T Shirts and Banner
 

Hello, sorry if this is a repeated post, but I was just wondering where everyone gets their team shirts printed. My team (me included) is totally against iron-on transfers, and want to get the shirts professionally made. The problem is that we have a very small team (probably max 15 shirts needed) and do not want the unit cost to be too high. Can anyone recommend a reliable/cheap internet source or local silk screening company (we are in Burlington, ON, in the Greater Toronto Area). I was hoping that teams could post how much they paid for their shirts (per shirt) and where they ordered them from (even if its not viable for us). Links to websites are bonus :).

Likewise, we would like to get a Team banner printed, and need suggestions on where to get it done. Our budget is a max $150 for the banner (hopefully we'll have that much left, lol). Suggestions?

I realize this is a weird time to be contemplating Tshirts and Banners, and the truth is that I won't work on them until the build season is done, but I was hoping I can let this thread gather responses for awhile so I can pick up a whole load of ideas after we ship.

THANKS IN ADVANCE!

P.S. we want to have black short sleeve T's, if that helps at all...

Re: T Shirts and Banner
 

A quick search reveals two threads with usefull information.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...t=where+shirts
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ere+buy+shirts

Wetzel

Re: T Shirts and Banner
 

Thanks! Except I'd still like to keep this thread going for the benner aspect, unless I just totally missed those threads too...plus those two threads sort of died out, I'm really needing a local distributor and hoping someone knows of one :)

Re: T Shirts and Banner
 

If you are looking for a local shop, I would suggest that you look in your local phone book.

Wetzel
PS (Brandon, I swear this is not a chat. :P )

Re: T Shirts and Banner
 

I am checking multiple sources to get the best price and quality possible. I find that the best test of a company such as these would be the testimonials of teams who have used them.

Re: T Shirts and Banner
 

Shirts you're going to have to find someone locally is my guess, if you're part of a high school try asking some other sports teams or seeing what companies the bookstore has records of working with before, since I'm sure you're not the first group at your school to get team shirts.

As for the banners, try Signs by Tommorow. We started talking to them about a week ago, and they said they can get us a 3'X6' banner with any amount of colors and designs for under $160.

Re: T Shirts and Banner
 

For the banner, some large churches do printing for organizations for cheap prices... I mean really cheap. I use a lutheran church, and i think i paid 20 dollars for a banner

Re: T Shirts and Banner
 

Our banner last year was done by FedEx Kinkos, in about a day for around a hundred bucks. You can see it on the right in this picture, but it is a bit taller (he folded it up so we could see his head, at the top it says "Jupiter High School & GE Healthcare", so roughly two feet taller) and vibrant in person.

This year however, we are working with our t-shirt supplier to use vinyl on a laarrge banner. Talk with your shirt company once you have chosen one and see if they have a reasonable deal. It might also make them more open to giving you discounts on your shirts such as waving the setup/screen fee (if they are feeling nice - this is the main cost of shirts. Typically between $30 and $50, per color, each side of the shirt. This is why you want to keep your logo simple for the shirts, and use as few colors as possible. This year we are ordering over 150 t-shirts, the screen fee was waved, so the cost per shirt came to ~$6.75). Always try and negotiate a cheaper price, and offer to the company their logo on the shirt.

Anyway, good luck, and get moving... the earlier, the better, don't want to pay rush fees do you :)

Re: T Shirts and Banner
 

Some of the best banners are done by by your own hand (and are significantly less expensive).

Re: T Shirts and Banner
 

i think that ed just likes posting that picture:D

Re: T Shirts and Banner
 

Who wouldnt, thats a great banner :)

Re: T Shirts and Banner
 

If you talk to your local FedEx Kinkos and let them place their logo on your banner too they will probably give you a discount. Also, if you explain that you are a school and have all your tax exempt forms they might give you a discount. Make sure you bring an adult along or they will dissmiss you as a student wanting a banner for your own use.
I know the FedEx Kinkos does it in some states (It did ours in the city of Chicago)

As for t-shirts I liek to use custom ink... www.customink.com ... because they will provide you with a quote on their site and are very efficient.

Re: T Shirts and Banner
 

Cafe Press is a good, cheap, fast, and easy source for t-shirts. They can also make buttons, stickers, coffee mugs, clocks, anything you want really, besides like BIG banners and stuff.

We use a local uniform place that makes sports jerseys, and we had them make us soccer jerseys. I think the best solution to getting a place for t-shirts or banners is to break out the phonebook and start calling a bunch of places.

Re: T Shirts and Banner
 

FYI:

Team 1746 will be doing a "How to Print your own T-Shirts" session at Nationals this year.

It's cheap, easy and fun. This will be a live demo where you can print your own shirt right there!

We can print shirts for a couple bucks each.

We printed several hundred shirts for the local FLL teams this year - see attached picture ...

Re: T Shirts and Banner
 

That sounds awesome! Our problem is we're only needing about 15 shirts, and this would bethe year where we have to pay the set up fees for silkscreening :-S. If we somehow make it to the nationals (I'd like to go even if we do not win a competition, but cost is an issue) we'll be sure to check out your session.

Re: T Shirts and Banner
 

Even though you only need 15 sometimes its cheaper the more you order. You might consider getting each kid 2 or 3 shirts. They can get dirty during the first two days and that way you have a clean shirt for Sat. Also that gives everyone and extra shirt or two to trade. Check around and see who the other clubs in your school use. My company gives free artwork and most set up fees to any orange county school, there might be a company like that where you are.

Re: T Shirts and Banner
 

I understand how you guys are against iron-ons. I see how a white t-shirt with a 8.5x11 rectangle graphic across the chest isn't that professional looking. But, with a little time put into it, the graphics can actually look pretty nice looking. Especially with only 15 shirts to do, I wouldn't turn my nose up at it so fast. 2005, I made shirts for the team, I used iron-ons printed out from my computer, and I think they turned out pretty well. I attached a picture to show you. Some benefit of it is that you can have as many colors as you want, without having to pay extra. I wouldn't suggest it for a large number of shirts, but for 15 its definitely something to think about.