If you’re at all involved in the fashion industry, or have ever thought about starting your own clothing line, odds are you’re familiar with the AGENDA show. At three different locations during the year, tons of the most exciting up and coming brands, plus a few veterans, gather to strut their stuff and show off their new lines for the coming season. This year, we sent some of the Real Thread crew out to Vegas to attend, check things out, and take notes so that we could give you the best t-shirt advice on your next order. So, here are 7 trends we saw for t-shirts at AGENDA 2017!
1. One Color Prints Never Go Out of Style
We’ve preached this many a-times here at Real Thread, but it’s always worth repeating: Simple, one-color prints work. They just do! One-color shirts, especially with a fairly neutral color (like black, white, grey), cast a really wide net in terms of appeal, thus get bought by a lot more people. Plus, they’re also less expensive to produce, so not only are you putting yourself in a position to sell more t-shirts, but you can do so at an even larger profit margin. Win, win!
2. Comfort Is Key
Obviously, having a great looking design is huge when it comes to creating t-shirts, but don’t neglect the feel of your shirt. A great looking shirt might help you get your foot in the door, but a shirt that feels great is what will make people want to wear your brand again and again. Soft shirts was a common thread we saw during our time at AGENDA. If you’re looking for a particularly soft t-shirt, we recommend checking out poly/cotton blends, or even tri-blends. Let us know if you need help picking one out! One of our t-shirt experts will be more than happy to show you some favorites :)
3. Gradients For The Win!
We’ve always been big fans of a nice gradient print. They’re eye catching, creative, and can set your shirt apart from others. We loved the gradient use on this tee from Moon Collective. They kept the colors similar, and kept the design to simple left-chest print — just the right amount of color to make this shirt pop.
4. Pop Culture References
People love buying shirts that they identify with. A great looking design is one thing, but blend great t-shirt design with something that people identify with and want to promote, and you’ll take your t-shirt to a whole new level. EVERYBODYskates makes a living off of this — blending pop culture with skate culture to create some awesome t-shirt designs. One of our favorites included Michael Jackson cruising on a skateboard, which leads to our bonus tip: any tee with the King of Pop is bound to be a fan favorite.
5. Back To The 90s?
Break out your neon warm-up jackets and N’Sync CDs — the 90s are back! We noticed plenty of neon and bold colored shirts with wild patterns while walking around AGENDA. Unfortunately, Will Smith did not show up in full-on Fresh Prince wear, but man, it really felt like he was going to. A couple of notes on this trend: feel free to experiment with wild patterns, and..
6. Don’t Be Afraid To Splash Some Color
Whether you want to use the t-shirt itself as the color, or you want to use a bright colored ink to make the shirt pop, we saw a number of different clothing lines taking risks and putting out some bold, vibrant tees.
(p.s. If you’re wondering whether or not you can print bright colors with our SuperSoft ink, the answer is yes, yes you can)
7. Hem Tags Are Always A Good Idea
In a sea of brands, everyone is looking for a way to make theirs stand out. A really easy, really appealing way to do this is by adding hem tags to your t-shirts. Messages are more effective when repeated, so give your brand an extra touch-point — and a little extra flair — by adding a hem tag. We saw brands with tags on the bottom of the shirt, the sleeve, or even the neckline, so there’s really no wrong answer as far as placement goes. Looking to design a hem tag? Check out our free hem tag template pack to get started!
Ready to put these tips to practice with a new t-shirt design? Give us a shout! We’re here to help via email, phone, or text, and we can’t wait to get started on your next t-shirt order.
.svg)
