SHARPRINT BLOG

When you're ordering uniforms for your sports team it can be a fun process, but there are several things to consider. Uniforms are the way your team is being represented to the public, so it's important that the uniforms reflect the spirit of the team as well as your own needs such as color, fit and material. Keep these things in mind when you're ordering custom uniforms for your sports team to ensure you get exactly what you want.

Promotional apparel can be a powerful tool when it comes to branding your business. Good marketing teams know the value of clothing with the brand name and image. These pieces will naturally travel great distances and act as conversation starters with a real live person behind them. Viewers can't ask a question to a billboard, but they can ask an employee about the company after spotting an eye-catching shirt. Here are some great ways to use apparel to promote business ventures.

As the eco-friendly movement grows in popularity and awareness, consumers are increasingly looking for ways to encourage organic and sustainable farming and manufacturing processes. For example, organic or green clothing is one way to ensure that money is spent on material grown by organic standards and avoids the use of pesticides, chemicals and preservatives. 

The clothing and apparel industry has evolved significantly over the past few years. Businesses have taken advantage of recent technological advances when planning projects to print their company t-shirts, polos, hats, and much more.

Adding custom embroidery to your company's uniforms can make your brand look more sophisticated, secure, and established. Embroidery can give your organization a higher perceived value, and companies that take the extra attention to make their uniforms refined, embody an air of good reputation and respectability.

Custom apparel is a great marketing tool that any type of company can benefit from. Whether the clothing you design is intended to be part of a work uniform, or it's something you hand out for casual wear at home, the benefits of branded apparel are many. If you're not using custom embroidered hats as a part of your branding strategy, you could be missing out on a great opportunity.

This summer, Sharprint Custom Clothing is partnering with Marwen and the M&R Companies to share the love of t-shirt design and print with Chicago youth.

Sharprint, has been a manufacturer of decorated apparel for over 25 years and is Chicago’s premier screen printer. Marwen is a center offering free visual art classes and college and career support. M&R is the world’s foremost manufacturer of screen printing equipment for the graphic and textile industries.

Sharprint’s creative director, Tara Zanzig developed a course to teach students how to design and print t-shirts from concept to production. Process is the emphasis of the program, not product. Engaging students in what they are creating and with each other is more important that the resulting t-shirts. Zanzig says, “We want to provide the students with a safe environment to explore and express their ideas. Working collaboratively helps get students beyond their comfort zone and can really facilitate growth and creativity.”

At Marwen, the students will learn the basics of industry design software, textile specific design considerations,  and color separation. The students will collaborate in teams to create Chicago themed designs to go into production

M&R is working hand-in-hand with Sharprint, designing and building an onsite student workshop. The final two days of the two week course will be held at Sharprint where the students will learn all aspects of screen print manufacturing and print their own designs. The final day of class will also feature guest speaker, Jake Nickell, founder of Threadless.com.

Manager of Studio Programs, Shirley Alfaro expressed that, “Marwen is excited to partner with Sharprint and Tara. With the generous support of the entire Chicago community, Marwen is celebrating it's 25th anniversary this year and by having our young people create Chicago t-shirts is truly heartfelt.”

The course runs from July 23 to August 3. An art exhibit showcasing the final pieces from Marwen’s entire summer program will be held at Marwen from 5-7 on September 28, 2012.

A study conducted by the Field Museum in 2008 identified the arts as “fundamental ways through which people connect to issues of all kinds, including the natural environment." Art is a great medium for communication and communication is key in correcting and improving environmental conditions on the decline.

If you are looking to design an employee uniform, you should consider creating embroidered polo shirts. Having your employees decked out in custom embroidered polo shirts is a great way to separate your brand and keep everyone on your staff looking stylish. Read on to discover the top seven ways to keep your employees stylish with embroidered polo shirts.

Consistent brand identity is non-negotiable no matter how many different products you are ordering. When it comes to customizing, each technique is it's own medium with very different qualities. Screen printing, digital printing, embroidery, and pad printing all have their own look and feel resulting from the process. How can you make sure the company handling your customization can maintain your brand?

Yay for summer! Lots of fun things to do and I'd even venture to say everything is a little more fun when you get a t-shirt to go with it! Whether it's a shirt to commemorate a company picnic or team shirts to support a friend running a race, it's likely you will think "we should have some shirts made," at some point this summer. The t-shirts can be funny, cool, sporty, and as elaborate or simple as you like depending on the occassion.