I may seem a little biased for writing this article because Cult Status sells primarily custom, silk screened t-shirts, posters, stickers, and other merchandise; but I want to address some important things to consider when using an ink-jet for making your merch. I’ve seen a couple bands use certain websites that allow people to order shirts one at at time and that take care of all the ordering information. In my experience, this is probably the last way to sell merch for any legitimate band.

On the positive side, garment ink jet technology allows very very small runs (as small as 1) and prints in CMYK –which means as many colors as you want on a shirt for the same price. This technology was invented for the screen printing industry so we could offer low-cost, multiple color garment printing to low volume customers. Ideally, this would be a good technology for someone who wants to buy a t-shirt with a picture taken on a roller coaster at a theme park or maybe a family reunion.

The down side to this technology is that it really woks best for temporary use, and is best printed on white garments. Many in our industry feel that the technology is not yet up to par with printing and production standards. The products your customers buy will not have the same quality and will not last as long. This, in turn, reflects on your perceived professionalism. To contrast, traditional screen printing is done with an ink called plastisol, which is heat cured to bond into the fibers of your garment. If you care for your your printed clothing, you can expect them to last decades. Another problem with direct to garment technology is that it lacks the ability to consistently place an image in the same place if you have anything besides the standard center-chest print. Both automatic and manual screen printing shops give you the ability to get really creative with colors, placement, and substrates. For the music industry -regardless of genre- visual aesthetic is just as important as your sound.

When designing/purchasing merchandise for your music business, remember that it’s ultimately about your audience, what they want to wear, and their perception of you. Make wise decisions when discerning your options. If you need help or ideas, feel free to shoot CULT STATUS an email.

care hint: to keep your band shirts their freshest, it’s a good idea to turn them inside-out before you thrown them in the wash