Creating Custom Apparel

By Author: Warren Gallagher
Total Articles: 19
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T-Shirts are a big business. Originally (according to some sources) a sleeveless cotton singlet that was worn by dock workers unload crates of Tea and hence the name "Tea shirt" to be shortened to t-shirt. Another source, which is more modern claims that the name came from its shape. Either way t-shirts are a fixture on the fashion scene and there and an infinite variety of Custom T-Shirts display all sorts of logos.

As an item of clothing they apparently came from the navy where the royal navy issued white cotton shirts as undergarments to their sailors. During world war I the US navy also adopted this practice and these were immensely popular as the serge or shoddy that the uniforms were made of was fairly rough causing scratching and itching.

Anyway the US army saw and adopted the T-shirt and started issuing it and from then on it is an item issued in the uniform code of all US Service personnel. It is usually made of 100% cotton and is thus absorbent and cooling. Although meant as an undergarment is hot climates it was soon worn as the only garment on the top of the body.

And so the popularity of this ...
... essentially simple garment grew and grew. Normally round necked and short sleeved the basic t-shirt is still sold as an undergarment but now, since the advent of shirt printing t-shirts with a variety of designs and logos are sold in all clothing and sports stores. Designed names produced slim line t-shirts. T-shirts particularly for ladies are part of high fashion.

There is a huge demand for custom printed t-shirts for any number of reasons, and they need not be expensive. Having one's own custom t-shirts printed is not new but the cost can come way down if you design your own imprint online.

From the design that you can create a silk screen will be made, with a separate screen for each color. Silk screening is a process of picking out the various part of the design on a silken fabric the rest being made impervious. The printing ink can thus penetrate only where it is picked out and then the garment rotates to the next screen where the ink of the second color is pressed through. In this manners quite a few colors can be imprinted but one should note that each color requites a separate screen and thus the cost will increase.

But whether you want custom printed t-shirts for a sports team or a single event all things are possible. People design and have t-shirts printed for all sorts of reasons, Church groups, a bachelorette party, a particular event, to commemorate some achievement or just to show group solidarity.

Shirt printing is not restricted to t-shirts but is of course popular on Polo shirts, on Hoodies, on sports apparel as well. How best to show off the fact that a whole bunch of folk are members of a particular party than by having every one wear the same design. Of course this also applies to businesses providing their staff with a form of corporate identity.

Custom T-Shirts are a very big business and one can create one's own design online.