Throwback Thursday for the Magic Tradeshow & Project Now in 2023.
I will not be attending this February in 2024 but let’s revisit my experience creating 105 unique t-shirts for a fashion trade show in Las Vegas, and I'm here to spill the tea on the entire process.
Let's dive in!
First things first.
My name is Francois, I am the Creative Director of Hypnotik Bay Area.
That is H-Y-P-N-O-T-I-K BAY AREA.
I am the artist and producer of my clothing, we are based in Marin County in California in the San Francisco Bay Area.
We start off the process counting how many shirts I am going to be making that is 105 total.
Next we will go to the local market to pick up our items.
I literally filled three carts with t-shirts and supplies.
And as you can guess, the cashier was filled with joy to ring me up.
Let’s do some math, we have 15 shirts per design, so 7 designs total so that makes 105.
We have tie-dye shirts, and reverse tie-dye shirts
You know what tie-dye means… A lot of ******* bottles.
You know what bleach means… I need a mask.
How do I achieve these patterns? I bleach and then dye the shirts to get some cool polka dot effects. Bleach, dye, repeat. Bleach, dye, repeat.
Since I focus on direct-to-garment printing for my shirts and other apparel. We are going to spray them down with a solution to bind the print to the clothing.
I then heat press to release the excess moisture.
On to printing. We are going to print 15 of each, so let’s do that.
DONE!
After that exhausting process, we are going to press all of them to seal the design in the shirt.
Now, let's talk post-production.
Once the shirts were ready, it was time to add those final touches that make them pop!
I decided to spend some money and have them taken to the local laundromat in Sausalito. They did a great job. Nice and starchy.
Quality checks were a must! I wanted to make sure each shirt met the high standards I set for my brand. Even if I have to make more.
And finally, the packaging – because presentation matters!
Did i have to wrap them all in tissue paper? No. But I’m cool like that.
And there you have it, folks – from concept to creation, 105 t-shirts ready to send off to my clients. It's been a wild ride, and I can't wait to see the reactions!
Thanks for joining me on this adventure! Don't forget to like, share, and follow for more behind-the-scenes glimpses into the world of Hypnotik Bay Area. Until next time!