Trendy T-Shirt Printing for the Modern Mindset
Unlike today, when T-shirt printing has become a fine, creative art form, transforming a plain shirt into a must-have fashion item for work, leisure time and play, the tee evolved from very humble beginnings. This may come as a surprise to many a latter-day fashionista, whose carefully compiled wardrobe includes a variety of these garments; most of them with big-brand labels and graphic prints, plus a few plain, unprinted and somewhat more conventional tops.
Before Textile and T-Shirt Printing was Possible
Once the sole preserve of labourers, the then-humble T-shirt, completely devoid of printing, is said by some to date back to the latter part of the 19th century. Others claim that these basic, casual, comfy clothing items were worn by men as an undergarment as early as the Middle Ages, because as undershirts, they were easier to wash and quicker to dry than their outerwear counterparts.
During the earlier times, there was no point or purpose in printing anything on a T-shirt, because when it was worn as an undergarment, it was typically hidden by a traditional shirt or over-shirt. In fact, the reputed earliest tees, made from woven cotton, linen or wool, were produced by hand before the advent of mechanised printing machinery and inks or permanent pigments that could print on textiles.
Additionally, by about the 1880s, sailors in the US Navy were issued with T-shirts to be worn under uniform tops or on their own, but then only while the seamen were on deck. Because the tees formed part of a military uniform, no printing whatsoever would have been allowed.
Conversely, these days, corporate insignia that’s printed on corporate uniforms and T-shirts is essential. Using a plain, “logo-less”, unprinted tee as a brand activator or giveaway, serves no corporate promotional purpose whatsoever.
Unisex Tees
It was inevitable that women would take to wearing T-shirts, which evolved to become unisex garments, providing that the shirts were appropriately sized. It’s unclear exactly when women began wearing tees, but when they did so, the tee was well and truly on the map.
Perhaps one fine day, the lady of the home donned her husband’s T-shirt to clean the house – a task that was then deemed to be “women’s work” in a so-called “man’s world”. Maybe she so enjoyed wearing hubby’s tee that she seized it as her own, making his favourite tee the comfy and cool unisex property of his nearest and dearest.
T-Shirt Printing Trend
Levity aside, a source states that during the 1980s, a designer by the name of Katharine Hamnett was responsible for creating oversized tees, which featured printed words and/or catchphrases. Although the T-shirt printing trend continued thereafter, its popularity diminished slightly for a while.
Now, in the 21st century, T-shirt printing is hotter and trendier than ever. Messages, slogans, logos, tag lines and quirky, weird or humorous messages and images are printed on the fronts and backs of tees, which brings us to printed corporate T-shirts and vests – an area in which the XCO Group specialises.
We manufacture, supply and print T-shirts across the colour spectrum in a wide range of sizes and fits for gents, ladies and kiddies. We also have our own, in-house branding studio, where logos are expertly printed or embroidered on the fabrics in the most eye-catching, effective branding placements.
Top-quality Textile Printing Inks
XCO only uses top-quality textile printing inks, which don’t run or smudge in the wash and are fade-resistant. Two printing techniques work well and give excellent results on T-shirt fabrics – screen printing and dye sublimation.
Quality Functional Fabrics
Soft, knit-type, stretchy fabrics that are breathable, draw moisture away from the body, are washable, fade-resistant, shrink-proof / pre-shrunk, and durable are chosen for all our t-shirts, ensuring that they retain their shape, allow freedom of movement and wearers’ comfort, wash after wash, for a long time.
Ideal for Brand Activations and as Branded Giveaways
Because t-shirts are universally popular, virtually everyone enjoys wearing them until they are worn out. They’re ideal garments for corporate personnel at sponsored sports events, product launches and expos.
Making potential customers aware of and familiar with your brand is a fundamental part of brand activation that seeks to create closer and lasting associations between corporate entities and their customers.
By giving away a useful branded sample of an affordable item that is representative of the company, customers gain experience with the brand. They can be activated to form a closer bond with the organisation.
Additionally, if T-shirt printing is done professionally, your corporate branded tees make perfect, cost-effective and brand-promoting giveaways. Connect with your customers with printed T-shirts by contacting our XCO Group experts.
