About Chelsey Loya

Chelsey is an apparel professional working in Southern California. She graduated with a BA in Fashion Merchandising from California State University, Long Beach.

Custom Shirt Tags: Creating Your Own Neck Label

You have a brand. You need custom shirt tags. When it comes to creating your own clothing line, finding the right type of tag can be a long process. Adding a personalized printed label on the inside neck of your tees is the hottest trend in retail, and luckily it’s a cheap alternative to sewn-in tags, woven labels, and hang tags! There are many reasons why creating your own custom printed tagless label can be the perfect option for your apparel brand. Removing the original manufacturer tags and replacing them with your own one-color print design is an awesome way to really show up the competition and make your t-shirts look as professional as possible.

custom neck label shirt tags

 

Why should I print my t shirt label instead of using sewn in woven tags?

Branding your garments will show customers that your line is the real deal, while also providing a more comfortable wear. We’ve all been there—when you’re wearing a new t-shirt for the first time, and next thing you know that itchy, scratchy tag is totally throwing off your whole day! That’s Branded custom neck labelnever the impression you want to make. With a printed label, your customers won’t ever have to fuss and fight. And with a bigger surface area than standard woven tags, you’ll have more freedom to really use the label as branding opportunity. Screen-printed custom shirt tags offer more room for artistic design that will have a presence on the garment—catching the eye of shoppers and leaving an impression about the identity of your brand. Custom garment labels also help to keep your t shirt line cohesive across different items, styles and colors. There’s no better way to legitimize your line and keep up with big brand names than to order your own custom screen printed labels!

What do I need to include on my custom neck label?

Okay, so where do you start? The first thing you’ll want to include in your custom shirt tags is the legally-mandated information regarding country of origin, fabric content, care instructions and size of the blank shirts you’re using. In the US, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires that this information be included on all clothing before it is sold. Because of this, the shirts that you choose will already have a tag which will need to be removed. Visit the FTC website if you’d like to learn more about these labeling requirements! When choosing your t-shirts, you’ll need to make sure that the shirts have either sewn-in tags or a tear-away tag—not a printed or heat-sealed label. In order to print your label, we’ll need a clean surface!

Example of sewn-in tag residue when adding custom neck labelHow do you remove the existing garment tags?

Removing the manufacturer tags is no problem for us—we offer this service at no additional cost! Tees that feature tear-away or “paper” tags are the best option for achieving the cleanest finish, since these were created especially for this purpose. Brands like Next Level, Delta Apparel, Anvil and Tultex offer various tees with this kind of label—making removal quick and clean.

Sewn-in tags are also easy to remove—we simply snip off the tag as close to the seam as possible. Depending on the type of shirt, some tags are a little more difficult to remove entirely. Small amounts of leftover material, referred to as “residue,” should be expected when looking closely, but generally shouldn’t be visible when the collar is lying flat.

How do I start designing my custom shirt tags?

Once we’ve got the tags removed we’re all set to print your inside neck labels! When designing, there are a few things to consider. In order to create the most lightweight print with a barely-there feel, you’ll want to incorporate a lot of negative space into your design—meaning that you don’t want too many large, filled-in spaces. Think outlines and light fonts. Remember: the Inside Neck Label Custom Shirt Tagmore ink there is in your print, the more you will feel it!  Besides, you don’t want your label to distract from the rest of your shirt!

When it comes to printing dark colors onto light colored tees, it’s possible that your print may show through the back of the shirt a little bit, depending on the weight and fabric content. This is another one of those anomalies that is unfortunately unavoidable with screen printing. Generally speaking, using heavier weight tees and lighter colored ink will help to avoid this. Also, be advised that you’ll be able to feel the print a little more on darker-colored shirts than you will on lighter-colored shirts. This is because 2 layers of ink will be needed when printing onto dark fabric. If you have any concerns, speak with one of our representatives prior to ordering and we can go over t-shirt options!

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Los Angeles Apparel–Wholesale Tees for Today’s Printers

Los Angeles Apparel

There’s no question that the Los Angeles Apparel wholesale line is hitting the industry with a bang. “What’s very important is consistency”, says Dov, and vertical integration is the key to keeping this consistency alive.

Blankstyle had a chance to sit down with founder Dov Charney to discuss everything from his new line’s inspirations to US manufacturing, and the ups and downs of his famous past endeavors. As the original founder of American Apparel, there was lots of ground to cover. Check out the full interview here!

Though he’s no longer with the company, Dov plans to stay the course when it comes to US manufacturing and working conditions, and right some of the wrong turns made in the past. “I want to build a world class garment manufacturing company. I want there to be a huge commitment to advanced manufacturing. I want to continue our previous commitment to  fair treatment of workers and fair wages. We want to be an industry leader once again.”

In a time when more and more companies are moving production overseas, Dov continues his dedication to manufacturing strictly in the US. “When I say ‘made in the USA’ I’m talking about down to the yarns–it’s grown from the earth of America.”

Los Angeles Apparel Wholesale

From quality control to customer relations, vertical integration and keeping his workers close is what makes it all possible. He believes that paying a fair wage to his employees doesn’t harm the overall financial outcome, and actually helps the company thrive in the long term.

All of the Los Angeles Apparel employees from the factory to the office have worked for him under American Apparel for anywhere from 5-25 years. To show his dedication to them, the back of each t-shirt tag shows a picture of the specific worker who sewed the shirt.

Los Angeles Apparel Wholesale

From Left: Los Angeles Apparel HF07 Fleece Pullover, FF01 Poly Cotton Tee, HF09 Heavyweight Hoodie

Although he’s holding on to the core values he held with his previous company, Dov now veers in a different direction when it comes to style and aesthetic. “I do believe tighter garments are moving out and looser, more structured fabrics are coming in.”

The 1801 Garment Dyed Tee is something Dov sees as the new face of today’s t-shirt, and expects it to be a Los Angeles Apparel top seller. This garment is sewn two inches bigger than the standard US t-shirt spec. It’s tightly knit and weighs in at over 6 ounces—something almost unheard of in today’s premium market where 3- 4oz jersey is the norm.

Los Angeles Apparel Wholesale

The Los Angeles Apparel 2017 Tee features wide sleeves and a full cut.

Wide sleeves and a generous body create a more relaxed, over sized look for both men and women. Nostalgic ads from the 80’s and early 90’s come to mind when trying to pinpoint Los Angeles Apparel’s creative direction.

Charney showed us another one of his latest creations– a 14oz heavyweight hoodie described as a “survival piece.” The new line is steering far from American Apparels thin and lightweight line packed with tri-blends, modal and semi sheer jerseys. When asked if he believes he’s predicting the trends or if he’s actually creating the trends, Dov simply answers “both.”

Los Angeles Apparel Wholesale

For those customers simply wanting the tried and true lightweight staples, Los Angeles Apparel has those too. The new line offers recreations of some of American Apparel’s most popular and best-selling styles down to the fabrication, coloring and fit. Check out the 20001 100% cotton tee for the 2001 comparable, or the FF0053 Infant Raglan for the BB053 comparable! Everything from Track Shorts to Toddler Baseball Tees are available and in stock today. And of course, all made in the US!

Los Angeles Apparel Wholesale

Machine maintenance at the South Central manufacturing facility

To this day Dov is very proud of what he’s created throughout his career, and he’ll continue to be a pioneer in USA-made apparel. Going forward, he’ll use the experience he’s accumulated throughout the years to perfect the process, and continue providing a premium product line for retail and wholesale customers alike. Check out out diverse selections for a range of American-made and international blank t-shirts.

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American Apparel Bankruptcy–What We Know

American Apparel Bankruptcy

Courtesy of American Apparel

UPDATE 4/21/2017

Limited stock for select styles is now available for drop ship from the American Apparel warehouse! Drop shipped items will take 24-48 hours to process prior to shipping. Items included in the new stock wave are the infamous kids raglan tee BB253, the 8369 Sleeveless Crop Top and the women’s tri-blend TR301.

The American Apparel wholesale website is back up and revamped, giving anxious buyers a sneak peek into what the future holds for the collection. Ordering is disabled for now but some popular items host a “Coming in May” title.

The popular 2001, BB401, F497, TR401 and BB453 all made the cut! And with new stock available, you’ll want to order ASAP.

Categories for US Made, Unisex, Kids, etc. show a scaled-back version of the line, featuring only the top heavy hitters that customers know and love.

UPDATE 2/27/2017

In a conference call on Feb. 23rd, Chief Executive Officer Glenn Chamandy announced that the American Apparel brand will begin production soon using a mix of contracted US producers and Gildan’s own manufacturing plants outside the country.

The new owners plan to continue producing some key wholesale styles in the US, while other items offered in the line will be produced at their facilities in the Caribbean and Central America. Distribution will be handled via Gildan’s vast network of warehouses.

Chamandy, the head of the company, is optimistic about the future of American Apparel, and looks forward to expanding the brand into new international markets. “We have huge interest from all of our international customers to carry this brand,” he said. “We’re going to continue to support our core Made in the USA business, but we’re also going to offer product where they couldn’t compete before.”

In a statement released on the brand’s wholesale website, Gildan elaborates:

“Gildan and American Apparel share a vision that owning the factories and building responsible practices and sustainable solutions into the manufacturing process is the way to do it right.”

“We anticipate [the transition] to be completed late February.”

1/26/2017

If you haven’t noticed, the American Apparel Bankruptcy has put production on a temporary hiatus. The iconic brand has filed for bankruptcy and is in the process of being bought out by another company. Manufacturing of all items has been suspended for now and with no ETA on when production will pick up, there’s still a lot of questions left unanswered. But here’s the good news–American Apparel will still be around for all your screen printing needs going forward, and stock is still available for the time being.

The popular US-Made brand sold the company in January after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy back in November 2016. With over $177M in debt, the company was unable to turn things around after persisting legal battles and another bankruptcy back in October 2015. The sale brought retail giants Amazon and Forever 21 to the table, and in the end a bid for $88M was accepted from Canadian-based Gildan Activewear.

American Apparel Bankruptcy

Courtesy of the Center for Latin American Studies

Gildan, another big name in the wholesale market, has indicated they will assume some of the current manufacturing operations. The company recently acquired Alstyle apparel and has since kept the brand’s manufacturing in Los Angeles. More specific plans are set to be released during a conference call on Feb. 23rd. They expressed no interest in purchasing the company’s retail stores, and with no other buyers on the horizon, doors are closing for good at brick-and-mortar locations across the globe.

With industry experience spanning spanning 30+ years, Gildan is expected to fully pivot the brand towards the wholesale market and dedicate it’s resources to serving that consumer base. It’s unsure how much of the current line will remain after the American Apparel Bankruptcy, but if you’re a wholesale buyer or screen printer who’s had trouble buying American Apparel in the past, things just might get a little easier.

American Apparel Bankruptcy

Courtesy of Teen Vogue

Warehouse closures for both retail and wholesale products have already begun in Southern California–including massive layoffs at the famous American Apparel factory in Downtown Los Angeles. Because of this, stock levels represented on your distributor’s website may not be 100% accurate or up-to-date. Only one thing’s for sure–if you need popular shirts like the 2001, BB401 or BB453–be sure to stock up now while you can!

Stay Tuned for more Updates on the American Apparel Bankruptcy!

 

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Sources

Gildan will Continue Manufacturing some American Apparel Lines in the US

American Apparel Wholesale

Forbes: American Apparel Agrees To Gildan Activewear Acquisition

Fortune: Bankrupt Retailer American Apparel Begins Laying Off Thousands of Workers

Gildan: Company Overview

Heavy Cotton T-Shirts: Call it a Comeback

Heavy Cotton T-ShirtsHeavy Cotton T-Shirts are making a comeback! The rise of streetwear is pushing the look of today’s tee to longer lengths and wider, boxier sleeves. Classic styles like pocket shirts and pigment dye are on the rise–and designers are playing with new hemlines like drop tail hems, rounded hems and high-low asymmetry. Keep reading to shop these cutting edge wholesale trends!

Heavy Cotton T-Shirts

Chomp Brand Tees Printed on a Full Cut T-Shirt. Click to Shop

Heavy Cotton T-Shirts

American Apparel Box Hammer Tee. Click to Shop

American Apparel Box Hammer Tee

With the nineties back in style, it’s no surprise that we’re seeing a swing back towards the more traditional full cut Heavy Cotton T-Shirts that reigned supreme before all the slim fit blended tees that now saturate the wholesale market. But the future of the box tee is a little more refined than the cheap tees printers used to print. Rather than a scratchy, thick shirt, we now have several options for nicer quality tees made with soft ring-spun combed cotton—giving the look and feel of luxury. Shop the NEW American Apparel Box Hammer Tee HJ402.

Heavy Cotton T-Shirts

Costalamel Fall 2016 Line Features Long Tees. Click to Shop

Heavy Cotton T-Shirts

BELLA+CANVAS Urban Tee–Available in 3 Colors. Click to Shop

BELLA+CANVAS 3006

Drop tail and high-low tees have been gaining momentum for the past few seasons because they offer an exaggerated emphasis on the length of the shirt. The New long t-shirt from industry favorite BELLA+CANVAS proves that designers can still get true retail quality at affordable prices. This long tee features a rounded drop tail hem and a slender fit—creating more of a long rectangular shape. Available in three classic colors and a nice mid weight 4.2oz jersey for a comfortable wear. Shop the BELLA+CANVAS 3006 Urban Tee.

Heavy Cotton T-Shirts

Cotton Heritage Drop Tail Crewneck Tee. Click to Shop

Cotton Heritage Drop Tail Heavy Cotton T-Shirts

This drop tail crewneck tee by Cotton Heritage is quickly becoming a crowd favorite. With a long body, full sleeves and a rounded high-low hemline, this shirt offers the oversized look with premium combed ring-spun cotton. These Heavy Cotton T-Shirts with exaggerated length are becoming a streetwear staple–so don’t miss out! The 4.3oz jersey is made with 100% cotton for the solid colors (heather colors feature a cotton blend). Shop the Cotton Heritage MC1050.

 

 

Heavy Cotton T-Shirts

Click Here to get your Custom Price Quote! Photo Courtesy of Costalamel

Heavy Cotton T-Shirts

Alternative Apparel Pigment Dyed Distressed Vintage Tee. Click to Shop

Alternative Apparel Distressed Pigment Dyed T-shirt

Hello Pigment Dye! Everyone remembers this 90’s favorite. From dad hats to crewneck pullovers, the pigment dye technique is back in full force. Distressed edges and holes are also becoming a popular styling choice in men’s and particularly women’s tees. The Alternative Apparel Distressed Vintage Ladies Tee offers the best of both worlds. This destroyed tee will take your vintage designs to a whole new level!  Shop the Alternative Apparel Distressed Pigment Dyed Shirt.

Heavy Cotton T-Shirts

Stussy’s Fall 2016 Line Features Many Pigment Dyed Tees. Click to Shop Printable Pigment Dyed Tees

Heavy Cotton T-Shirts

Pigment Dyed Pocket Tee by Authentic Pigment. Click to Shop

Authentic Pigment Heavy Cotton T-Shirts

Pigment dyeing is a special process where 100% cotton items are garment-dyed with a mix of raw pigment and binding solution. The resulting effect is the color shows many years of wear and washing. The color continues to fade over time! Authentic Pigment is a popular line focusing solely on pigment dyed t-shirts. With over 20 styles for men and women, their products range from messenger bags to hoodies, ladies’ racerback tanks to raglans.  Their AP201 Heavy Cotton T-Shirt features a pocket and comes in 10 striking earth tones. Shop the Authentic Pigment Pocket T-shirt.

 

Heavy Cotton T-Shirts

Designs by Mathiole Printed on a Full Cut Tee. Photos Courtesy of DesignByHumans. Click to Shop all Designs

Heavy Cotton T-Shirts

Delta Apparel 19100 Surf Tee. Click to Shop

Delta Apparel Surfer Tee

The Delta Surfer Tee is no rookie. These popular 5.5oz Heavy Cotton T-Shirts offer the softness of ring-spun cotton and a classic full cut body. With a tear away tag, this is a no-brainer choice for those looking for a solid, no-frills option at an unbeatable price. But don’t let the price tag fool you—this shirt blows brands like Gildan and Tultex out of the water in terms of quality and softness! Shop the 19100 Delta Apparel Surfer Tee.

 

 

 

 

Heavy Cotton T-Shirts

BELLA+CANVAS 3006 Urban Tee. Click to Shop

Heavy Cotton T-Shirts

2016 Summer 2 Collection by Publish Features Exaggerated Sleeves and Long Body Tees. Click to Shop

Need a Custom Price Quote for Screen printing? CLICK HERE!

Need Sweatshirts too? CLICK HERE for the latest Wholesale Fleece trends!

 

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Custom Dad Hats: a Guide to Wholesale

Custom Dad Hats

Hello nostalgia! The 90’s come alive with one of this year’s biggest trends—the once-dorky now painfully awesome, Dad Hat! From home room to the runway, this throwback style made a huge comeback in 2016. And we know why: Custom embroidery is cheap! Everyone’s getting in on the action—want to grab your piece of the pie? Keep reading to get started on your custom Dad Hats!

Custom Dad Hats

What is a Dad Hat?

Who knew dads had so much style? These adjustable baseball caps generally come with 5 or 6 panels, a curved bill, a button on top and an adjustable strap in the back. The key to the “Dad Hat” look is an unstructured baseball cap with a low profile—making this the ultimate casual option in a time when headwear is becoming more and more sumptuous. We have an array cheap Dad Hats on sale in many different colors and styles—all ready for embroidery! The Anvil 146 and the Yupoong dad hat 6245CM are some of the best basic options.

Custom Dad Hats

Custom Dad Hats

Adams LP101 Optimum Washed Dad Hat complete with a leather strap and brass buckle

Bulk Dad Hats

Blank Dad Hats are the perfect canvas for your brand’s logo or quirky designs. And with so many wholesale dad hats to choose from, it’s easy to find the perfect fit. Often made with 100% cotton twill, some are brushed or sueded for a textured finish. Many vintage dad hats have been washed to create a weathered look. Straps usually come in self fabric but some styles like the Adams LP101 offer leather straps and brass buckles for a more polished look. More variations also available with organic cotton, two-tone colors, sandwich bills and even distressed Dad Hats!

Custom Dad Hats

Distressed Dad Hats are very popular! Shop the District DT600 Distressed Dad Hat

Custom Embroidery

Embroidering a batch of custom dadhats is easy, relatively cheap and most of all, FUN! From sarcastic quotes to your favorite food—the sky’s the limit. When it comes to pricing, you’ll generally pay per square inch of surface area. So if you don’t have a lot of money to work with, choose a design you can easily scale down or go with some simple text.

Custom Dad Hats

Unlike with screen printing, the amount of colors in your logo doesn’t necessarily affect the price! Which means you don’t have to feel held back during the designing process just to meet your budget. Go crazy and embroider that rainbow peace sign! Or pay a tribute to your Nintendo 64! Looking for a price quote on custom Dad Hats? Click here to get started!

Custom Dad Hats

Embroider almost anywhere!

 

SHOP ALL WHOLESALE DAD HATS

 

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Best Jogger Pants 2016!

Best Jogger pants For 2016

The revolution has begun pick up your joggers at blankstyle.com today. We have a large selection of the best jogger pants available in 2016 at wholesale prices.

Best Jogger Pants - Alternative Apparel

Photo courtesy of Alternative Apparel. Pictured: Ladies 31082F Fleece Jogger & Men’s 09881F Dodgeball Pant

Joggers have become one of the hottest projected items in printed apparel for spring 2016. With comfort and style, this sporty staple appeals to all kinds of customers! From gym rats to style bloggers, busy moms and college kids, the laidback look has it all. view all Joggers!

Generally made with cotton and polyester, these pants make a great canvas for your company’s printed logo and designs. Because of the weight, they also make a great option for embroidery and patch appliques! We’ve got a few notable styles that will help add some flair to your clothing line and closet alike this season–all at wholesale prices! View our opinion of the best jogger pants for 2016 here!

Best Jogger Pants - Alternative Apparel

2822 Alternative Apparel Women’s Stripe Jogger Pants

Jogger Pants

Alternative Apparel, one of the leading brands in printed retail apparel, currently offers two women’s styles with superior construction and quality materials. The 31082F Ladies Fleece Jogger starts at $21.46 and the 2822 Stripe Jogger starts at $19.38. The Men’s 09881F Dodgeball Pant comes in a classic military camo print, as well as the 31082F! Please keep in mind that proof of business is required to order Alternative Apparel products at wholesale prices!

Best Jogger Pants - Cotton Heritage

M7620 Cotton Heritage Fleece Rib Jogger Pants

Best Jogger Pants

Cotton heritage is one of the emerging brands in the imprintable clothing market—creating a lot of buzz with their quality men’s tees and popular women’s tanks. They’ve now released a men’s Fleece Rib Jogger Pant M7620 available in a variety of colors. They even have a Fleece Jogger Short for the hotter weather! This jogger pant starts at just $12.87—making it a complete steal and instant best-seller! Especially considering there is no minimum order and no business verification is required to order!

Best Jogger Pants - J. America

8944 J. America – Women’s Zen Fleece Jogger Pants

Best Jogger Pants Wholesale

J. America, another prominent brand for blanks, now has two different women’s jogger styles. The 8943 Glitter Jogger features a tri-blend fabric with flecks of metallic glitter woven in with the cotton and polyester. The other style, the 8944 Zen Fleece Jogger has been acid washed to produce stylized fading along the seams and hems for a more vintage look. Starting at $20.49 and $21.75 respectively, these pants will add a high-end touch to any product mix! No minimum or wholesale verification required!

After finding the perfect jogger pants, don’t forget to explore our full range of wholesale blank t-shirts, offering a variety of styles and brands to meet all your apparel needs.

Getting ready to print your spring and summer orders? Don’t forget to checkout our Spring pantone blog Screen Printing the 2016 Color Trends for inside scoop on the best color choices!

Chelsey on Google+

Small Business Tips for Making your Life Easier

Breaking into the apparel industry can bring a tidal wave of stress and emotions for those running a small business. In a sea of success and failures, one thing we all can do is man up—buckle those belts and submit to the fact that we’ve all got to start from the bottom and work our way up. Luckily, Jayne Min, consultant slash stylist and founder of the hit website Stop It Right Now has some words of wisdom to help. The OC native gave some great advice to WhoWhatWear about staying professional, finding inspiration and looking good while you climb that ladder.

Tips for Running a Small Business

Image by Stop It Right Now in partnership with Nixon

Pay Your Dues

At times, it’s easy to see others who’ve had success and assume that they must have had things handed to them on a silver platter. You spend hours raking your brain–trying to figure out how you can win big and start swimming in the fame and glory and the Instagram likes and the beautiful designer shoes…Okay, come back down to Earth. It’s important to know that these thoughts are toxic and counter-productive. “Don’t assume that there’s a fast track for everyone,” says Min. “But don’t get discouraged if things don’t unfold smoothly for you. Pay your dues, don’t cut corners, stay humble…and always ask questions.” Recognizing that others have worked hard for what they’ve achieved will inspire you to do the same!

Tips for Running a Small Business

Image by Stop It Right Now in partnership with Nixon

Fuse Your Interests Together

Sometimes finding inspiration for design is as easy as looking to the other aspects of your life where you find passion. Art, biking, pop culture, cooking…we’ve had many customers who now run hugely successful children’s lines because they were so sparked by being a parent! “Growing up, the only other thing I was into besides making clothes was skateboarding,” explains Min. “My two interests—skate and fashion—inevitably fused into a career designing apparel in the skate industry.” Finding others with the same interests and experiences as you is a great way to make sales because your customers will be able to relate to your brand identity. In these retail-saturated times, the only way to effectively create a lifestyle brand that appeals to the masses is to serve a customer base that already exists!

Tips for Running a Small Business

Image by Stop It Right Now in partnership with Nixon

Always be Clocked in

Being your own boss, it’s easy to fudge your work schedule a little bit, or work less consistent hours because, well, hey you’re the boss! But a better strategy for success is to set specific hours and stay focused. Min’s quick tip: swap out the clock on your phone for a classic, dependable watch. “You look at your phone for the time, but then there’s a notification, then your friend sends you an article, and next thing you know, you’ve already forgotten why you grabbed your phone in the first place.” She’s right—we’re all guilty and this little morsel of advice will save hours of lost time. Its common sense that eliminating distractions will keep you on task–and the phone is probably our biggest downfall. Min’s picks: the Nixon Kensington Watch and the Nixon Bullet Watch.

 

Chelsey on Google+

Printing Tees for your Nonprofit: 4 Must-Know Tips

Run of Exploding Colour

Festival of Good Things hosts The Run of Exploding Colour—a 5k allowing individual charities to enroll runners for fundraising efforts!

So, you’ve got a nonprofit and you’re in need of some printed merchandise. Printed t-shirts and hoodys are a great way to help build hype around your organization and raise dollars at the same time! Whether you’re looking to sell them at your next event, auction off for some big bucks or even just give away to participators, you’ll want to make sure that your design is original and low cost to produce. Follow these tips to make it happen!

First and foremost, pick the right shirts

With so many brands and styles to choose from, choosing which tee to print on can get a little overwhelming. The first factor you should consider is the price. Generally the price per tee will go down with volume (depending on where you decide to shop) so you’ll want to order in bulk at wholesale prices.

If you plan on giving these tees away, you’ll want to check out Tultex and Gildan tees. These are some of the leading brands in the industry and they offer the lowest prices. If you’re looking to sell but don’t necessarily want to splurge on the finest, go for a brand like Next Level or Anvil—which are still a great price but offer more contemporary styles. If you’re looking for a premium tee to be sold or auctioned off at a higher price, American Apparel, BELLA+CANVAS or Alternative Apparel is your best bet.

For printing purposes, you’ll want to consider the color of shirts you choose. With screen printing, it’s cheaper to print onto light colored garments, like white or heather grey. When you print onto light colors, most inks (dark colors and bright colors) will be easily visible on the garment. However if you try to print on say, a black, royal blue or a dark grey shirt, you’ll need to first lay down a white under base in order for the color of the ink to show up against the dark background. The additional layer will raise your printing costs as well as add more thickness to the feel of your design.

Numana

Numana fights to end world hunger by arranging large-scale meal packing events with hundreds of volunteers at a time!

Create a Simple Design

When it comes to designing your t-shirts, you’ll want to make sure that you’re not creating an image with too many colors because you’ll most likely be screen printing your shirts. In this method, the price is based on the amount of colors you need to print. A new screen is created for each color—so the price will start to sky rocket when you’ve got three or more colors compared to just one or two. More colors will also add to the weight of your print. Try incorporating the color of the t-shirt into the artwork to make use of negative space! Or come up with a dynamic, one color design that can be printed with color, or bleached out with discharge inks for a soft, unique look.

You’ll want to cut down on the amount of print locations. Since screen printing isn’t priced based on the size of the print, even small logos on the sleeve or hip can pump up the price. Keep things simple—if you need to list your sponsors on the back of the shirt, make sure to convert the logos to one color so it can be printed with one screen! Also make sure to create your design using Adobe Illustrator or a similar program because some printers will charge for vectoring your file and separating the colors.

Represent.com

Represent offers organizations and individuals a way to jumpstart their nonprofit fundraising by selling cause-related tees.

Explore your options

There are many online ways to promote and auction off merchandise for a good cause. Sites like Represent and Teespring now offer sellers an opportunity to create, sell and drop ship printed products—all on one platform without any of the risk or the headache. Represent takes it one step further—specifically catering to the nonprofit community. This site allows you to create your designs online along with a campaign outlining your organization and fundraising goal. Share the campaign with your friends and supporters and they can purchase directly from the site. Once enough tees are sold and your goal is reached, Represent will fulfill your orders and pass your profits right to your charity! It’s a very hands-off, seamless process–making crowdsourcing for your cause easy. Promoting your cause on social media using custom hashtags is another good way to build hype around your organization and merchandise.

Always find the best deals!

Always make sure that you’re getting the best prices, especially when shopping online. Retailmenot is a site that runs a search engine specifically for finding online coupon codes and sales! If you’re planning to sell or distribute your merchandise in person at an event, try to use a company that specializes in both screen printing and providing many options for blank t-shirts—that way you can keep your costs down. Here at Blankstyle.com we offer hundreds of blank apparel brands and can even do your printing for you!  This will ensure that you get the best prices, the fastest turnaround and the widest selection of brands.

 

Chelsey on Google+

Customer Spotlight: the You Night Cancer Survivor Runway Show

pink-stage

Creating tees for your charity event is a great way to help build a buzz around your organization and give back to your supporters! Our new friends at You Night recently created some awesome gear for their fashion runway show benefitting cancer survivors.

You Night is a Louisiana-based organization dedicated to bringing confidence and empowerment to cancer survivors through their You Night Empowering Experience program, which includes a community fashion show. As models in the show, participants are challenged “to examine their mental, emotional and physical state of mind after cancer” through therapeutic meet ups and stepping outside comfort zones. The program currently has a waiting list to join.

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Since 2013, You Night has gained recognition as a growing group of women who continue to fight against the devastating effects cancer can have on survivors and the community. The program’s holistic methods build lasting support and allow these women to forge life-long relationships.  Though the multi-faceted course eventually comes to an end, participants are left with a new set of life skills and a new outlook.

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The You Night Cancer Survivor Runway Show is the main event that closes out the program. It’s hosted semiannually, with 100% of the proceeds going to “We Lift You Up,” a program that offers year-round services to survivors. This event strives to bring happiness and wellness back into the models’ lives by offering them a chance to shine in the spotlight, show off their self-esteem and prove to themselves and the world that they will not let cancer bring them down.

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The event is made possible by their Legacy Partners and through collaborative business sponsorships. Professional salons, boutiques, restaurants, production companies and even model coaches are enlisted to bring their skills and services to the table—creating a one-of-a-kind community based celebration.

If you would like to learn more about the Empowerment Program or the You Night Runway Show, please visit younightevents.com and facebook.com/YouNightEvents. Also, please Donate Here!

Stay tuned for our blog Printing Tees for your Non Profit: 5 Life-Changing Tips!

 

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