Some t-shirts CAN make a difference

When you work for a screen printing company, t-shirts become business. Thousands of t-shirts come in, they get printed, and they go out. The turnaround is quick enough that at times you forget what you are doing and why it’s important. But recently I was cleaning out my closet and I came across a t-shirt from my childhood that reminded me how one t-shirt really can make a difference. This particular t-shirt was a gift from my father when I was little after a business trip to California. At the time, it was BIG on me and I probably only wore it as a nightgown. And even though it is pink, my least favorite color to wear, it became my favorite t-shirt. The t-shirt itself is nothing impressive. It is stained with a faded graphic on front, and it doesn’t fit well enough for me to ever wear in public again. But every time I come across it while filling my donation box, I never give it up. I continued to wear it for years. For a while it was strictly an at-home shirt, but by high school I wore it like any other fashionable shirt. Kids at school complimented me on it and one had the audacity to ask if she could borrow it! I distinctly remember every time I wore it all of the sudden my little sister wanted to wear it too. About this time I started going the thrift store almost every weekend to see if I could
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Self-cleaning apparel

Apparel is evolving and learning to care for itself. There has been an influx of new products on the market aimed at making clothing maintenance as simple and labor free as possible. Exhibit A: Scratch-n-sniff jeans When you don’t have time to throw a load in the washer, why not just scratch your jeans instead? These jeans remain fresh by emitting a minty sent when scratched. Personally I’m not sure this will make the jeans feel fresh too, but I can imagine how this feature might be attractive to the average college student. Unfortunately, the scent only lasts through 5 washes—although who am I kidding? The person who wears these jeans isn’t planning on washing them often anyway! Exhibit B: Detergent infused t-shirts http://youtu.be/sDRzDWYbvhg Everyone has to wash their clothes at some point; there is no getting around that. But what if I told you that you could eliminate one step of the washing process? Believe it or not, today there is a way to use detergent infused ink when printing on apparel. These t-shirts in particular already have Tide laundry detergent built into them for the washer. All you have to do is put the shirt in the wash and start it—no detergent required. The downside is that no one has figured out how to make the detergent ink last longer than through one wash. Exhibit C: SILIC stain and sweat resistant shirt http://youtu.be/1U7QdFMN3-g Although these t-shirts are still in development, the future for this technology is promising. Some sprays in the past have been marketed
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T-Shirts: Cheap Mobile Billboards That Promote Within Your Circle of Influence

emblemax t-shirtThere over 500,000 billboards in the United States. By the end of 2012, industry experts predict there will be over 100,000 digital billboards. If you're lucky, you may have a spare $450,000 in your marketing budget during our current market downtown. Don't forget energy hasn't gotten cheaper. In order to maximize your new toy you will need 4800 watts of electricity per square yard, per hour, to keep your marketing message pervasive. Oh, and don't forget about all the prospective clients you will upset that have embraced the energy conservation, green movement, or an unobstructed car ride down the highway. If your business is like the rest of ours, every dollar counts. You'll need to reach the targeted audience without using a shotgun approach. Instead of $450K how about investing 450 dollars on T-Shirts (450 without the K). You can purchase 50-100 walking billboards (T-Shirts) that can speak!  You don't need 50 walking billboards, well you're in luck. Digital Printing is revolutionizing the world of low run t-shirt printing. You can purchase one t-shirt for $20-25, or better yet utilize conventional printing production methods and buy 50 for 8 bucks each. In most insurance, financial, and other sales positions we are taught to target our circle of influence, the people who hopefully love us. They will in turn wear our walking billboard around the people who care about them. What better way to market your business than give out t-shirts
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