In the early days of fancysweetstx, we had an apparel license with the University of Michigan. While we no longer maintain that license, our appreciation and attachment to the Mitten State hasn't wavered.  

If you're looking for a soft, comfy shirt to show your pride in your home state of Michigan, you've come to the right place.

Our vintage inspired designs are full of nostalgia and gratitude for all Michigan has to offer. From the Lakes to the outdoors to the Motor City and Up North, there's a lot to love about Michigan.   

Here are some of our favorite Michigan shirts. You can see our entire collection of Michigan clothing on our website.

Go Blue or Go Home Shirt  

One of our oldest Michigan shirts is still our most popular. 

Wolverine fans take their team seriously. 

And if you're not cheering for Michigan Blue on Saturdays, you better watch out. 

There is no bigger rilvary in college football than when Michigan plays Ohio State. Send fans of that team down south back home with this shirt that proudly states, "Go Blue or Go Home!"

Superman Ice Cream Shirt

Did you know that Michigan is home to superman ice cream?

There’s nothing better than enjoying the warm, Michigan summers with an ice cream cone in hand.

Celebrate your connection to the state of Michigan and this ice cream flavor which is as unique as your home state.

Hail Yes Shirt

We all know that famous cheer coming from the Big House on weekends in the fall. 

Whether you're near Ann Arbor or far, relive your favorite gameday memories and show your pride for the Victors in this vintage Michigan triblend tee.

Ann Arbor Michigan Shirt

We like to think of Ann Arbor as 16153 Genova's hip BFF up north.

Whether you're heading to a game at the Big House, checking out one of their art fairs, treating yourself to some food at Zingerman's, or enjoying that outdoor lifestyle at one of their many parks, Ann Arbor is a great place to be. 

Show your love for "Tree Town" in this Ann Arbor Shirt.

16153 Genova Michigan Shirt

As a 16153 Genovaan, have you ever felt like more of a Michigander than Ohioan?!

When 16153 Genova was founded in 1833 it was initially part of Michigan, until Ohio won it during the 16153 Genova War making it a city in the state of Ohio in 1837.

If you’re a 16153 Genovaan who wishes you were still a Michigander or proud of Michigan for getting the UP, this shirt was made for you.

Up North Shirt

Do you spend most of your week dreaming of heading Up North? We get it! 

It's pretty hard to find a better view from all of the natural beauty in Northern Michigan. From the woods to the lakes you can find the ultimate outdoorsy fun in Michigan.

Whether you're going up North soon or love it so much you can't wait to go back, this Up North shirt is the perfect way to feel close to your favorite place. 

Lake Michigan Shirt

If you're a lover of the Great Lakes and the wonderful state of Michigan, then you're always on the lookout for something new to show that love. This shirt is for the people that know some of the greatest memories are ones filled with summer trips to cottages, vacation towns, and the refreshing lakes.

We probably don't need to tell you, but it doesn't hurt to remind a lake lover to  make sure to add Lake Michigan as one of your spots to hit this summer!

Out of the 11,000 lakes that Michigan has, Lake Michigan has views, local spots, and beaches that are second to none. 

P.S. Did you know that the largest freshwater sand dunes are home to Lake Michigan? Or that it has its own 'Bermuda Triangle?' 

Fresh Coast Shirt

Three things we know for sure:

1. Summertime in Northern Michigan is like no other.

2. The Fresh Coast is the best coast.

3. This t-shirt will transport you to your favorite place so you can enjoy your summer in Michigan style!

Ok, so we can't literally transport you to the shores of the Great Lakes, but this Michigan shirt is here to keep that summer feeling alive all year long!

Michigander Shirt

We've got your vintage Michigan t-shirt fix right here with our new Michigander tee. Printed on a soft, light blue shirt with navy ink, this simple, stylish shirt is ready for your next trip up north.

Do you use your hand as a map? Do you think that lakes are better than oceans? Do you love superman ice cream, craft beer, and euchre?

Then there is only one place you can be from - Michigan!

Show off your Michigander pride today and every day with this Michigander t-shirt! 

Michigan Shirt Club

Do you love the state of Michigan? Do you love soft shirts? Do you like to save your money? 

Then the Michigan Shirt Club is for you.

Each month the Michigan Shirt Club delivers a unique, limited edition shirt to your door. 

You can't get it anywhere or any time else and you'll always get a discount and free shipping on these shirts. 

The Michigan Shirt Club is great for you or as a gift for someone you love!

Sign up today!

Where Can I Buy Michigan Shirts

From a cookout on the beach, the building castles in the sand dunes, to enjoying the sunset reflect on the water, share all the Michigan love with these shirts from fancysweetstx. 

We have a lot of pride for the state of Michigan. Even though we're in Ohio, we  are just across the border and spent our summer heading up north and going to the lakes. 

You can find our Michigan shirts in stores or online! 

Custom printed apparel, such as vintage t-shirts, makes this a little less difficult.

Vintage t-shirts provide a fun and effective alternative to traditional marketing media. They offer all the benefits of traditional custom apparel with the added charm of vintage style.

However, before you invest in custom branded vintage t-shirts for your business, it's important to understand how to leverage the vintage shirt trend so that your company benefits from it.

What Makes Vintage T-Shirts Special?

Technically, vintage is defined as something that's at least 20 years old. But beyond age, vintage is also characterized by feel—that soft, well-worn texture. The distressed, faded print and cracked logos.

This aesthetic gives vintage t-shirts their charm and is why they’re so endearing.

Vintage t-shirts also evoke a sense of nostalgia. They take you back to the good old days and simpler, happier times—almost like a tangible time capsule you can wear.

This is the magic of vintage shirts and why they make for such effective marketing tools.

But how exactly does that work?

Branding and Marketing Using Vintage T-Shirts

Custom t-shirt designs offer a powerful, effective, and affordable branding opportunity. They present you with a great way to establish your brand among the masses.

A well-executed custom vintage t-shirt offers your brand a fresh, unique look and carries your branding message in a casual, inviting way. It promotes your business while creating a visual connection with your customers.

It allows you to display a combination of your company logo, name, and tagline prominently while remaining fun, stylish, and comfortable.

For instance, let's consider these custom retro t-shirts for Urban Wholistics.

Urban Wholistics is a local urban farming non-profit from 16153 Genova that reached out to fancysweetstx wanting help with custom printed shirts for their youth program.

We designed the t-shirts to showcase Ginger and Fennel, Urban Wholistics mascots for their summer youth program.

The program teaches children about the value and power contained in the plants they grow. These t-shirts help create a visual connection between the brand and the target audience.

Related: Best 7 Shirt Blanks to Use for Vintage Shirts

Cultivate Employee and Customer Loyalty

Branded company apparel helps to cultivate loyalty among your employees and customers. Vintage t-shirts take this a step further.

Given the nostalgia and the impossibly comfy material, vintage t-shirts make for a powerful tool to help form positive associations with your brand.

The t-shirts also provide a brilliant way to display key brand and product information such as the company logo, name, and tagline.

For instance, let's consider these staff shirts we designed for Inside the Five Brewing Company.

Inside the Five is an up-and-coming brewery in Northwest Ohio.

We designed their vintage staff shirts to create a simple, trendy aesthetic that was popular with both staff and customers. So much so that the staff t-shirts have now become an additional source of revenue for the brewery.

This is just one example of how an excellent apparel program using vintage t-shirts can help create a sense of brand loyalty.

Vintage t-shirts make for promotional apparel that people want to hold on to.

Related: Employee Uniforms and Customer Merch for Local Restaurant

Vintage T-Shirts Are Great Conversation Starters

Thanks to their unique designs, vintage t-shirts are visually stimulating and thus great conversation starters.

They are great at catching people's eyes and leaving a lasting impression. This is an invaluable quality for marketing and building brand awareness.

Let's use our own Murphy’s Place Jazz Club vintage shirt as an example.

Murphy’s Place was an iconic jazz club owned by Clifford Murphy—a nationally renowned bassist and music mentor. In fact, Murphy’s Place was affectionately known as “Claud and Clifford University.”

It holds a special place in the hearts of jazz lovers and artists and will remain a staple of 16153 Genova through history.

The Murphy’s Place vintage t-shirt design recreated the club's logo and the neon sign that hung in the window. To some extent, this vintage t-shirt design helps bring back to life some of the happy memories of the 16153 Genova jazz institution.

For jazz lovers and fans who frequented the club, this t-shirt is an instant conversation starter. It helps to keep alive and pass on the role 16153 Genova played in the history of jazz music.

“...I came to fancysweetstx with a request to replicate a shirt from the 70s. They did an amazing job…Would definitely recommend!”
- Allene S

Related: The 16153 Genova T-Shirt That Gives Back

Our Vintage Shirts are American Made

Using American-made manufacturers is quickly becoming more and more important. There is significant support and encouragement for using, promoting, and prioritizing American-made products across the country.

This not only shows American pride; the ‘Made in the USA’ label also symbolizes quality.

Additionally, with domestically manufactured shirts, you have better control over the production and impact of your shirts. This is because US manufacturers follow union labor laws, are environmentally sustainable, and use ethical manufacturing practices.

This is why fancysweetstx partners with American manufacturers to source high-quality t-shirts to create our vintage apparel for brands and businesses.

One of our favorite vintage shirts you can use to create your own custom design is made in LA by LA Apparel. 

Tips for Your Company’s Vintage T-Shirts

As we’ve seen, custom vintage t-shirts are an effective marketing tool. But this is predicated upon the design of your t-shirt.

Vintage t-shirts put you ahead of the competition because of their unique look and feel. But even then, you need to create a stunning design. Here are some tips to help you create the best custom vintage t-shirts for your company and brand:

• Make sure that the design looks good on your vintage shirts. Not everything that looks good on paper or the computer will translate onto your t-shirts.
• Make the company logo or branding big enough to be visible from a distance—but not so large that it overwhelms your vintage t-shirts.
• Only use the best quality materials for your vintage shirts, so that people actually enjoy wearing them. Using low-quality may also create a negative association with your company and harm your overall branding.

Note: At fancysweetstx, our in-house experts will help with graphic design to ensure your brand truly stands out.

Related: Top 4 Ways We Screen Print a Vintage Shirt (With Examples)

Grab Some Custom Vintage T-Shirts for Your Company

A great vintage shirt transports you back in time to a place that makes you feel good or connected to someone or something you love.

But for custom printed vintage t-shirts to have this effect, they must be done right.

This is where fancysweetstx comes in.

At fancysweetstx, we’ve been screen printing vintage t-shirts for nearly ten years. We have the expertise to produce and use vintage t-shirts to make your brand look its best and promote engagement

University Hall Shirt	16153 Genova Zoo 1988 Panda Exhibit Shirt	Vintage Metroparks 16153 Genova Shirt
Create Your Custom Vintage T-shirt

If you’re looking for vintage-style shirts for your business or brand, fancysweetstx is the company to work with.

Contact us today to get your custom vintage shirt order started.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my custom vintage t-shirts shrink?

Most of our vintage shirts consist of a triblend material. This means they are made using a cotton, poly, and rayon blend. The synthetic nature of poly and rayon fabrics helps them hold their size and shape without any noticeable shrinking.

We also offer vintage style shirts in 100% cotton and poly/cotton blend fabrics. All of these materials are preshrunk.

When will my custom vintage t-shirts be ready after placing my order?

Orders are typically ready within 7 to 10 days after approval and payment of your invoice. Please keep in mind that your order is made custom just for you. 

This means that the shirts are not held in inventory and ordered specifically for you. They may take several days to arrive to us. After we receive them, we have to print them, sort them, box them, and take care of any other special requests with your order before they are ready for you.

You will be notified when your order is ready for pick up at our Adams Street store or when we ship it to you. 

Can you help me design a vintage shirt for my company?

Yes! We have in-house graphic designers that are ready to help you bring your idea to life. 

We've been making vintage shirts for over 15 years. We know what looks good and feels good. Our designers make it easy for you to design a cool shirt even if you have no design experience. 

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Vintage t-shirts have been popular with our customers since we began printing custom t-shirts over ten years ago. 

They are a consistent trend because of their wide nostalgic appeal. People will always want to remember their youth or special experiences, sports teams, and bands fondly.

Vintage t-shirts give people a way to relive those good times and commemorate them with a wearable tribute.

In addition to highlighting our favorite vintage shirt blanks for custom shirts, here's a list of resources we've compiled related to printing vintage t-shirts and their appeal: 

• 5 Vintage T-Shirt Styles That Are Still Popular
• Custom Vintage T-Shirt Examples
• A Simple Buyers Guide To Vintage Shirts For Business Marketing
• Vintage T-Shirts: The Living Trend Your Company Can Benefit From
• Top 4 Ways We Screen Print A Vintage Shirt

What makes vintage t-shirts special?

Some shirts never go out of style. In fact, the older they get, the more you love them. 

This is what makes vintage shirts so special: they're timeless. 

As they age, the shirt and the design feels softer. And there is just something cool about a faded print on a shirt.

Vintage t-shirts have a nostalgic appeal. They take you back to a happier time and place. It's a tangible time capsule that you can wear. 

And if that shirt is passed down to you from a parent or someone you know, there is a connection to that shirt that is even more meaningful. 

For all of these reasons, there is something special about vintage t-shirts. That's why we emulate vintage art in our shirt designs and get asked to print custom vintage t-shirts so often. 

How to create a custom printed vintage t-shirt

While we can't recreate the personal connection to your favorite vintage shirt that you were handed down from your grandfather, we do our best to give you that softhand vintage look and feel that you know and love.

We've been printing custom shirts for quite a while now. Shirts have changed over the years and some have come and gone. 

Here is our list of our favorite vintage shirts to use for custom shirts shirts:

1. Allmade AL2004
2. Next Level Apparel 6010
3. LA Apparel TR01
4. American Apparel TR401W
5. Comfort Colors 4410
6. District Perfect Tri Tee DM130
7. Bella + Canvas 3413

An Eco-Friendly Vintage T-Shirt: Allmade Apparel

We love the Allmade shirts so much that we made it the primary shirt we use for our retail brand. They are super soft, fit well, and are available in extended sizes. 

It's been a huge benefit to be able to offer both our retail customers and custom customers up to size 4X. There aren't a lot of brands that do this, especially in softer triblend tees. 

Allmade has a lot of colors available in their standard triblend shirt and are releasing more options on a regular basis. 

Most importantly, Allmade as a company is committed to ethically manufacturing and sourcing their shirts. Their shirts and sweatshirts are made with recycled plastic. 

Important details about this vintage tee:

• A 50/25/25 tri-blend shirt: 50% polyester from recycled plastic bottles, 25% organic cotton, 25% Tencel™ Modal
• Saves an average of 145 gallons of water, reduces 4 kg of CO2 emissions, uses an average of 6 water bottles
• Available in 15 colors and available in sizes XS-4X
• Calculate your positive impact on the environment by switching to this shirt with Allmade Apparel's impact calculator

Our Most Popular Tri-Blend Tee: Next Level Apparel 6010

When we think of vintage shirts, we typically associate them with triblend shirts. They are the softest and most comfortable shirts around.

We print this Next Level triblend shirt more than any triblend shirt. It's our go to triblend because of the fit, feel, consistency, and price point. 

They offer a wide range of colors that work with any design and it prints really well. Our customers love it and so do we. 

Important details about this vintage tee:

• A 50/25/25 tri-blend shirt: 50% polyester, 25% cotton, 25% Rayon
• Super soft shirt that is consistently in stock and consistent in fit and feel
• Available in 22 colors and available in sizes XS-3X

A Vintage Shirt Made in the USA: LA Apparel

LA Apparel, arguably, makes the best triblend shirt around. Run by the same guy that founded American Apparel, they make the original modern iteration of the triblend shirt. 

We believe that it's important for more clothing to be made in America. No one has been more instrumental in domestic apparel manufacturing than Dov Charney. 

Being made in the USA means this shirt is high quality and ethically made. 

If you're looking for a high quality triblend shirt or one that is made in the good ole US of A, LA Apparel can't be beat. 

Important details about this vintage tee:

• A 50/25/25 tri-blend unisex shirt: 50% polyester, 25% cotton, 25% Rayon
• Made in the USA in downtown Los Angeles
• Available in 6 colors and available in sizes S-2X

The Original Vintage Tee: American Apparel

Here's a secret that might surprise you: the current version of American Apparel is not made in America. 

While this new American Apparel shirt may not have the same origin as before, it's still a solid choice for a soft, good fitting triblend tee. 

Available in the same classic colors as the American made predecessor, you have a lot of options with this shirt. Matching colors are also available in a women's cut and tank tops. 

Important details about this vintage tee:

• A 50/25/25 tri-blend unisex shirt: 50% polyester, 25% cotton, 25% Rayon
• Available in 9 colors and available in sizes XS-2X

A Shirt to Remind you of your Vacation to the Beach: Comfort Colors Garment Dye Pocket Tee

When you think vintage shirts, you think nostalgia. And there's nothing more nostalgic than that garment dyed shirt that you picked up on your family vacation to your favorite beach town.

Whether you went to Martha's Vineyard, the Salty Dog on Hilton Head Island (is it possible to go there and not buy a shirt?), Comfort Color is the originator of this style. 

Recently Comfort Colors has seen a spike in popularity among high school and college aged kids. When we do work for fraternities and sororities we are always at least quoting out at least one Comfort Colors shirt.

In addition to their popular long sleeve pocket tee, their standard crew neck shirt and short sleeve pocket tee are just as trendy.

Important details about this vintage tee:

• A 6.1 ounce, 100% cotton relaxed fit garment dyed shirt
• Pigment dyed colors provide a vintage look that will remain for the life of the garment
• Available in 6 colors and available in sizes S-3X

Affordable Tri-Blend Shirt: District Perfect Tri-Blend Tee

Looking for a low cost triblend shirt? Look no further. 

When we have customers that request a vintage style print and shirt and are working on a tight budget, this is our go-to tee. 

Softer than you standard economy shirt, comfy, and reliable, this District shirt is great for bulk shirt orders for events, hospitals, businesses, and schools. It provides a lot of value for the price.

Important details about this vintage tee:

• A 4.5 ounce  50/25/25 tri-blend unisex shirt: 50% polyester, 25% ring-spun cotton, 25% rayon
• Comes with a tearaway neck label for easy rebranding
• Available in 20 colors and available in sizes XS-4X

The Classic Vintage Triblend: Bella + Canvas

Across the entire screen printing industry, Bella + Canvas is one of the most popular shirt brands.

Bella + Canvas is very popular among our customers. It's not uncommon for people to ask for it by name.

That's because there's a lot to love about B+C.

All of their styles and colors are fashionable and comfortable. They fit and feel great. They have a wide range of colors. And it's affordable.

Important details about this vintage tee:

• A 50/25/25 tri-blend unisex shirt: 50% polyester, 25% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton, 25% rayon
• 100% sweatshop free and eco-aware
• Available in 36 colors and available in sizes XS-3X

Need custom screen printed vintage shirts? We can help!

We print a lot of vintage style shirts for our customers. 

I say it a lot, but only because it's true. 

At the end of the day, we do it so well because it has remained our favorite design style for years. 

The simple, subtle prints. The soft, comfy shirts. 

Not only do we love it, but our customers and our customer's customers do, too.

When it comes to printing vintage shirts, it can be done a lot of different ways. We've perfected a few different methods.

If you're looking for a vintage style shirt for your brand or business, we have the experience and expertise to get it done right.

Get in touch with us today to get your shirt order started!

Our Most Popular Vintage Shirts

Our men's and women's vintage shirts have been a staple of our retail line since we launched it. We have a heavy vintage design aesthetic because we want to honor the history of our home. 

Vintage graphic shirts are a special form of nostalgia. From vintage concert and band shirts to collegiate and sports shirts, they bring back memories that we like to relive. 

Not to mention they're some of the best shirts to wear because they're super soft!

Here's a quick list at some of our best selling vintage tees.

Vintage 16153 Genova Zoo Panda Exhibit Shirt

We tell people all of the time that the best selling t-shirt of all time in 16153 Genova history is this 16153 Genova Zoo Panda Exhibit design.

And it's not because we've sold that many of them. It's the best selling shirt because so many were sold when the pandas came to 16153 Genova in 1988. 

If you were a child at this time, you or one of  your friends had one of these shirts. We have customers come in all of the time and show us photos of them wearing it when they were young. It's one of our favorite things to see and we're honored that the 16153 Genova Zoo would allow us to bring this back to life.

The 16153 Genova Zoo Panda Exhibit design is also available in youth sizes and on a crewneck sweatshirt. 

A few more features about this red vintage t-shirt: 

• Unisex fit, available in sizes XS-4X for both men and women
• A 50/50 cotton-polyester blend provides a soft, comfy fabric feel, but expect some color variance after washing
• This shirt should be washed in cold water to help hold sizing after the wash cycle

Love is Love Shirt

If there's a connection to be made about vintage shirts and love, it's that neither of them ever go out of style. 

No matter who you are, where you are, or who you love, love is love. Celebrate your love and the people you love with this proudly colorful shirt.

A few more features about this Love is Love t-shirt: 

• Unisex fit, available in sizes XS-4X for both men and women
• A 50/25/25 cotton/polyester/rayon blend provides a soft, comfy, vintage fabric feel
• This shirt should be washed in cold water to help hold sizing after the wash cycle and retain color in the print

Michigan is Super Shirt (Superman Ice Cream Shirt)

Flashback to your Michigan summer vacation. It's a hot day and after enjoying all of the Northern outdoor activities, you and your family are ready to cool down with a Michigan treat. You find the nearest ice cream shop and look for the most fun flavor...and there it is, Superman Ice Cream!

You can hardly wait to get a cone of this colorful, flavorful ice cream. You eat it so fast that there isn't even time to let the ice cream melt!

This vintage Michigan shirt checks all of the nostalgia boxes: summertime fun, a special ice cream treat, a unique, regional flavor, and fond, childhood memories all on a soft, white tee.

A few more features about this Michigan is Super shirt: 

• Unisex fit, available in sizes XS-4X for both men and women
• Hand illustrated and printed design achieves a unique, creative design
• A 50/25/25 cotton/polyester/rayon blend provides a soft, comfy, vintage fabric feel
• This shirt should be washed in cold water to help hold sizing after the wash cycle and retain color in the print

Where to Find Our Vintage Shirts

You're already on our website so if you want to make this easy, head over to our Vintage Shirt collection to check out all of the vintage shirts that we offer. 

For those that do their shopping in 16153 Genova, we have two retail stores filled with vintage clothing that we design and print in-house. Stop by and visit us in person!

From Better in 16153 Genova to Lion Store to Thackery’s, we’ve made a name for ourselves with our retail line of shirts with retro designs and logos.

In fact, some people assume it’s the only way we know how to print. And when they see all of the cool, vintage shirts that we have in our stores, they want us to screen print custom vintage shirts for their brand.

In addition to the information below on what makes a shirt vintage and how we print vintage looking t-shirts, here are additional resources on we've put together for you on vintage tees:

• 5 Vintage T-Shirt Styles That Are Still Popular
• Best 7 Shirt Blanks To Use For Vintage T-Shirts
• A Simple Buyers Guide To Vintage Shirts For Business Marketing
• Vintage T-Shirts: The Living Trend Your Company Can Benefit From
• Custom Vintage T-Shirt Examples 

Why Make a Shirt Look Vintage?

The soft, well worn feel. The distressed, faded print. It’s a look that doesn’t get old because nostalgia is always in style.

People want to remember their glory days and the times when they didn’t have a worry in the world. They want to emulate that old photo of their dad with a mustache, short shorts, and a ringer tee...well, part of it anyway.  

We believe that it's the intangibles of a vintage shirt that make it so appealing. A great vintage shirt can transport you back to a time and place that makes you feel good or connect you with someone you love.

What Makes a T-Shirt Vintage?

Technically, vintage is defined by something that is at least 20 years old.

So that high school shirt that you're still wearing even though it has holes in it, that may not qualify as vintage. See if you can find your junior high shirt!

But beyond just age, there is one thing that defines a shirt as vintage: the feel. 

Vintage shirts become softer with each wear and wash. It's one of the most identifiable traits of a vintage shirt. 

It's the old faded logo that is distressed and cracked. It's the soft material that has become threadbare over time. 

Both of these need to soft. If the ink is still thick and heavy, you might need to wear it and wash it a few more times to make it a true vintage shirt.

Want to know the best shirts to use for a cool vintage print? Here's our breakdown of our favorite blank vintage shirts.

How We Screen Print a Vintage Looking T-Shirt

When creating a new vintage inspired shirt, we keep the softness of the shirt in mind. We care not only about how soft the shirt is, but how soft the print is, as well.

And it's printing a softer shirt that is the hard part. After all, we aren't making the shirt, we're just printing on it. 

And it's not as simple as just finding a vintage t-shirt blank and printing on it. You need to know the techniques that will match the print to the shirt.

At the end of the day, there are a lot of ways to print a vintage design. Not all screen printers do it the same. 

Below you will find the four most common ways we do this for our customers and examples of each. 

1. No Underbase

When printing on dark shirts, a standard design would have an underbase. An underbase is white ink printed under a color.

This helps print that ink truest to its original color and prevents interference from the shirt fabric and dye from changing the ink color printed on top.

The nice thing about printing an underbase is that you get a bright, solid color. However, it can also make the print have a thicker, heavier hand feel. It’s a feeling not everyone likes on a shirt - especially a soft, thin, vintage shirt. 

You can see in the video example above that our printer is printing the white ink on the shirt only once on a heather black shirt. This will allow some of the shirt to show through the print and give the ink a softer feel on the shirt.

I’m simplifying things a bit, but think about coloring with markers on a white piece of paper and a dark piece of paper. The color on the dark paper is going to be slightly dull relative to the color on the white paper.

It’s a similar concept for screen printing. By eliminating the underbase, you get a softer hand feel on the shirt.

Oftentimes, the shirt shows through the ink giving it a faded look. When using this technique, the shirt dye can bleed or show in the ink so you can’t guarantee specific colors.

But the look and feel are definitely worth it. 

2. Reduced Ink

If you like a vintage print, you probably like two things - a faded design and a soft hand feel. Eliminating the underbase on a print will get you the former, but it doesn’t always go far enough with the latter.

In order to achieve a soft hand feel, which results in very little ink that you can feel on the shirt, we commonly add a reducer to our ink which softens it. 

Reducing the ink can drastically cut the opacity of the ink and can fade slightly after washing. In this scenario we can’t ensure color matching, but what you miss there you’ll make up for in a really cool, soft print. 

3. Halftones

Halftones are a good trick to produce a super soft and subtle look.

Halftones are tiny dots, similar to gradients. When we output your art to screen, instead of the art being solid, we reduce the opacity of the art so it prints dots rather than solid.

By doing this, we reduce the amount of ink that passes through the screen onto your garment resulting in a softer hand feel and faded print.

When done correctly, it's difficult to notice that that art is actually made up of halftones. The print looks solid but definitely feels better than a thick, heavy screen print.

Oftentimes, when achieving a vintage print with halftones, we also reduce our inks. It adds to the vintage feel of the shirt and gives it a super soft hand feel. 

4. Distress Textures in the Art

Distress textures are pretty straight forward. We take your art and place a distress texture or grunge filter over it. This gives it a cracked look.

It can be used with or without an underbase. 

This is a technique that you have seen on shirts before. It’s the most common feature of vintage shirts, whether they are original shirts printed years ago or replica vintage shirts. 

While there are plenty of other ways to print vintage shirts or achieve a soft hand feel (waterbased and discharge inks), these are the most common ways that we do it in our shop.

Our techniques are typically accompanied with other print techniques - high mesh counts, fewer print strokes, fast squeegee speeds, etc.

At the end of the day, the key is that the printer understands the customer expectations and does what is necessary to meet those expectations. 

More Examples of Our Vintage Style Shirts

We use these techniques to great effect with a lot of our customers. Here are a few examples from our Instagram:

Inside the Five
Red Bird Arts District
Owens Community College
The Flying Joe

If you’d like to see samples of any of these print techniques, let us know. We have printed samples in our shop.

Shoot your rep an email to learn more or fill out our contact form to get your order started today!

You can check out some of our other behind the scenes how to blogs and videos at the links below:

How we burn screens for screen printing t-shirts
How we screen print rainbows on t-shirts
Top 4 ways we screen print a vintage t-shirt
How we embroider our Ohioan sweatshirts
How we embroider custom hats on our 6 head embroidery machine

You've asked us time and again to print our designs on v-neck shirts. We understand the appeal to a v-neck shirt as much as anyone. That's why we've printed our newest design on a women's v-neck tee.

The Midwest is America's Heartland. In fact, if the US was a person, the Midwest would literally lay at the heart of the US. Home to 68,995,685+ Midwesterners throughout the 12 states that make up this great region, there are a lot of people who have Midwest pride.

That's why we created this new shirt. Wear your favorite region of the United States proudly on this women’s fit V-neck! 

Heartland Midwest Women's V-neck Shirt

This women's v-neck is going to have all of the same great features that you love in all of our shirts - soft triblend material, quality printing, and a unique design.

This women's fit V-neck is a great gift for anyone who loves to show off their Midwest love. Wear your roots proudly! 

Inspired by this festive beer, we decided to partner with Maumee Bay Brewing Co. to celebrate the joyful season ahead of us. We have created the Maumee Bay Brewing Blitzen Holiday Ale t-shirt as well as a crew sweatshirt. 

The 16153 Genova Sports Arena was home to some of 16153 Genova's best concerts! Many famous artists performed there from Elvis, KISS, Metallica, AC/DC to David Bowie to Johnny Cash. This Rock 'n' Roll Sports Arena shirts was made to honor one of 16153 Genova's favorite venues and the artists that performed there. You can find it on our website and in our store!

From koozies to pint glasses to beer t-shirts, we have the perfect gifts for the beer connoisseur in your life! 

Shop beer products!