SHARPRINT BLOG

Jenny Holzer is one of the icons of Post-Modern art. Since the 1970s, Holzer has been working in an unconventional medium, text. If one wasn’t familiar with Post-Modern art, he/she could easily see one of her works and not recognize it as art. Her works take form on virtually every substrate imaginable, everything from marques to condoms and from projections on the facades of high rise buildings to simple printed books. One of her mediums she’s been known to employ over the years to proliferate her subversive messages is the tee shirt.

I (heart) NY. Everyone knows what I’m referring to and its not just a rip off of pop art genius (and fellow Hoosier), Robert Indiana. Its not necessarily the best tee, but its definitely the most recognizable. Its the Mona Lisa of tee shirts. Its the official garment of NYC (even though no one there wears them). But, what is so special about it is that it effectively communicates universally and in an iconic American visual language that transcends its stuffy high art influences.

Tara’s recent blog article, “What’s the Big Deal About Printed Tee’s?”, got me thinking about why I dress the way I do. So I looked down to see what I was wearing. A blank black hooded sweatshirt, which was covering a navy blue t-shirt with the University “M” smack dab in the middle - a University whose sport programs I am a fan of.

Have you ever put on a decorated t-shirt and immediately felt like you were wrapped in cardboard? Though that may be a bit of an exaggeration, I have experienced and worn t-shirts that were incredibly uncomfortable due to the design printed on the front of the tee.

We crank out t-shirts and apparel all day over here at Sharprint. Everything from give-away tees to high end fashion garments. Each item has an intentionally designed, well thought out purpose - whether it’s to commemorate a charity race or launch a new product. Decorated apparel is huge - no denying that - but what’s the big deal?

Clothing has a very basic function - coverage. Climate and availability are some obvious and relatively uncontrollable factors that influence the clothing we wear. Apparel isn’t just about function, though, so why do we wear what we wear?

Every one has a great idea for a t-shirt. When some one I’ve recently met finds out I work at a print shop, inevitably the conversation goes like this:

“You know what would make a really great t-shirt? (Insert idea here)”

We had the great fortune of starting to print for Dan Lachman of Sharp Shirter back in 2008. We see a lot of apparel lines that fizzle out or never really hit. Sharp Shirter is a real success story and we've been cheering Dan on as we've watched his line flourish over the years. He's a truly genuine person and super smart dude with great taste and a passion for what he does. It's truly an honor to print for him. I asked him if he wouldn't mind doing an interview for us and maybe share some secrets of his success for those just getting started. Of course, he was happy to oblige :)

1. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE COLOR?

Customization is defined as, “to modify or build according to individual or personal specifications or preference.”

On Thursday, October 20th, Conscious Living TV presents the 3rd annual Vert Couture eco-fashion show & benefit, an official headlining event of Fashion Focus Chicago in the tents at Millennium Park. This year's charity beneficiary is Keep Chicago Beautiful.

The event will kick off with a "Sexy & Sustainable" VIP cocktail reception and green lifestyle lounge starting at 6:00pm featuring organic libations from Prairie Organic Vodka, New Belgium beer, Wild Blossom honey wine and delicious vegan appetizers provided by Karyns on Green. VIPs will also be treated to cutting-edge eco-art installations and deluxe eco-gift bags provided by the Green Goddess Boutique filled with lots of sustainable goodies and products.

“BackRub it”. That’s what the world would be saying had Google not changed their name in 1998. Before cracking open an ice cold Pepsi Cola, we were all sipping on Brad's Drink. We no longer lace up our Blue Ribbon Sports, but instead, our Nikes. And the days of referring to the process of decorating a garment as Silk Screen Printing are over. It is now simply called Screen Printing.

So why did the word silk get dropped from the term silk screen printing? It’s really an easy answer. It’s because the silk got dropped out of the screen printing process.

We at Sharprint pride ourselves on our excellent customer service. We understand our customer’s expectations and always push to exceed them. This wouldn’t be possible without a wonderful customer service team!

We are excited to introduce our most recent addition to the Sharprint team, Garvin Hughes.