current tshirt trend

T-Shirt Trends

While Britney Spears is making a fashion statement by wearing her words on her t-shirt, other celebrities are making their statements a bit differently. Lindsey Lohan, Hillary Duff, and other teen idols have been practicing t-shirt trends, by wearing custom-cut tshirts. Whether the collar of the shirt is missing or the bottom is shortened, more and more fashion followers are wearing this untailored look. This style seems to be highly versatile as many trendsetters are pairing these tees with anything from diamonds to ripped jeans. Manufacturers and boutiques, such as American Apparel and Abercrombie and Fitch, have caught on to this trend and have been offering garments made with light fabrics and unfinished seems for some time now.

Create T-Shirt Art
In addition to manufacturers, some fashion designers have elevated the process of custom t-shirts making to an art. Adam Saaks, a former Von Dutch designer, transforms common cotton tees into intricate artworks. He calls his designs “Couture Tees” and custom cuts each of his works on the individual wearer's body. His designs, like fine art, are quite costly and are popular with celebrities such as Pink, J.Lo, and Lil’ Kim.

Vintage t-shirts have also come back into the spotlight. Whether the t-shirt is authentic or a recreation, the images and sayings on them are likely to provoke nostalgia for the 60's, 70's, and 80's. You can purchase your favorite at companies likePalmer Cash

T-shirt Fabric Information

T-shirt Fabric Information


Combed ring spun cotton is noticeably softer and higher in quality than carded cotton.



Combed Cotton Fibers

The combing process separates the more desirable longer, thinner, more even fibers from the less desirable shorter, coarser, less consistent fibers. A higher count of thinner fibers tightly twisted together make a stronger, smoother, finer thread. This finer-knit fabric is softer and lighter to touch.



Carded Cotton Fibers

Carded cotton is a mixture of ragged, thicker, short fibers. This cotton is cheaper for manufacturers to produce and is rough, heavy and lower in quality. Fewer coarser fibers are blown together, resulting in a loosely bound, thicker, rougher thread. This thread produces a looser knit, heavier material that is coarse to the touch.

Printability

The surface of Combed ring spun cotton is exceptionally smooth and tight-knit and ideal for screenprinting and embroidery.



Carded cotton fiber produces a surface that is not ideal for screenprinting and embroidery because it is not smooth or tight knit.

The Effects of Washing and Drying Screen Printed Tshirts

The Effects of Washing and Drying Screen Printed Tshirts


If you have ever purchased a printed t-shirt, you have probably experienced fading from the print after it has been washed several times. You should expect a quality printed t-shirt to resist fading at least through 36 washes. The best thing you can do to protect you print from wear is to turn your garment inside out when you wash and dry it. The process of washing and drying creates a rubbing action against the print and causes it to fade.

Sometimes printed t-shirts do not last like they should. You may notice that the ink on your shirt is washed out and you will most likely be stumped about the particular cause. If, upon closer examination, the ink appears washed out in certain areas only, in a random and spotty fashion across a design, the cause is undercured ink, known as ink washout. Curing is a printing process that allows the ink to adhere to the shirt. If the print is insufficiently cured, these random spots may occur and occasionally the ink will peel from the fabric altogether. If you experience ink peeling from your garments, ask the manufacturer to redo your order. If you have more minor ink washout problems, ask the printing company if they will give you a discount on your next order with them. If you do not trust the same company with your next order, consider switching printers.

If the ink color on your garment looks somewhat washed out or faded in an even manner over the entire print, you are most likely experiencing fibrillation. Fibrillation is a condition that occurs when fibers break loose from the ink film during to washing. The contrast between the ink and the fibers poking through causes the print to have a faded, “hairy” appearance. On the part of the screenprinter, there are a lot of variables that contribute to this faded appearance. The cause could stem from the type of ink used, the application process, or the fabric used. As a consumer, your best recourse to preventing or decreasing fibrillation is to turn your garments inside out while washing and drying. Fibrillation is a common problem that is becoming an even bigger problem due to contemporary clothing trends. Softer fabrics and thinner ink application, make garments more prone to fibrillation. If you feel the amount of fibrillation is more than it should be, discuss the problem with the screen printer and consider asking for a discount on your next order.