Christian Audigier makes it look so easy. Granted the exclusive rights to the designs of Don Ed Hardy (aka the Godfather of Tattoo) in 2004, Audigier launched what has become the explosive Ed Hardy brand of apparel. Dubbed “street couture,” the Ed Hardy line has collected an eclectic following along the way, covering the gamut of music powerhouses from Pop queens Madonna and Britney Spears to rocker Brett Michaels and hip-hop’s Kanye West.
Armed with dip dyes and rhinestones, the Ed Hardy line adds edge to an otherwise contained look. Nevertheless, the behind-the-scenes process of giving a basic T-shirt the “wow factor” isn’t always full of glitz and glam. After all, there is a method to the madness. And as novice distributors test the promotional product waters by shopping for dependable screen printers to decorate the number-one wearable in the industry, there is much to consider.
Tom Vann, founder and CEO of, Naperville, Illinois-based Target Graphics, recommended finding a screen print shop that will offer a tour since nothing can replace seeing something carried out firsthand. “Distributors always come out with a great appreciation for just how much goes into garment screen printing. I often tease that folks think printed T-shirts grow on the ‘T-shirt Tree’—alluding to the misinterpretation that printing T-shirts is quick and easy,” he said. “Certainly it is not rocket science, but it does involve a process.”
The process, he continued, requires adherence to a specific set of standards, including:
• Order processing
• Production scheduling
• Art preparation
• Art approval
• Screen making
• Ink mixing
• Press setup
• Printing
• Quality control
• Packing and shipping.
Once a distributor selects screen printing as its preferred decorating method, the degree of complexity depends on what is trying to be accomplished. For instance, on a basic level, T-shirts are fairly simple products. Choose a high-quality brand, and have it printed. Vann noted the majority of printers will use plastisol ink and 100 percent cotton for fabric.
But, the more savvy distributor will research the most popular trends (think Ed Hardy or pocket v-neck T-shirts) and strive to duplicate these looks for clients. It’s all about branding. “You want to do this all in an effort to brand your clients, even if it is nothing more than reinforcing their image to their current base. The bottom line is that the very end recipients of either giveaways, redemption offers or merchandise purchases, want something that makes a statement about them. Their favorite products make a statement. The trick is to pick the right garment, design and decoration technique that when put together becomes a ‘must-wear’ item,” Vann encouraged.
The most popular requests Target Graphics receives involve simple one- to two-color, low-cost T-shirts, followed by four-color process, particularly on colors—the latter being the company’s specialty. In terms of special effects, Target Graphics is seeing an increased demand for “Diamond Plate,” which gives the look and feel of a popular metal finish. But, Vann anticipates a growth for waterbase because of its eco-friendly nature and soft touch. “Combine waterbase with large over-the-seam graphics and you get a nice ‘Ed Hardy’ look,” he added.
In regard to inks, plastisol holds on to top billing. While Target Graphics uses plastisol, it also offers eco-friendlier waterbase inks and plastisol inks that are free of phthalates and pass the current CPSIA standards. Vann has observed a large misconception of what it means to be eco-friendly, and clarified for distributors.
“For Target, it means less ink, no pvc, no metals. We find waterbase inks to be the best answer because they are very soft and pass these criteria. However, plastisol is still the ink of choice because it is extremely versatile for a multitude of fabrics, it is opaque and it does not dry with air, thus having a long shelf life. Waterbase simply won’t do what our customer expects most of the time, but it is becoming a growing segment of its own,” he explained.
When factoring in inks and decorating techniques, screen printing does offer much creative freedom, but only to a point. Vann offered the following scenario. “The T-shirt IS NOT an unlimited canvas for all practical purposes. Yes, all-over printed T-shirts exist, but consider this reality. If your customer wants 500 cool T-shirts that some designer created based on all-over looks like you see at retail, does your client have four to six weeks or more, and are they ready to spend $30 plus, each? If so, awesome, you can work hard to find a good source and make some money. I advocate this and anything that is out-of-the-box; however, many clients need their shirts in seven to 10 days and have budgets between $5 to $7 per shirt,” he mentioned.
As Vann said, when time and price aren’t factors, go for the gold. He related one of the most out-of-the-box requests Target Graphics received involved a box—a Roy Orbison CD box set for Sony. The company printed oversized fabric that was to be folded and adhered to the box set. It was a challenging task because there was no room for error with image placement. The art had to align just right with folds and the box spine, Vann recalled.
“Alignment of this sort with a textile screen-printing press is no easy task. Furthermore, the fabric curled horrendously due to heat after curing. We had to add labor and actually make wood vises to clamp and hold the stacked fabric down, allowing days for it to settle at a reasonable amount of curl. The good news is the broker was understanding and Sony loved the product,” he said.
One of a Kind
When asked what one of the most common mistakes made in screen printing are, Vann responded that people often underestimate the true costs involved. At first glance, it may seem inexpensive: purchase a basic manual press and start printing some T-shirts. Right? Wrong. Factor in utility hookups, unforeseen tools and small equipment.
However, screen printing does have a cost advantage over other decorating techniques such as embroidery or appliqué. “It is also less expensive than direct-to-garment except for shorter runs (generally 48-hours or less depending on who you talk to). That said, other techniques have their place; for instance, appliqué speaks ‘collegiate quality or high-end,’ where screen printing doesn’t necessarily,” Vann declared.
He went on to say that screen printing does have an advantage when it comes to soft prints, detail and four-color process large imprint areas and special effects.
From the distributors’ standpoint, they might find out that screen printers can’t make all of their dreams a reality. “Buyers and, quite frankly, novice screen printers have no idea how many variables and limitations there are in garment screen printing. First off, the fabric types and weights are endless. How ink transfers through a screen will differ on a variety of fabrics. Most presses are limited in image size, so what we see at retail with the entire shirt covered in ink, is not something your local printer will be able to do,” Vann noted. “Variables include, but are not limited to, garment seams, mesh types, bulky items like jackets and bags, fabric types (cotton, polyester, nylon, etc.), special effects and so on. The bottom line, just because you have seen something somewhere (retail store or promotion) doesn’t mean it is necessarily a phone call or e-mail away.”
While duplicating the latest Ed Hardy T-shirt might not always be feasible, research the market to find the next big thing. Provide end-users with your own brainchild, not a close second.