Starting your own clothing label is an expensive business and the products are only one part of the cost. Advertising has never been cheap but there are ways you can get the word out to potential customers and make a significant impression without spending a penny. Here are our top 5 tricks on how to promote your brand online for free.
Centre chest, jumbo, all-over – what does it all mean? T-shirt printing lingo can get a bit complicated sometimes but these terms all refer to artwork sizing i.e. the ‘where’ and ‘how big’ of your design on screen printed garments. This is a handy guide to our most popular options which should hopefully make things a little clearer.
London Collections: Men drew to a close yesterday after a weekend of showcases, catwalks and celebrity appearances. Though only 4 years young the event has firmly established itself as one of the key dates in the international menswear calendar “emphasising both the creative and commercial importance of British brands and emerging talent”. For anyone thinking ahead and seeking inspiration for their own collection here’s an overview of the key trends that have dominated over the last 4 days and which will determine what you’ll be wearing come September 2016.
The new year might have you thinking about fresh collections and ways to push your brand forward. In the busy independent clothing label market sometimes an original design alone is not enough to set you apart, that’s where speciality screen printing inks come in. Here’s a little breakdown of some of the most popular options available here at 3rd Rail.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Thoroughly research your clothing options. It’s very easy to default to a standard t-shirt when the excitement of creating a collection takes over and you want everything released a soon as possible. Vanity Crew have given a simple hoodie logo print an edge by choosing a garment with unique hood laces. Between our 5 main wholesale suppliers there’s bound to be something that’s going to make the most of your design.
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
