image, and to be proud of what you’re doing. Wearing the t-shirts will help you advertise and spread your excitement. Plus, you can sell or give away the t-shirts to eager fans who will turn around and talk you up to more and more people. Give it a try: see what happens!

Creating Custom Maternity T-shirts for Gifts

The anticipation of a new child creates excitement and good will not just for the parents but also for anyone close to them. Baby showers team with well wishers bearing adorable little onesies, blue striped baseball caps, and tiny pink dresses all designed to don the new infant in style and comfort.

What about the mother-to-be? Certainly she benefits from this baby booty, and her eyes light up with each new receiving blanket, but what if you wanted to treat her to a special, one-of-a-kind gift for her use? This is the thinking behind latest gift-giving trend for expectant mothers. Creating custom maternity T-shirts as gifts is a fun and personal way to let the mom know you are thinking of her.

Factors to Consider When Creating Custom Maternity T-shirts as Gifts

The primary consideration in choosing any apparel item is to make sure you know the proper size. This is especially important in creating custom maternity clothes, as a t-shirt labeled “Baby Cosby-Under Construction” is not likely to be returnable. Other than size, you will want to have some idea of the mom’s taste and personality. You wouldn’t want to give a bright pink maternity T-shirt with rhinestone lettered “Baby Princess” on it to your Harley-loving biker friend.

The other important consideration is to know any strong stands your friend has taken on important issues. You wouldn’t give a t-shirt that says “Got Mother’s Milk?” unless you know your friend intends to nurse, and doesn’t mind announcing it to the world. Of course, if you know your girlfriend hates when strangers rub her baby belly a “Don’t Touch!” T-shirt might be quite appropriate.

If you want to stay away from anything too intimate or politically charged, there are plenty of announcement type logos that would work. “Coming Soon to a Basinet Near You: Baby Murphy” written in a Marquee font is benign but appropriate. “Pea in the Pod” or “Biscuit in the Oven” are also cute, without being too personal.

On the other hand, you may be choosing a custom maternity t-shirt as a gift because of the humor it can bring. “We’re Hungry”, “Who’s Your Daddy?” or “I Just Wanted a Backrub” are all possibilities. You can even get Dad his own “My Boys Can Swim” t-shirt.

Your Custom Maternity T-shirt Gift: A Time to Remember

While a quote can certainly elicit a smile or a laugh, pictures still say a thousand words. Realistic, cartoon-ish, famous images are all available to choose from. You could even do a before and after shot with a real picture of “before” mom during pre-pregnancy, and an arrow pointing to her belly as the “after.”

Your friend, daughter, or loved one will really appreciate the time and effort you took to seek out a special design and saying just for them. To personalize it even further you can make it time specific, like “Coming this Summer”. Or you can bring other family members into it by saying “Jack and Sara’s Future Tagalong”. The possibilities are as unlimited as your imagination. Not only will this gift be a fun and practical way to show you care, it will be a lasting keepsake for the mother-to-be of this special time in her life.

How Celebrities Inspire Custom T-Shirts

Custom t-shirts, the walking billboards that have been delighting us, inciting us and encouraging us to say our own thing, have certainly come of age. No longer are they content in announcing your favorite sports team, branded articles, TV shows or political affiliations, they’ve become a medium of public dialogue, giving everyone a chance to express their opinions, take sides and shoot barbs at each other.

Celebrities cut in!

With such a powerful medium as tees, can celebrities be far behind! Today, custom t-shirts are being increasingly used for supporting celebrities or poking fun at them. Celebrities, too, have embraced the t-shirt as a form of self-promotion and self-exploitation to plaster any self-serving message and pass it off as either as new fashion or a press release. It’s even being increasingly used to get even with others!

What’d you say about Tori Spelling when she stepped out with the t-shirt message ˜My Dog Can beat up Paris Hilton’s Dog’! Or the one worn by Eva Longoria of Desperate Housewives that said ˜I’ll Have Your Baby, Brad’ shortly after Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt announced their separation! Of course, Eva later apologized to Aniston for it.

Celebrities not only poke fun through the medium of custom t-shirts, they own up their shortcomings too. Take the case of Jessica Simpson, who was candid enough to sport a tee that read, ˜Talentless but Connected’! In another case, supermodel Naomi Campbell showed she can take a joke by wearing ‘Naomi hit me and I loved it’. Like other controversies, this too fitted her like a T! For the ignorant, a few months earlier Naomi was ordered by a judge to attend anger management classes, after her former assistant complained of physical and verbal abuse at her hands.

Sometimes, the actions of celebrities evoke such reactions from the public that it gets displayed on people’s chests and backs. Alarmed at the way Hollywood actress, Lindsay Lohan, was losing weight, the t-shirt slogan ˜Feed Lindsay’ became such a rage that it actually collected an online petition with forty-three thousand signatures that urged Lindsay Lohan to stop. Custom t-shirts also became an important part of ˜Free Katie’ campaign. This campaign was kicked off, because someone it was ridiculous to see Tom Cruise jumping on Oprah Winfrey’s couch, breathlessly declaring his love for Katie Holmes. The slogans included ˜Run, Katie, Run’ and ‘Stop Sofa Abuse’!

Tees come in handy for getting even too! Sample Julia Roberts’ t-shirt message ‘A Low Vera’. She sported this tee in 2002, when she was eager to marry Danny Moder. Although, the ‘Pretty Woman’ never cared to explain, it’s believed that she was sending a message to Moder’s estranged wife, Vera, who was in the process of stalling divorce proceedings.

Can you use celebrities on your tees?

Celebrities are public figures and if you use their image for the purposes of advertising or trade without their permission, you’re violating their right of publicity. Unless the use is for a newsworthy article, it’ll simply be commercial use and grounds for a lawsuit. So, if you want your very own customized t-shirt depicting a celebrity, don’t do it without their permission. Seek permission either directly from the celebrity or from the celebrity’s agent. This holds true even for dead celebrities.

Of course, celebrities attract people in droves. So, they’re the most ‘cashable’ commodity doing the rounds. And customized t-shirt is the perfect medium. So, if you’re finding it difficult to resist not letting the world know about something connected with a celebrity, do so. But, not before taking his or her permission.

Custom T-shirts – Way to Express Individuality

The days of t-shirts displaying company logos are passé. And plain t-shirts well, they remain just too plain for anyone’s comfort! Today, you’re not ‘in’ with the crowd, if you don’t have a custom t-shirt, flashing your style and ideology. So, what do you do to stand out in the crowd? Well, you design your own t-shirt to have your say.

Custom t-shirt–a unique medium

Since the time t-shirts became a canvas for displaying images and messages, life hasn’t been the same. Such is the impact of this apparel! Evolving from the basic white that generally displayed school and team emblems, it soon metamorphosed into different colors and sizes, boasting of every design and slogan imaginable. Just look around and you’ll find them everywhere, especially in public events, like rock concerts, sports meets, events like ‘run for health’, and the like.

But why is it that t-shirts never fall out of favor? Like humans, custom t-shirts too are not created equal! If you wear, say, Levis or Wranglers or any other brand, countless others wear them too. However, if you wear something that says ‘Hold My Chest, I Breathe Heavy’ or some such deep philosophy, people know it can only be you!

This walking billboard is the single most powerful form of individual expression for anyone. When you flaunt your very own slogan and design, irrespective of the fact whether somebody understands it or interprets it correctly, there’s little doubt that it’s you who’s delivering the message. Your custom t-shirt is you! This powerful tool is one of the most potent weapons wielded for a cause. When you sport a tee that says ‘Stop Clubbing Baby Seals’ with an appropriate graphic, the message clearly hits the bullseye.

Having your say via custom t-shirt

Custom t-shirts not only give you the space, but also the power to say what you’ve been dying to say. And it ensures you’re the first off the blocks in expressing what others haven’t as yet thought of. You’re also spared long hours looking for an appropriate, second-hand slogan, which may or may not fit your taste or ideology. So, if you’ve a favorite joke, quote, famous saying or words of wisdom, simply print them on your tee. If you want to convey your interests, whether it’s scrap-booking, music, baseball or sex, create the one in your own unique style. You can also share a common cause, by expressing your thought on the tees and distributing them among those supporting the cause. In case you’ve got an axe to grind with someone, this blank canvas on your chest and back can come in handy too! However, if you just want to be ‘you’, and simply want to assert your independence, the tee becomes your medium of self-expression.

So, give shape to your ideas and advertise it far and wide through your very own custom t-shirts. There are some excellent sites that’ll do everything for you at the click of a mouse. It’s time to assert your individuality and let your imagination run wild!

Alternatives to Regular T-shirts

People like to show of their creative side, and they like to make statements. One of the best ways to show your personality at first glance is to wear interesting and unique clothing. As young girls discovered during the fluorescent clothing fad of the 1980s, the only rules that apply to fashion are the rules that the people wearing the clothing make. This holds true especially in the t-shirt customization field. If you are interested in creating unique and cool-looking t-shirts, we have some excellent suggestions.

The hot thing right now is the color-changing, or morphing t-shirt. These shirts are generally cotton t-shirts with an ironed-on design in a single contrasting color. However, the surprise is that when you walk into sunlight the design becomes a menagerie of colors and changes the look entirely. This is an interesting way to go from business casual to office picnic fun! The shirts are particularly common with tourists in beach areas who want a nice shirt to take home, and one that draws some attention. The technology for producing these shirts is relatively new, however photosensitive inks have been around for decades.

Airbrushing is another popular t-shirt personalization option that many people are using to show off their favorite things, their grandchildren and even their new car. Airbrushing is an artistic method that takes a great deal of talent and practice to perfect. A good airbrush t-shirt designer can generally take any image or photograph and transform a t-shirt into an excellent replica of the original. There are unlimited design opportunities and possibilities with airbrushing, thus it is really no surprise that kiosks are popping up at tourist areas and shopping malls across the world.

Glow in the dark t-shirts have been popular among children and adults for years. The type of glow in the dark shirt is what has changed. No longer do the designs you see glow on their own. Now, designers have placed glow in the dark words and designs on the shirt that are not visible during the light of day. What a different look this provides, and what a surprise some people get when they realize what their shirt is really saying when the lights are low. This type of shirt makes a great gag gift, or a neat gift for that young nephew who has every toy he can ever possibly play with.

During the 1990s, shirts decorated with rhinestones, glitter and sequins gained popularity. There are a number of ways in which these items can be attached to the shirt they are decorating. Rhinestones can be glued, or a better option is to actually use a grommet of sorts with prongs that hold the stone in place and prevent it from falling off in the laundry or while being worn. Because these shirts can be fairly expensive t-shirt options, no one wants to see their shirt fall apart. Sequins are generally sewn onto the shirt, either by hand or machine. And glitter is generally glued to the material with special fabric glue.

For those with young children who would like to help with the creation of their own custom t-shirts there is the option to print an iron transfer in black and white and to allow the child to use fabric markers and paints to customize their own t-shirt. Another way to involve even the youngest family members in to the t-shirt creation process is to make shirts with the child’s handprints or footprints placed on the fabric. There are a variety of ways to do this, however the most common is to simply stamp the child’s hand onto the shirt after dipping it in thick fabric paint.

There are so many different methods available for creating unique and creative decorated t-shirts that there really is not reason to ever wear a plain shirt again.

Characteristics of a T-Shirt – Create your Own

It’s certainly difficult to imagine that a humble t-shirt, the most enduring symbol of youth and self-expression, is nearly a century old! This basic apparel started off as men’s innerwear and got its name from its shape that formed into a stout ‘T’ when laid spreadeagled. However, today, this has become the most convenient medium to express your individuality.

Characteristics of a t-shirt

A typical t-shirt has little sleeves and a round collar that distinguishes it from a standard undershirt. Although, it’s a summer wear, its popularity doesn’t diminish in cold weather, as a sweatshirt or a long sleeve shirt can always be worn on top of it.

This apparel is popular not only because it’s a convenient wear, but it can also be made unique. You can reflect your inner feelings right across your chest by appropriate text and images. In certain cases, it can also be made to state what should’ve remained unsaid! Although the message is important, there are other important factors to be considered too, for example, material, style, color and weight.

According to experts, an important criterion of a custom t-shirt is its weight. Any t-shirt made of 100% cotton, weighing between 5.3 oz and 5.8 oz, is considered a heavyweight t-shirt. Super heavyweight t-shirts are generally constructed of materials weighing between 6.1 oz and 7.0 oz. However, you’d do well to choose a standard heavyweight t-shirt in the range of 5.6 oz. This is not only because there’s a huge color choice in this weight category, but also because it lends itself beautifully to printing. Little wonder these standard heavyweight tees are the best selling of any classification of t-shirts.

However, those wanting a product with a little more beef would do well to choose super heavyweight t-shirts. They’re the recommended choice for custom embroidery. Although, they may cost slightly more than the standard weight, it’ll be worth the money for customers with a budget. Seven ounce t-shirts are seldom used for casual wear and are more suited for sporting purposes.

Coming to the material, t-shirts constructed of 50% cotton and 50% polyester are the lightest tees, weighing between 3.9 oz and 4.6 oz. However, from expert’s point of view these tees are a big no-no, since they cannot match the superior custom printing, embroidery surface, comfort and durability of 100% cotton t-shirts. However, the problem of shrinkage of pure cotton tees has been overcome. Now, major brands in the market are either pre-shrunk or have a fairly uniform shrinkage at 3% to 5%.

Creating your custom t-shirts

Well, you’ve chosen the appropriate material and thought of a befitting slogan, now all that remains is to put a suitable graphic and you’re done. With new technology on the internet its really easy to create your own custom t-shirt. You can choose from existing t-shirt templates, upload your own image, add your text and you have created a t-shirt that has never been created before. Although hundreds upon thousands of custom t-shirts are available with all kinds of messages and graphics, it’s your own ideas that’ll make your tees unique. So, create your own custom t-shirt and if it manages to provoke a reaction, you’re sure to get your ‘fifteen minutes of fame’!

Custom T-Shirts – Wearing Politics, Elections, Current Events

You make a political statement; chances are it may not be heard. But, wear it on your chest and you’ll stand out like a sore thumb or a messiah depending on which side of the public opinion you stand. Take the case of President George Bush. He seems the most hated man, but he’s adored too. An Afro-beat band called Mifuné, wearing custom t-shirts with a picture of George Bush with a line through it, was silenced in mid-performance at Tower City because the mall’s management felt the band’s attire was inappropriate.

Custom t-shirt–a political medium

It’s true since the time people started sporting t-shirts with their political views printed on them, it’s given them a new voice. It became that much easy to go with the mood of the nation or spark a controversy by wearing your political beliefs emblazoned on the fronts and backs of this apparel. Gone are the days when dress-code disputes limited themselves to gangsta gear or showing too much skin, politics has now become the new fashion mantra that’s giving sleepless nights to the administration. And the disputes arising out of it are making their way into the courts. Listen to this…a student gets reprimanded for wearing a t-shirt shouting ‘International Terrorist’ with a picture of President Bush. He’s told to remove it or face the consequences. He contacts the ACLU. The group files a lawsuit and wins!

But why this sudden revival of playing politics with tees? Well, the times they’re a changin’…people’s lives today are more and more affected by such issues as Iraq war, terrorism and the talk of bringing back the draft. And this is adding to the frustration of otherwise God fearing and hard working individuals. Instead of taking up the arms, people are literally wearing their protests on their arms!

The t-shirt, of course, has long been a political tool. Starting out as part of a military uniform, it has ended up as a banner of political dissent. It was just half-a-century ago that the t-shirt was declared an official part of the US Marine Corp uniform. But, forty years later someone came up with the idea of using the blank space on the chest and back as a walking billboard. If you got a surface to write your views, can politics be far away! So, it’s no surprise that this casual wear started saying things with telling effect. Vietnam ‘Hell No, We Won’t Go’ defined the role of the t-shirt as a canvas for activism, advertising, ‘subvertising’ and politics of all persuasions. Since then, the variety in political messages is only limited by the imagination of the slogan and graphic creators, as there’s no dearth of political causes.

Creating your political custom t-shirts

Today, if you want to have your political say on your custom t-shirt, you don’t have to go looking for a plain tee and try your hand at designing. There are apparel companies who’d help you out with that. And rightly so, with t-shirt being the billboard of today’s movement, why should you sacrifice quality and style with your amateur attempts. By using hi-tech machinery that allows innovative colours, embroidery and appliqué, these companies can help you in not only reproducing your idea, but evolving it too with the kind details you couldn’t even dream of. They’re aware that a simple t-shirt can be a vote for change.

So, if you want to highlight a political theme in humorous or satirical way on your tee, go for the established people in custom t-shirt printing business. They’ll design your political t-shirt in a way that’d get the message across in split seconds to make an instant impression.

Creating custom t-shirts has never been easier

In your list of must-haves, custom t-shirts are sure to be somewhere on the top, irrespective of how many you already own! What happens when you don’t buy a custom t-shirt? Picture this, you put your money together and buy a nice and expensive branded t-shirt. You decide to flaunt it at the next do at your friend’s place. But when you get there, you find to your horror someone else sporting the same exact tee! Bye, bye good money, you are wearing a shirt that everyone else has!!

Now won’t it be just great, if you could design one on your own that’ll not only be cheap, but unique, displaying your very own creation on your chest and back? Well, it is no possible to design your own custom t-shirt.

Your very own custom t-shirts

If a t-shirt idea has been lurking in your mind for long and is longing for expression, help is at hand. Even if you’re creatively challenged, you could still design your own tee. This is because, today, anyone can create a custom t-shirt online. There are some really cool sites that offer this service including ihearttees.com and mrstshirt.com

A typical site offers quick and easy steps to fill up the blank canvas of your tee. This involves selecting a tee, giving or choosing a design and placing the order. Let’s see what a typical custom t-shirt site has to offer:

a. Product: Blank tees in numerous styles and price ranges are available at the site. Once you select your style and color, you can either upload you own graphics to create your own design or use thousands of images and hundreds of fonts offered by the site. The site’s production team will review each order and recommend design improvements, if necessary. After all, they possess the creative eye! This done, your products are then decorated using high quality screen-printing, embroidery or whatever else you’ve opted for.

b. Pricing: Most sites are quite transparent about the pricing, but these can vary. The prices are generally based on the quantity, color and the brand of the blank item you select, as also for the screen-printing, the number of colors you use in your design. So, look for the most competitive prices online, where there are no hidden charges and shipping is free. You’re sure to find such sites. Word-of-mouth testimonials of friends and colleagues are a great way to choose such sites.

c. Minimums: Some sites stipulate a minimum, that is, you’ve to order a minimum of six pieces for screen printing or twelve pieces for embroidery and the like. This is basically to make the design cost-effective. However, many sites including ours require NO MINIMUMS for custom t-shirts using new technology of DTG (Direct to Garment).

d. Delivery: This varies greatly, as some sites offer a 24 to 48 hour turn around time, while some can ask for as much as fourteen days for delivery.

e. Guarantee: This is important and should be insisted upon. You don’t want to end up with a tee that doesn’t look like the one you designed! So, look for sites that offer money-back guarantee.

f. Payment: The usual modes of payment are credit or debit cards, checks, purchase orders (generally for institutions, like universities, corporations, and the like).

Designing your own custom t-shirt is fun. With online designing tools offered by various sites, it’s quick and easy too. So, don’t let your creativity perish within, reproduce it on your tee and get an edge over others!

Custom T-Shirts – Support a Cause

Remember the slogans, ‘Free Tibet’, ˜End Police Brutality’, ‘Erase Hunger’, ‘Meat = Murder’, ‘Animals are the Only Fashion Victims’, and the like that made people sit up and take note? T-shirts have certainly evolved from a mere garment to a canvas to display your personal, social or political views.

The power of the slogans on t-shirts

T-shirts, undoubtedly, are the most visible form of mobile publicity ever devised. And their power was discovered in 1990s, when the catchy slogans emblazoned across the chest and back became a rage. Humorous and ironic, but always espousing a cause, these t-shirts slogans have been making political and social statements with telling effect since long. Little wonder they’ve even been embraced by celebrities like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton.

This modern phenomenon of ˜personal branding’ has today become a handy tool for those wishing to cash on to the political climate or support a cause. Offensive, shocking or pornographic, these slogans and graphics make hard hitting statements and reveal the leanings of the wearer–political or otherwise.

T-shirts can make a big difference as part of a campaign. According to Liberty, a British Human Rights group, “They may not change the world, but they allow us all the opportunity to state clearly our support for liberty and human rights”. However, there are no two opinions t-shirts are useful in generating publicity, public awareness and debate. Although, much depends on what they’re trying to say and who’s wearing them, they’ve an impact, particularly when they’re worn in places we least expect them to see.

Want to know the effect of these tees? T-shirt with the slogan ‘Fashion Targets Breast Cancer’ has raised ten-and-a-half million US dollars since its launch ten years ago! Name a supermodel and it’s likely she’d have modeled the recognizable ‘target’ logo at some point in her career. Some of these supermodels are Elle MacPherson, Gisele Bundchen, Yasmin Le Bon and Jodie Kidd.

Sometimes individuals support a cause by waging a slogan war against the authorities through the medium of t-shirts. It’ll be pertinent to mention one such personality. She’s Katherine Hamnett, a British designer, who has become famous, or rather infamous, for her protest t-shirts. In 1984, she wore an anti-nuke t-shirt to meet Margaret Thatcher proclaiming ‘58% Don’t Want Pershing’! Again in 2003, she sent models down the catwalk wearing t-shirts that said ‘No War, Blair Out’.

Making custom t-shirts

If you want to convey your message through a custom t-shirt, you don’t have to shop for plain t-shirts and run after graphic designers and printers. Finding a company that accepts outsourced t-shirt orders is easy. So, if you’ve a cause, don’t hesitate to announce it to the world through custom tees.