2015 has been a busy year for 3rd Rail with more projects passing through our studio than ever before. From exciting collaborations and exhibitions to jobs which have forced us to really push the boundaries of screen printing all in all we’re pretty happy with how this year has turned out and theres no slowing down for 2016. Here’s a look at some of our favourite t-shirts from the last 12 months.
A steady buzz has been building around the release of the 7th instalment from the Star Wars franchise since the first trailer popped up the internet back in November 2014. It reached its peak in the form of full blow light sabre mania on 16th December when the European premier hit London’s Leicester Square and judging by the subsequent reviews the hype around The Force Awakens is completely justified. Leading UK newspapers including The Guardian and Telegraph have awarded it 5 stars with film critic Robbie Collin stating that “the magic is back.” Across the Atlantic the weekend saw it smash the North American record for biggest box office debut with sales hitting a staggering $238m and tickets reportedly selling at a rate of 1 per second (insert shocked emoji face here).
Screen printing for independent clothing brands really keeps our job interesting. It’s extremely rewarding to see someone progress from a small run of their first design to a full blown collection and we love helping facilitate the growth. You may remember our previous post about 5 Ways To Set Your Streetwear Brand Apart From The Rest but what if you don’t have a brand yet and you’re only just taking the first tentative steps on your design journey? We spoke to some of our customers who have managed to successfully launch their own lines by incorporating screen printed garments and asked them:
Our all-over printing service is one that sets 3rd Rail apart from other t-shirt printers. We got textile designer Michelle Fifis to give us her insight into the process as well as sharing some top tips on how to create designs that will ensure a successful finished garment.
You may remember our post two weeks ago announcing our collaboration with street artist Malarko to create the second in a series of quarterly limited edition t-shirt packs. The 3rd Rail x Malarko boxes will go on pre-sale on 03/12/15 with general sale set to launch on Monday 14th December. To celebrate we’re giving 15 of the 75 available packs away in a contest.
The popularity of the humble cotton tote has been on a steady increase since 2007 when designer Anya Hindmarch teamed up with Sainbury’s in a bid to encourage a more eco friendly approach to carrier bag use. Her canvas ‘I am not a plastic bag’ tote sold out within an hour. The amount of people who actually used their purchase to lug home their weekly shopping is probably close to none (they still retail on Ebay for around £100) but they were instrumental in fuelling the tote movement.
We’re super excited to announce the second in our series of quarterly collaborations in which we’ve teamed up with street artist Malarko to bring you another limited edition t-shirt pack. Bursting with all manner of screen printed goodies the container box even turns into a kitty mask, perfect for when you want to get a bit incognito and wild (while staying above the law of course).
We launched our unique cut and sew service earlier this autumn as an extension of the customisation options we already provide. We wanted to be able to deliver a complete garment printing service to our customers that didn’t limit their creativity or ideas. Here are some tips on how to make the most of it.
At 3rd Rail we’re dedicated to delivering a complete garment screen printing service. Between providing a full range of print placement options and our customisation and cut and sew service we feel like we have a pretty comprehensive list of bases covered.
What you may not have been aware of is that we recently developed boxes which are the perfect size for folded t-shirts and other garments and are fully customisable with your own design or logo. Packaging is an excellent way of re-affirming your brand identity and putting a unique stamp on your range. Here are examples of ways that we can help you do that with your printed garments.
Urban streetwear is perhaps one of the few trends of the last 40 years that has been able to evolve whilst maintaining its distinctive aesthetic and remaining constantly relevant. Re imagined by the likes of YMC, Joseph and Christopher Shannon at LCM AW15 shows that its reach extends to the catwalks of Fashion Week. Characterised by t-shirts and sweats and drawing inspiration from other constantly evolving cultures such as street art and music may be one of the factors that has helped it remain at the forefront of everyday urban wear.
One brand trying to put a fresh spin on streetwear is UK based Bear Swagger. Boasting collaborations with designers and illustrators around the globe their range includes everything from t-shirts and hoodies to hats and backpacks. Here at 3rd Rail HQ we’ve worked with them for a few seasons and recently finished printing some t-shirts and hoodies for their AW15 drop. The garments were printed using Plastisol inks, oil based and developed specifically for t-shirt printing they are often a favourite because they offer a bright and solid end result whilst also being highly fade resistant.
52-56 Verney Road
Bermondsey
London
SE16 3DH
Email: sales@3rdrailclothing.co.uk
Call: 02072310866
Find us:
52-56 Verney Road
Bermondsey
London
SE16 3DH
Email: sales@3rdrailclothing.co.uk
Call: 02072310866
