We received a panic inquiry from a supplier that we work closely with. They had a customer who claimed that they could not get their prints to cure on a canvas bag. We field many questions for our vendors, since printers love to blame the substrate for printing problems, so our vendors use us to…
In my approach to t-shirt design, the first consideration is the blank or base-product as this informs so many of my decisions (color, techniques, ink selection, print placement, etc.) throughout the design process. I’ve done it this way for so long that I’m virtually incapable of working on a t-shirt design without this critical piece…
Perhaps the most experienced and knowledgeable three minds in DTG formed this all-star panel to discuss the future of garment decoration. It’s Shop Talk with Jacob Edwards (Jakprints), Alex Phelan (OvalJet), and Kevin Tsukahara (DTG Expert)…
Nobody loves a side hustle better than I do. At one point I had four going simultaneously while working my full-time job. Now I’m down to three. I kept two of the old four, dropped one because it stopped being fun, and picked up a new one. You might wonder, “Why a side hustle? Shouldn’t…
Bayside is the pre-eminent maker of USA made and union made apparel in the country. I have visited their facilities over the past couple years. They are vertically integrated, taking cotton and other raw materials and turning them through all the steps to a finished garment. They have come a long way from their start…
Here at Ink Kitchen we love combining design and screen printing with doing good work for good causes, so this project in Tokyo that combines screen printing, social activism and a streetwear vibe naturally caught our eye. Please Don’t Throw Your Love Away is an art project founded by Shunji Hironaka in 2018. After seeing the…
This post isn’t going to have illustration. There are many many possible illustrations for this post, but there is no reason to hurt anyone’s feelings. Do you want a bad looking t-shirt ? Here are a few pointers: 1. Just design whatever you want and don’t think about what kind of shirt it is going…
Our main man Jason Murphy, of SanMar, returns to Shop Talk to share what’s new in the world of transfers… Links to the companies Jason referenced: https://www.fmexpressions.com/ https://supacolor.com/ https://transferexpress.com/ http://www.613originals.com/ https://www.lionbrothers.com/ https://www.instagraph.com
I was exchanging emails with a fellow decorator about the issue of garment twisting/torquing affecting the outcome of the final printed product. This is a challenge many of us face when working with fashion blanks and tri-blends. How do you avoid crooked or off-center prints? How do you manage customer expectations? This conversation reminded me…
Aaron Draplin, Andy Mac, and the Surfrider Foundation Aaron Draplin is a bearded Midwesterner and genius designer with a presence only to be overshadowed by his booming voice and epic wit. Andy MacDougall is a bearded Canadian and legendary flatstock printer with a presence only to be overshadowed by his kindheartedness and willingness to share…
