I’m not sure if I’m the only person who has experienced this or not (I feel like I’m not). How come white t-shirts that have designs or graphics printed on them in black ink always end up looking dingy and old after only a few washes? I know, I know; some of you just read that like “is he really about to write about this?” YES I AM!
In 2013, I launched my clothing line, Fresh Never Fades Clothing, so in my life as a streetwear enthusiast turned creator I’ve bought, sold, and worn a lot of t-shirts and for some reason white ones with black ink just don’t have the longevity as say a black tee with red ink or a white tee with a green printing. I noticed it when I bought my first Billionaire Boys Club tee. After my first wear I took it to the the dry cleaners because hey, I just spent $100 on a t-shirt I don’t want to mess it up (y’all remember when BBC tees cost that much? Smh). After talking to someone who had bought and worn many more BBC tees than I, and on there recommendation, I decided to save my money and wash it on my own. 2 or 3 washes later and my beloved BBC Arched Logo tee looks like a 4 year old Hanes undershirt, I was livid; I didn’t know whether to blame my friend who told me to wash it, the washing machine, or Pharrell.
Eventually, I got over my loss and bought new tees but the same thing happened to them. From Stussy to The Hundreds to my brand Fresh Never Fades (how ironic right? “never fades” and the graphic fades, maybe that went over your head), black ink on white tees just go wrong after you wash them, sometimes quicker than others but from my experience it will eventually happen. Is it the quality of t-shirt being used? Is it the quality of ink or the printing process? How come it doesn’t happen to other color inks on white shirts? All questions I’ve asked and all questions I still don’t know the answers to. What I do have are tips: consumers; just take your white t-shirts with black graphics to the cleaners if your tired of this happening because it will save money in the long run, brands; test and retest different blanks, ink types, and printing processes until you get one that has a lifecycle your comfortable with.
I could very well be the only person experiencing this, but if I’m not let me know I’m not alone and let me know your thoughts and tips on preventing this from continually happening.
Blake ‘Heezy’ Hall
President/Creative Director for Fresh Never Fades Clothing
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