Cost vs Quality of Screen Printing

In the world of screen printing, there are often a few variables that will drive someone to place a custom printed t shirt order. Most of the time, people buy based on price. This happens when someone is on a budget, working with someone else’s money, looking to get the most bang for their buck.

In some cases, this tactic can work well, for example, when shopping for a kids party and thinking about decorations, food or entertainment. But bargain shopping doesn’t always lead to the best outcome for custom printed t shirts. At least not always the one we would hope for. This is what many call getting what we pay for.

This concept tells us that price and quality are directly linked. And when we shop for the absolute lowest price, we are often sacrificing something far more important, experience. The experience that a person has with the product they purchased is the most important way to measure success.

So what might a business do to cut costs? Often, the answer lies in the quality of the materials, final product and customer service offered. The end result is a product or service that may be acceptable, but never great.

At OH BOY!, we are after great. Insanely great. Our commitment is to the pursuit of perfection. Our desire is to make every experience a great one. Our attention to detail drives us to produce the best screen printed products in our industry. [Read more…]

In our previous blog entries,

we’ve covered a broad spectrum of ways to market your custom shirt brand. For this article, however, we’re going to concentrate on the most powerful marketing tool at your disposal: the Internet. There are 7 billion people on this planet. About 3 billion are connected to the World Wide Web. The internet is vast and its potential as a marketing tool is limitless.

Before we get into how you can utilize the web to expand and promote your custom shirts, we need to address a common misconception in regard to fashion marketing. Marketing does not make the brand. Contradictory? Paradoxical? Let us elaborate. [Read more…]

Screen Printing in Austin

Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest once said, “If knowledge is a key, then show me the door.” Well, we want to give you some keys that will shed some info on how the ordering process works. Understanding the ins and outs of an order will certainly help the process move smoothly. Now, let’s open some doors.

Know The Screen Printing in Austin Process.

If you’re reading this, then that means you’re on our blog. It’s nice, right? We may not have cute kitten videos but you can still scroll through our site and take a gander at the various custom-printed t-shirts that we offer. You can also familiarize yourself with the screen printing methods we use. It’s important to know the different screen printing options we have so that the finished result is what you are looking for. Here’s a list of best practices.

Choose The Garment That Works Best for You.

The quality of the garment we’re going to screen print on is just as important as the quality of the artwork. Not every shirt is created equal. Some are thicker, lighter, and softer, with wider or slimmer cuts. It all depends on what you’re looking for, whether it be a sports jersey or something more fashionable. You don’t want to print a trendy-looking design on a shirt that looks like it is better suited for a softball game. Well, unless you have a fashion-forward softball team, that is. You can educate yourself on the various garments we provide here. [Read more…]

Use custom t-shirt mock ups to your brand’s advantage.

Market your brand with a custom t-shirt mock ups: We can tell you about a mouth-watering burger with a half-pound, hand-formed 78-percent-lean Prime Angus chuck patty measuring three-quarters of an inch thick and topped with melted Gouda cheese, avocado, caramelized onion tendrils complemented with a fluffy green lettuce leaf, a sweet, but firm tomato slice, and a spicy house-made sour pickle. It might raise an eyebrow or two. But if we show you a picture of this glorious beast, you might just ask where you can sink your teeth into one.

Humans are visual folk. When it comes to marketing, the right kind of imagery will have a major impact on the customer’s decision to buy a product or service. This is especially true when it comes to the custom t-shirt industry. You might have a pretty neat online store for potential customers to browse but if you don’t have the right imagery showcasing your custom printed shirts, rather than just displaying it, you’re not effectively utilizing the tools at your disposal. [Read more…]

Are Custom T-shirts Important for Artists or Bands?

We’re going to answer that with a resounding “HECK YES!” As an aspiring musician or an artist, selling custom t-shirts is a vital component to the success of your brand. As an aspiring musician or an artist, selling custom t-shirts is a vital component to the success of your brand. Yes, you read that twice. No, it was not a typo. It’s so important, we had you read it again.

Merchandise has always been an integral part of the growth of musical artists for a variety of reasons. It can be a very helpful source of income, it allows fans to relate or connect to the music culture or lifestyle the artists identify themselves with and it’s a great tool for marketing as well.

There’s an array of ways to merchandise. You can market your brand through buttons, badges, posters, etc. One of the more effective and classic methods is screen printing t-shirts. Nirvana, Zepplin, Slayer, Beethoven, all bands and artists that have developed a cult merch following with their t-shirts becoming iconic in the fashion world. Ok, maybe not Beethoven, but he definitely deserves to be in the mix. While you might not be at their level just yet, the “concert t-shirt” is a powerful marketing tool that can also help you with your gas fund for those city to city tours. Not to mention, people in Austin love wearing custom t-shirts!

While you might not be at their level just yet, the “concert t-shirt” is a powerful marketing tool that can also help you with your gas fund for those city to city tours. Not to mention, people in Austin love wearing custom t-shirts! [Read more…]

If you own a business, small or big, and are looking for a simple and effective method of marketing, custom printed t-shirts are the way to go!

As an entrepreneur, you already understand the importance of marketing. However, we live in a world over-saturated with it. Understanding which methods of marketing are more effective can be tricky, with ads before every video, every three pages of a magazine, and billboards every hundred feet. Advertising can also take a good chunk out of your budget and may sometimes lead to strategies that yield little results. [Read more…]

Tips to Help with Your Custom T-Shirt Brand

What Is Your Custom T-Shirt Brand?

Unless your goal is to fill the generic t-shirt rack at Walmart and convenience stores, your custom t-shirt line needs to have an identity. There needs to be meaning behind the name and purpose behind the product. When someone is digging in their closet and feel in a certain mood, they’ll bust out a certain article of clothing that portrays that mood. When someone has a party to attend and they want to portray a certain image of themselves, they’ll bust out a certain article of clothing that will portray that image. When someone…well, you get the idea. Your custom t-shirt brand should convey a sort of attitude, belief, or idea you feel is worth representing.

Who Is Your Custom T-Shirt Brand For?

Billabong started out making durable board shorts for surfers in Australia. Now the company has grown into a brand that isn’t just for surfers but for those who love a laid-back, sunny day filled life on the beach. The Hundreds is all about trendy, urban alternative street culture where as Starter has found a revitalization in the ironic hipster scene. Who is your custom t-shirt brand for? Finding and understanding your demographic is key in creating a successful brand. If you’re producing your own line of custom t-shirts because you feel a certain idea or style you like is hard to find, then marketing to like-minded individuals will increase your chances of success. Once this happens, your brand will appeal to those who are attracted by certain elements of what it represents.

Honest Feedback Is Golden

Friends are awesome. They’ll bail you out of a Mexican jail after a wild night in Tijuana. Well, unless they’re in there with you. True friends will always support you, but sometimes, that can be a problem. Especially, if you’re in the creative field. Ideas and creativity can be stifled by overly supportive feedback. Don’t limit feedback to just friends. Find opinions from a variety of people you know will be constructively honest and thoughtful regarding what you’re trying to accomplish. The more honest feedback you get on your brand, the better of an idea you’ll have on the direction you’re taking.

Make a Quality Product

We talk a lot about quality t-shirts and screen printing here at Oh Boy. It’s the staple of our business and should be for anyone serious about their custom printed t-shirts. Quality is everything and first impressions are paramount at any level of the fashion industry. If you believe you have a quality idea, then the finished product must be on the same level. Do the research. Look into the different types of fabrics and garments that are out there. Work with the best material your budget allows for. Far too many times we’ve seen great design ideas stifled by poor execution. The level of quality represents the amount of respect you have for your custom printed t-shirts. It must be up to your own standard. We have a great piece on the type of garments used in the screen printing industry here.

Market Effectively

Budgeting is essential for any small start-up so it’s important to ensure money is being invested wisely. If you’re in the garment industry, then your custom t-shirt brand needs to be seen. It’s a very good idea to invest in hiring models and photographers that will capture the essence of your brand. The models should represent what your brand is about. The photographers should be able to manifest your vision into work that does your line justice. You don’t want your brand to be seen as amateurish or cheap so the services you hire shouldn’t be either of those two. Of course, if you’re on a budget, you shouldn’t pour all your money into marketing, but ensure that the money you do spend yields professional results. Remember that in the creative industry, you get what you pay for. Creating an online presence is also key when marketing effectively. Utilize social media to all of it’s potential.

Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket

We can sit here and pretend we don’t know the lyrics to Hanson’s “mmm bop” or Chumbawamba’s “Tubthumping”. We do. Especially after a few pints. We all love one hit wonders, but in the creative industry, a one hit wonder is you want to avoid becoming. Having an incredible custom t-shirt that sells is awesome but the last thing you want to do is bet the success of your t-shirt brand on just one hit. Ideas for the next round of clothing must always be coming. Ideas that still represent the brand, but are fresh and different. If you’re mostly doing custom t-shirts, also consider tanks or sweaters. Avoid pigeonholing your clothing line, but continue to perverse the essence of your brand.

Keep at It

Failure is almost guaranteed. That’s kind of a harsh statement to read especially if you’re trying to get a business off the ground, but it’s the truth. However, it’s in our failures where we learn the most about ourselves. One road may close but we can always find another path. And if there isn’t one, we can get our machetes and axes out and make one. If you truly believe that you have a solid idea that can become successful, then make that a reality. Success doesn’t normally happen overnight. It happens through long hours and missed lunches. Believe in yourself and believe in your brand.

Best T Shirts for Printing

It’s a beautiful Sunday afternoon as you’re taking a stroll down your neighborhood. The sun, usually arrogant in its radiance, is being agreeable and isn’t burning your skin to a crisp.

Suddenly, something brushes past your knee. You pause and gaze upon the dorkiest but cutest little pug you’ve ever seen. “Sparky!” his owner calls for him. As the owner apologizes for Sparky’s enthusiastic greeting, you picture happy ol’ Sparky’s face on a t shirt and, boom, a new project is born.

When it comes to creating a t shirt, the choice of blank is just as important as the design itself. While some may think any old t shirt will do, the reality is that the quality and style of the blank shirt can make or break the final product. [Read more…]