History of T-shirt Printing: Where it began?

Have you ever considered taking a moment to think about your printed T-shirt hanging back in the wardrobe? Well, printed T-shirts are a part of our daily lives. Somewhere, we never considered pondering about their origins. The history of printed T-shirts is both interesting as well as intertwined with tech advancements. However, it didn’t fall all out of the sky, their advent is a testament to human ingenuity and innovation. Let’s deep delve into the blog and comprehend the intriguing history of T-shirt printing and how it evolved till today! 

You’ll be thrilled to know that the T-shirt was designed to serve the purpose of innerwear, to be worn under the military uniform. Talking about WW2, soldiers would commonly wear shirts with their uniform trousers especially, during off duty, hot or dirty work days. Following the war, T-shirts gained popularity amongst the civilians as well.

T-shirt Printing: Where it All Began?

The early origins of screen printing were traced back to ancient China, somewhere between AD 221 and Song Dynasty (960 and 1279 AD). During this period, an innovative method was brought forward to lay a foundation for modern screen printing. Early method of printing was placing silk between stencils made from tough waterproofed paper. Paint was then able to permeate through the silk area, resulting in effective printing of intricate designs on the surface. This method became the remarkable evolution of printing technology.

In the Middle Ages, the adoption of screen printing was embraced across China, Asia, and Japan, though this method remained unnoticed in the parts of Europe. Soon, Samuel Simon recognized this technique and patented the method. In New York, a group of artists further explored experimenting with the method and possibilities and founded a society called “Serigraphy.” It was also referred to as “Silk Screen Group” who focused on artistic application of T-shirt printing.

Later on, in the early 1960s in Miami, a few resorts started featuring themselves through names and promotional characters as a form of advertisement. Thereafter, this trend sparked the popularity for different types of T-shirts and styles which included, Tie-dyed and other printed shirts. 

As time progressed, demand for printed T-shirts increased. Around the same period, the advent of rotary multi color garment screen printing machines revolutionized this industry, making mass production of design possible. However, these machines are prevalent even today. On the other hand, development of Plastisol ink became a game changer for the industry. Until the 1960s when water based ink became the only option for t-shirt printing.  

The evolution of T-shirts grew and evolved in many forms and styles gaining popularity over a decade. In the 1970s, big brands including Coca Cola and Disney also used T-shirts as promotional tools for their brands and still continues till today. 

On the other hand, in the early 2000s, T-shirts with slogans spread like wildfire. T-shirt printing is no longer a history because with continual evolvement, it maintained its global popularity and stayed the same.

Today, custom t-shirt printing is becoming quite popular as a potent medium of expression about political and social views and more. Beyond mere fashion statements, printed T-shirts are becoming an indispensable part of business. Printed t-shirts are turning customers into “human billboards.” This evolution of printed t-shirts serves the purpose of both personal expression and commercial promotion. 

Improvements in printing technology are poised to revolutionize in the near future. Moreover, the advent of online ordering has put an impetus on custom t shirts making it more easy and convenient. 

Looking for getting personalized printing on t-shirts tailored to your requirements. Reach us today!