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	<title>How to start a Clothing Company</title>
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		<title>What items can I sell besides t-shirts?</title>
		<link>http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/what-items-can-i-sell-besides-t-shirts/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=what-items-can-i-sell-besides-t-shirts</link>
		<comments>http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/what-items-can-i-sell-besides-t-shirts/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:20:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ray</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Design]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/?p=1139</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This article was originally written by Ray Masaki of Lowdtown (http://www.twitter.com/lowdtown) and posted on his blog: http://www.lowdtown.com/ This is a really good question, but the answer obviously depends on what you consider your demographic to be. But one thing that is definitely important regardless of your demographic is that the product should be unique and [...]<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/what-items-can-i-sell-besides-t-shirts/">What items can I sell besides t-shirts?</a></p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>This article was originally written by Ray Masaki of Lowdtown (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/lowdtown" target="_blank">http://www.twitter.com/lowdtown</a>) and posted on his blog: <a href="http://www.lowdtown.com/blog/articles/costs-of-starting-a-clothing-brand-revisited" target="_blank">http://www.lowdtown.com/</a></p>
<p>This is a really good question, but the answer obviously depends on  what you consider your demographic to be. But one thing that is  definitely important regardless of your demographic is that <strong>the product should be unique and professional</strong>.  Try to steer clear of bandwagon products. You might make a quick buck  from making a fad product, but you don’t want your brand to look like  every other brand that jumps on trends.</p>
<p>For example, for some reason a while back, people were really into those <strong>Livestrong</strong> style silicone wrist bands. I thought it was cool when Livestrong did  it, because it was for a good cause and the first to do it, but when a  shitload of bands and brands started doing it, it got super lame. Maybe  it’s just me, but I find those things to be terribly ugly, and don’t  work well as an accessory to your clothing. I know the intention of  those bands aren’t to be a fashion accessory, but I personally feel like  your brand loses class when you make people wear accessories that are  obviously just advertising (ie. silicone bands that say “I [heart] Brand  X”). Similarly, I find laser cut jewelry pretty tacky for the most part  unless it’s done well. <a href="http://goodwoodnyc.com/" target="_blank">Good Wood</a> makes really unique laser cut jewelry using good quality wood, and  unique wooden chains. They were able to take a simple idea, and put  their own unique spin on it, which is dope.</p>
<p><img title="Lowdtown - What items can I sell besides t-shirts?" src="http://www.lowdtown.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/goodwood.jpg" alt="goodwood What items can I sell besides t shirts?" width="469" height="352" /></p>
<p>Similarly, I feel like a lot of people are jumping on the old school  snap back bandwagon. If you’re going to make snap backs, do it right. I  see people buying really shitty wholesale hats, and then doing really  generic embroidered designs on them. My favorite snap back brand by far  is <a href="http://store.quintinco.com/" target="_blank">Quintin</a>. They just did a collaboration with sneaker genius, <strong>Ronnie Fieg</strong>,  and it was one of the dopest caps I’ve seen a while. Quintin uses  really unique fabrics, and the cut of the hat is custom as well. I don’t  know if snap backs are just a running trend at the moment, but if  you’re going to go for them, do it right!</p>
<p><img title="Lowdtown - What items can I sell besides t-shirts?" src="http://www.lowdtown.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/quintin.jpg" alt="quintin What items can I sell besides t shirts?" width="469" height="313" /></p>
<p>Continuing on the idea of trying to make a <a title="How to achieve a professional look on a tight budget" href="http://www.lowdtown.com/blog/articles/2011/10/how-to-achieve-a-professional-look-on-a-tight-budget/" target="_blank">professional look on a tight budget</a>,  try to think of cost effective ways to customize your product like  hoodies and jackets. I think the standard embroidered label adds a bit  of professionalism to your products, but try to think of ways you can it  make it more unique. Penfield uses embossed leather as patches on their  jackets. Getting patches produced is really not too expensive if you  find the right sources, and it definitely makes your garments more  unique. I think it’s pretty boring when someone just prints up their  design on a stock AA hoodie and then leaves it at that. If you add your  own label in place of the stock size tag, and add little accoutrements,  the products turns out way more special and unique. To me, it adds to  the brands value, because I no longer feel like I’m buying Brand X  design printed on an American Apparel hoodie, I feel like I’m buying a  Brand X product. There is some debate on the issue, because people like  knowing what kind of fit to expect especially when it’s an online brand,  but that’s something that I’m personally willing to risk. When a shirt  is printed on American Apparel, most people have worn AA shirts and know  what size to get, but I still prefer removing the tags and labeling it  as my own unique product. Besides, if you include an accurate size  chart, most people shouldn’t complain… unless they’re too lazy to  measure themselves.</p>
<p>If you’re looking into making your company more of a “lifestyle”  brand, think of products that can complement your brand’s image. <a href="http://shop.ugmonk.com/" target="_blank">Ugmonk</a> is a brand that everyone should know by now that focuses on minimalism, and the owner, <strong>Jeff Sheldon</strong>,  really has a great attention to detail. One product he released in 2011  was a leather notebook, which worked perfectly with the style of his  brand. It was unique, minimal and professional, and all he really added  was simple, well-done packaging and an embossed graphic to the leather  cover.</p>
<p><img title="Lowdtown - What items can I sell besides t-shirts?" src="http://www.lowdtown.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/ugmonk.jpg" alt="ugmonk What items can I sell besides t shirts?" width="469" height="280" /></p>
<p>Overall, the most important thing is to create unique and  professional products that pair well with your brand’s vision. Don’t  jump on bandwagons, and create things just to be popular and make quick  money. Try to really find and acknowledge the aesthetic of your brand,  and find other products besides t-shirts that blend well with your  company’s look.</p>
<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/what-items-can-i-sell-besides-t-shirts/">What items can I sell besides t-shirts?</a></p>
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		<title>How to find your total sales tax in paypal for 2011</title>
		<link>http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/how-to-find-your-total-sales-tax-in-paypal-for-2011/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=how-to-find-your-total-sales-tax-in-paypal-for-2011</link>
		<comments>http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/how-to-find-your-total-sales-tax-in-paypal-for-2011/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:21:42 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jon Kruse</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/?p=1199</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I always use google to try and find answers to my questions but somehow I couldn’t find any good information on how to find the total sales tax for 2011. I figured it out myself and decided to write a step by step process on how to find the sales tax for the 2011 in [...]<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/how-to-find-your-total-sales-tax-in-paypal-for-2011/">How to find your total sales tax in paypal for 2011</a></p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>I always use google to try and find answers to my questions but somehow I couldn’t find any good information on how to find the total sales tax for 2011. I figured it out myself and decided to write a step by step process on how to find the sales tax for the 2011 in paypal. You can read how to do it on my web developer blog for <a href="http://www.doubledragonstudios.com/how-to-find-your-total-sales-tax-in-paypal-for-2011/">double dragon studios.</p>
<p></a></p>
<p>Click on the link to see <a href="http://www.doubledragonstudios.com/how-to-find-your-total-sales-tax-in-paypal-for-2011/">How to find your sales tax in paypal for 2011</p>
<p></a></p>
<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/how-to-find-your-total-sales-tax-in-paypal-for-2011/">How to find your total sales tax in paypal for 2011</a></p>
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		<title>Custom packaging that won’t break the bank</title>
		<link>http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/custom-packaging-that-won%e2%80%99t-break-the-bank/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=custom-packaging-that-won%25e2%2580%2599t-break-the-bank</link>
		<comments>http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/custom-packaging-that-won%e2%80%99t-break-the-bank/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Jan 2012 02:18:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ray</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Design]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/?p=1134</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This article was originally written by Ray Masaki of Lowdtown (http://www.twitter.com/lowdtown) and posted on his blog: http://www.lowdtown.com/blog/ Custom packaging is one of those things that are icing on the cake. I think it’s awesome when I get a package that comes in an awesome box, or custom mailer, but it usually ends up in the [...]<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/custom-packaging-that-won%e2%80%99t-break-the-bank/">Custom packaging that won’t break the bank</a></p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>This article was originally written by Ray Masaki of Lowdtown (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/lowdtown" target="_blank">http://www.twitter.com/lowdtown</a>) and posted on his blog: <a href="http://www.lowdtown.com/blog/articles/costs-of-starting-a-clothing-brand-revisited" target="_blank">http://www.lowdtown.com/blog/</a><img title="Lowdtown - Custom packaging that won't break the bank " src="http://www.lowdtown.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/custompackaging.jpg" alt="custompackaging Custom packaging that won’t break the bank" width="469" height="154" /></p>
<p>Custom packaging is one of those things that are icing on the cake. I  think it’s awesome when I get a package that comes in an awesome box,  or custom mailer, but it usually ends up in the trash regardless. The  only thing I really care about in regards to packaging is that it’ll  keep my purchase safe during shipping, and that it has my address on it.  However, I do have some ideas on how to make packaging look good  without breaking the bank.</p>
<p>I personally love stickers. I just like sticking them on stuff, and I  think it makes boring things look awesome (eg. NY street signs, my  sketchbook). People tend to underestimate the versatility and  awesomeness of stickers. If you make a thousand of a sticker  specifically for packaging, it’ll make your mailer or shipping box  unique with barely any work. Plus getting a thousand stickers made is  way cheaper than paying for a thousand pieces of custom packaging.  Here’s one concept that I had thought of in the past that I didn’t end  up using, but I thought it was a pretty cool idea. I was going to design  a clear vinyl sticker to look like a wax seal, and stick it on the  packaging as if it were mad official or something. I don’t know, maybe  that’s a shitty example, but if you come up with a clever idea, use it!  Or you can make a logo sticker, and stick that on your packaging, and  still use it as a sticker to sell/giveaway as well.</p>
<p><img title="Lowdtown - Custom packaging that won't break the bank - Stickers" src="http://www.lowdtown.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/stickers.jpg" alt="stickers Custom packaging that won’t break the bank" width="469" height="258" /></p>
<p>The other thing that I think makes packaging way nicer is polybags. I  don’t know why, but when a shirt comes in a sealed bag, it feels way  more legit to me. I like seeing the t-shirt folded nicely inside, and  opening the bag as if no one has touched it before. They are insanely  cheap, and every person with a clothing business should know how to fold  a shirt nicely, so it’s definitely an easy investment to make. Plus, it  adds an added layer of protection for shipping.</p>
<p>Polymailers come in all sorts of different colors as well. There’s  nothing wrong with receiving a white polymailer package in the mail, but  paying a couple cents more per mailer and you could get a black, gold,  silver colored mailer. It’s not anything too special, but it makes your  package just a little bit more exciting to get in the mail. I love the  feeling of knowing what the package is even before looking at the  address; it makes opening it that much more fun.</p>
<p>Hang tags also add to the professionalism of your package, but in my  opinion, are not necessary at all. Unless you’re trying to do retail,  having a hang tag won’t really make a difference to me. However,  sometimes when I get really custom hang tags, the brand usually leaves  some sort of lasting impression on me. Some people use die-cut stickers  as hang tags, which I think is pretty cool novel idea. Some shirts I’ve  bought even come with hang tags that double as key chains, which is  something I would definitely keep if it looks cool. Just one thing to  keep in mind, if you’re going to use a tagging gun, be careful. I’ve  gotten complaints about the tags leaving small holes, so I prefer not to  use them anymore.</p>
<p>An example of an awesome hang tag via: <a href="http://www.jordan-metcalf.com/1865/1646/gallery/super-happy-times" target="_blank">Jordan Metcalf</a></p>
<p><img title="Lowdtown - Custom packaging that won't break the bank - Hang Tags" src="http://www.lowdtown.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/hangtag.jpg" alt="hangtag Custom packaging that won’t break the bank" width="469" height="258" /></p>
<p>Those are my tips. If you have the extra money to go crazy on  packaging, then go for it. Just consider that your hard work and money  may end up in someone’s trash because most people just don’t keep  packaging lying around their houses. It definitely does make receiving a  package in the mail feel special, but don’t add a couple bucks to your  price to justify the packaging cost.</p>
<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/custom-packaging-that-won%e2%80%99t-break-the-bank/">Custom packaging that won’t break the bank</a></p>
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		<title>How to achieve a professional look on a tight budget</title>
		<link>http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/how-to-achieve-a-professional-look-on-a-tight-budget/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=how-to-achieve-a-professional-look-on-a-tight-budget</link>
		<comments>http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/how-to-achieve-a-professional-look-on-a-tight-budget/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:16:33 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ray</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Design]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/?p=1130</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This is probably a topic that most, if not all, indie brands think about. I know most of you reading this and interested in starting a clothing brand have considered ways to spend less money while still looking professional. Unless you have some sort of substantial backing, chances are that you’re going to try to [...]<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/how-to-achieve-a-professional-look-on-a-tight-budget/">How to achieve a professional look on a tight budget</a></p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p><img class="alignnone" src="http://www.lowdtown.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/06_professionalook.jpg" alt="06 professionalook How to achieve a professional look on a tight budget" width="469" height="154" title="How to achieve a professional look on a tight budget" /></p>
<p>This is probably a topic that most, if not all, indie brands think  about. I know most of you reading this and interested in starting a  clothing brand have considered ways to spend less money while still  looking professional. Unless you have some sort of substantial backing,  chances are that you’re going to try to achieve that professional look  by pinching every penny.</p>
<p>Being a well trained designer as well as the business owner cuts down  a lot of cost, because you don’t have to rely on another person to do  all the miscellaneous design work. Everything from stickers to business  cards to hangtags needs to have a prepped design file. Those files are  not necessarily difficult to design, but hiring someone to do simple  tasks is not very cost efficient. Even if you don’t have the skills to  create every t-shirt design yourself, knowing how to use the tools so  that you can prep files and design simple things like business cards and  flyers is really cost effective. But obviously, if you’re not the  hottest designer, don’t pretend that you are. You’re going to end up  spending a lot of time on some shitty designs just because it’ll save  you money. The product always comes first, so if you’re not satisfied  with your design skills, then don’t use them for professional products.  Most of your money should be going into the products anyway, so don’t  try to save money by hiring a cheaper, less experienced designer or  designing it yourself, because you usually get what you pay for.</p>
<p>The same goes with silk screening your designs by yourself. I  mentioned this in a previous article, but if you’re not a professional  printer, you should leave the printing to the professionals. Sure it  cuts down a lot of costs to have your own set up, but make sure you can  get the consistency and quality with your prints that you’re looking  for. It can also be dangerous if you don’t have the proper ventilation  and facilities. Discharge inks, especially, should be used in a well  ventilated space, as it creates harmful vapors and it can probably take  years off your life if your set up is in your small apartment.</p>
<p>Another tip for creating a professional look in your e-commerce store  is to have a more than one color option for your products. It usually  doesn’t cost extra to print one design on multiple different colored  shirts. Customers like to have options, so if your design looks good on  another color as well, don’t limit yourself. However, a common mistake  I’ve seen with smaller brands is that they over do the color options.  I’ve seen brands release “10 new shirts” but it’s more like two designs  with 5 colorways each. I don’t want to be going through your store, and  see five shirts of the same design. Another mistake that smaller brands  make in an effort to save money, is print a design that is intended for  one certain colored shirt, but they print it on many different colors.  For instance, if a design is a black print on white and has shading,  it’ll look inverted and terrible if you print the same design as white  on black.</p>
<p><img class="alignnone" src="http://www.lowdtown.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/06_professionalook2.jpg" alt="06 professionalook2 How to achieve a professional look on a tight budget" width="469" height="280" title="How to achieve a professional look on a tight budget" /></p>
<p>You should also consider the affordable embellishments that make your  brand just a little bit sweeter. Include business cards and stickers  with your orders as a little bonus to the customers. Business cards,  especially, are incredibly cheap to produce, and it’ll be worth the  extra bit of money. I’ve also seen people use business cards as  hangtags, which also adds to the professionalism. Folding your shirts  nicely and placing it in a polybag, is probably one of the cheapest  things you can do to add to your brand’s professionalism. When I receive  a shirt in a polybag, it definitely feels much more substantial than  just receiving the shirt in a mailer. Just consider what kind of  embellishments are usually on a retail item. If your product can grab  the attention from a guy in a store, that’s probably the kind of  attention to detail you want to consider. Your hopes are probably to get  your products eventually into some stores, so start branding your  products to be high quality and professional, and people will remember  you.</p>
<p>People also seem to respond well to embroidered labels. I think I’m  getting a little bored of them now, because everyone seems to be doing  it, but I can’t deny that it does make your brand a little more  expensive looking without too much overhead cost. If you have any sewing  skills, you can even sew the label on yourself which cuts down a lot of  the cost. Like the colorways deal, just don’t over do it. I’ve seen  some brands with some big-ass obnoxious labels on the bottom hem of  their shirts, and it looked like a joke. I think the small and subtle  ones are classy and look pretty fresh. A lot of people debate between  getting the size tag printed inside the collar and getting an  embroidered label sewn in. Even though the printed size tags are often  more comfortable, I think embroidered labels just look more  professional, so I usually opt for that option.</p>
<p>Again, as discussed in a earlier post, professional and consistent  photography is something that is crucial to branding, and often  overlooked. Make sure you’re not using your cheap point and shoot, and  use a camera with a decent sensor and manual settings, and make sure the  lighting is even and adequate. You can even rent a nice camera if  necessary. One thing I would usually recommend is to not use mocked up  images on your product pages. Sure it looks more consistent, but if  someone is trying to buy your product, don’t try to deceive them with a  photoshopped version of your t-shirt. It not only cheapens your brand,  but it can also look different from the actual product, which will  definitely generate some complaints. If you do choose to use mock-ups  for your product shots, make sure that the size of the print and the  print colors are extremely accurate and true to the actual shirt. If  mock-ups are done correctly, it can turn out good, but more times than  not, I find that it looks unprofessional.</p>
<p>There’s probably a lot more I can talk about, because I definitely  had a tight budget when I first started. I’ll probably continue this  series in a part two at a later date. Hopefully some of these  suggestions have gotten you thinking a little bit. If you have any of  your own tips for getting a professional look on a tight budget, leave a  comment below. I’ll be sure to include it in the part two, and I’ll  obviously give you credit with a link to your site; I’ll add my little  bit of input as well.</p>
<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/how-to-achieve-a-professional-look-on-a-tight-budget/">How to achieve a professional look on a tight budget</a></p>
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		<title>How has technology helped and hurt the t-shirt community?</title>
		<link>http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/how-has-technology-helped-and-hurt-the-t-shirt-community/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=how-has-technology-helped-and-hurt-the-t-shirt-community</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Jan 2012 19:12:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ray</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[E-commerce]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/?p=1127</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This article was originally written by Ray Masaki of Lowdtown (http://www.twitter.com/lowdtown) and posted on his blog: http://www.lowdtown.com/blog This topic was suggested by my buddy and fellow New Yorker, Bryan of Doctor Hazmat, who I incidentally met after first talking to him via twitter. It’s certainly an interesting question, but unfortunately I probably hold a heavy [...]<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/how-has-technology-helped-and-hurt-the-t-shirt-community/">How has technology helped and hurt the t-shirt community?</a></p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>This article was originally written by Ray Masaki of Lowdtown (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/lowdtown" target="_blank">http://www.twitter.com/lowdtown</a>) and posted on his blog: <a href="http://www.lowdtown.com/blog/articles/costs-of-starting-a-clothing-brand-revisited" target="_blank">http://www.lowdtown.com/blog</a></p>
<p><img class="alignnone" src="http://www.lowdtown.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/05_technology.jpg" alt="05 technology How has technology helped and hurt the t shirt community?" width="469" height="154" title="How has technology helped and hurt the t shirt community?" /></p>
<p>This topic was suggested by my buddy and fellow New Yorker, Bryan of <a href="http://www.doctorhazmat.com/" target="_blank">Doctor Hazmat</a>,  who I incidentally met after first talking to him via twitter. It’s  certainly an interesting question, but unfortunately I probably hold a  heavy lean towards the idea that technology has greatly helped the  t-shirt community. But to be fair, I’ll try to look at both sides of the  table.</p>
<p>I suppose when I first started looking into making t-shirts in high  school (around ’06 or ’07), there weren’t as many online communities as  there are now. I remember trying to find a printer for the first time  through the local white pages. It wasn’t that there weren’t services  online yet, I was just naive, so I only thought that crappy printing  services like Cafepress and Spreadshirt existed.  Of course, I was also  very inexperienced at that time, so I didn’t realize that there were  resources like <strong>t-shirtforums</strong> and it might have been a little bit before <strong>emptees</strong> started up.</p>
<p>However, as I learned more about design, and t-shirt design in  particular, I became more and more involved in the online design  communities, and religiously followed t-shirt design blogs. Technology,  and the internet especially, make it easier than ever to market  yourself. I can’t even imagine not having the internet as a resource,  because I wouldn’t know where to start. I suppose I would try to find a  local printer and try to get a better understanding of the processes or  get an internship at a clothing brand, but with the computer, all of  those resources are literally at your fingertips. With the addition of  social media sites like facebook and twitter, as well as running blogs,  it’s also easier than ever to market yourself.</p>
<p>To be honest, a way that technology has hurt the t-shirt community is  that it almost made it too easy for people to make clothing brands. Any  dumbass kid with a pirated version of Photoshop thinks that they can  make a t-shirt and post it online nowadays. I wish it were a little bit  harder, so that it would weed out all the shitty brands. But obviously, I  stood in the position of a shitty inexperienced brand at one point, so I  probably wouldn’t have been able to get off my feet without the help of  online resources.</p>
<p>Another thing that I’ve been noticing lately is the homogenization of  a lot of indie t-shirt blogs. I’m not saying that it’s necessarily a  problem, but it seems like a lot of the t-shirt blogs cover any and  everything about t-shirts. I wish there was a bit more of a filter  rather than posting every new t-shirt that’s released. So now, even if  you do get coverage on a popular t-shirt blog, not only will it be at  the bottom of the site by the end of the day, but also people just don’t  care as much about one specific release, if there are hundreds of new  t-shirts being posted daily. For that reason, I rarely ever look at  t-shirt blogs anymore, and get inspiration from other sources. Just  looking at art and fashion in general is a far better resource than  seeing what Clothing Brand X just released.</p>
<p>That’s why I find that the older brands like Stussy, Supreme, Staple,  10.Deep, LRG etc. are so amazing. They had to go through the straight  up hustle of selling from their car’s trunk or selling at shows and just  spreading their name by word of mouth. They didn’t have mintees to post  their latest launch on, or youtube to post their hype videos. It’s like  when I think about how shitty rap and hip-hop has gotten. I feel like  technology has made people lazier. With the internet, it’s possible for  jokes like Soulja Boy to get popular, because they didn’t have to go  through the hustle of impressing people at open mics and really honing  their skills. Obviously it’s not easy to make a name for yourself or  your brand regardless of what you do, but technology has certainly made  it easier and has made people definitely more lazy… myself included.  Gotta step my game up!</p>
<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/how-has-technology-helped-and-hurt-the-t-shirt-community/">How has technology helped and hurt the t-shirt community?</a></p>
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		<title>Top 20 T-Shirt Blogs</title>
		<link>http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/top-20-t-shirt-blogs/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=top-20-t-shirt-blogs</link>
		<comments>http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/top-20-t-shirt-blogs/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:28:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Guest</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Advertising]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/?p=1118</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I had a post on this site for a giant list of t-shirt blogs that was very popular but haven&#8217;t updated it in a while. I had their page rank in the list so you could see how important google views the sites but there is a lot more information to compare all these sites. [...]<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/top-20-t-shirt-blogs/">Top 20 T-Shirt Blogs</a></p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>I had a post on this site for a <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/giant-list-of-t-shirt-blogs-and-t-shirt-sites/">giant list of t-shirt blogs</a> that was very popular but haven&#8217;t updated it in a while. I had their page rank in the list so you could see how important google views the sites but there is a lot more information to compare all these sites. </p>
<p>Andy over at hide your arms made the site <a href="http://t-shirtblo.gs/">http://t-shirtblo.gs/</a><br />
A good idea but a voting system isn&#8217;t the best way I would compare all the site. What ends up happening is blogs tell their readers to go vote for them on the site so they can be number one. </p>
<p>I then ran across the holy grail of t-shirt blog lists. Check out <a href="http://www.invesp.com/blog-rank/T-shirts">http://www.invesp.com/blog-rank/T-shirts</a><br />
You can sort the sites by Google PR, Alexa ranking, Compete rank and many more. Find the most popular blogs and contact the owners to get your shirts seen by as many people as possible.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/how-to-get-your-cool-t-shirts-reviewed-by-a-t-shirt-blog/">Also check out this article about how to talk to bloggers</a></p>
<p>Ohh yeah sorry wasn&#8217;t a top 20 list at all. I just liked the sound of it. Rank the blogs by a couple of different ways at <a href="http://www.invesp.com/blog-rank/T-shirts">http://www.invesp.com/blog-rank/T-shirts</a></p>
<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/top-20-t-shirt-blogs/">Top 20 T-Shirt Blogs</a></p>
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		<title>When is it art, and when is it art for a t-shirt?</title>
		<link>http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/when-is-it-art-and-when-is-it-art-for-a-t-shirt/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=when-is-it-art-and-when-is-it-art-for-a-t-shirt</link>
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		<pubDate>Sun, 15 Jan 2012 19:40:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ray</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Design]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/?p=1125</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This article was originally written by Ray Masaki of Lowdtown (http://www.twitter.com/lowdtown) and posted on his blog: http://www.lowdtown.com/blog/ This is somewhat related to my previous post of knowing when to not use a design for your line. I think an extremely important distinction is knowing when something is an awesome piece of artwork, and when something [...]<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/when-is-it-art-and-when-is-it-art-for-a-t-shirt/">When is it art, and when is it art for a t-shirt?</a></p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>This article was originally written by Ray Masaki of Lowdtown (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/lowdtown" target="_blank">http://www.twitter.com/lowdtown</a>) and posted on his blog: <a href="http://www.lowdtown.com/blog/articles/costs-of-starting-a-clothing-brand-revisited" target="_blank">http://www.lowdtown.com/blog/</a></p>
<p><img title="Lowdtown - When is it art, and when is it art for a t-shirt?" src="http://www.lowdtown.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/04_tshirtart1.jpg" alt="04 tshirtart1 When is it art, and when is it art for a t shirt?" width="469" height="154" /></p>
<p>This is somewhat related to my previous post of <a href="http://www.lowdtown.com/blog/articles/building-a-concept-knowing-when-to-not-use-a-design">knowing when to not use a design</a> for your line. I think an extremely important distinction is knowing  when something is an awesome piece of artwork, and when something is an  awesome t-shirt design. There are many designs that overlap the two  areas, but there are others that absolutely do not; not all rectangles  are squares. A graphic t-shirt is a form of expression and wearable art,  but it doesn’t necessarily mean that if a piece of artwork looks great  on paper or the computer, it’ll look equally as good on a t-shirt.</p>
<p>First thing is to consider the audience. Typically, I try to design  for myself, so when I’m creating a collection. I have to honestly  evaluate if someone like me would wear the t-shirt out in public. We all  fall in love with our own labels, so it’s easy to say that you would  wear your own stuff out of pride, but it’s important to be able to admit  if you wouldn’t actually want to wear something. Again, if it’s  something you’re not satisfied with, how can you sell it to your  customers? Think about your target audience, and what kind of clothes  they are into. Are they into big ass bold prints, or are they into  minimal designs? Research is key! Look at other successful brands that  inspire you, and see what they are doing correctly. I’m not saying that  you should copy another brand, but using another successful brand as a  point of comparison and reference is not a bad thing.</p>
<p>Another thing I often consider is the composition of a t-shirt. Not  composition as in, what is the t-shirt made of, but imagine the t-shirt  as a canvas and consider the composition of an image. As a designer or  art director, you have to think about the placement and negative space  that the design creates. A couple years ago, people were into oversized  prints that nearly covered the entire shirt, but is that the case  anymore? Print out the design on a piece of paper at its full-size and  tape it on to a t-shirt as a mock-up. How does it look and fit? How does  it fall on the shirt?</p>
<p><img title="Lowdtown - T-shirt design placement" src="http://www.lowdtown.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/04_tshirtart2.jpg" alt="04 tshirtart2 When is it art, and when is it art for a t shirt?" width="469" height="277" /></p>
<p>Considering where design elements compositionally fall on a t-shirt  is important as well. Say you have a t-shirt design with a bicycle on  it. You probably wouldn’t want the two wheels to accentuate the nipples  of whoever is wearing it. Additionally, I find it awkward when prints  are placed too low, and accentuate the stomach and torso of the person  wearing it, rather than the chest. Obviously, if that’s your intention,  then go for it, but generally, most people like having t-shirt designs  on the upper portion of the shirt rather than the lower portion.</p>
<p>Also think about the scalability of the design. Unless you’re making  multiple screens for multiple sizes, most brands will be creating one  screen regardless of the size of the shirt. Ideally, you want the design  to look just as good as it does on a small shirt as it does on an extra  large. I find that a lot of people design to fit on a medium shirt,  because that’s relatively neutral, but sometimes that makes the design  look too big and bleed off the edges on a size small and the design  looks too small on an extra large. Additionally, if you’re considering  alternative placements of the design, rather than just a chest print,  think of how the negative space is activated. If the design is placed on  the lower portion of the shirt, it sends a different message. If you’re  going to place something in the corner of a shirt, make sure it’s  intentional, and not just to be different.</p>
<p>I think the best thing to do is get a lot of different opinions on  your stuff from people that can be honest with you. Try to be as  objective as you can when you look at your own brand, and don’t be  offended if someone gives you harsh criticism. Building a brand is all  about evolving; don’t be close-minded. I think my best advice on the  subject of choosing t-shirt designs to print would be to not fall in  love with anything, and have an open mind about editing, or even getting  rid of designs that don’t work.</p>
<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/when-is-it-art-and-when-is-it-art-for-a-t-shirt/">When is it art, and when is it art for a t-shirt?</a></p>
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		<title>Building A Concept – Knowing When To Not Use A Design</title>
		<link>http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/building-a-concept-%e2%80%93-knowing-when-to-not-use-a-design/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=building-a-concept-%25e2%2580%2593-knowing-when-to-not-use-a-design</link>
		<comments>http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/building-a-concept-%e2%80%93-knowing-when-to-not-use-a-design/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:50:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Ray</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Starting Out]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/?p=1059</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This article was originally written by Ray Masaki of Lowdtown and posted on his blog: http://www.lowdtown.com/blog/ I’ve hinted in previous posts that I have lost a lot of money from deciding not to use designs. In fact, I hired a couple designers to work on a collaboration that is going unused. This brings me to [...]<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/building-a-concept-%e2%80%93-knowing-when-to-not-use-a-design/">Building A Concept – Knowing When To Not Use A Design</a></p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p><a rel="lightbox" href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/03_concept.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1108 alignnone" title="03_concept" src="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/03_concept-500x164.jpg" alt="03 concept 500x164 Building A Concept – Knowing When To Not Use A Design" width="500" height="164" /></a></p>
<p>This article was originally written by Ray Masaki of <a href="%28http://www.twitter.com/lowdtown">Lowdtown</a> and posted on his blog: <a href="http://www.lowdtown.com/blog/">http://www.lowdtown.com/blog/</a></p>
<p>I’ve hinted in previous posts that I have lost a lot of money from  deciding not to use designs. In fact, I hired a couple designers to work  on a collaboration that is going unused. This brings me to the point of  knowing when to not use a design.</p>
<p>One of the hardest things to do when you own an independent t-shirt  business is waste money. However, in my opinion, one of the most  valuable skills as a clothing business owner is having a perceptive eye.  For example, say you paid a designer $250 for a t-shirt design for your  new line. Turns out that it’s an awesome illustration, but it doesn’t  fit the rest of your line aesthetically and conceptually. As a clothing  brand owner, you have to be able to evaluate if printing the shirt would  be worth it. I try to picture my brand as a collection of clothing that  work with one another rather than individual pieces. In my opinion,  it’s the cohesiveness that makes a brand more memorable. If you’re able  to look at a t-shirt and know what brand it is, they’re doing something  right. Also consider how much it would cost to put the shirt into  production. My thoughts are that it’s better to lose the $250 than  hurting the value of your brand by creating a collection you’re not  completely satisfied with. You can always recover the money that you  spent on the design with other sales, but it’s hard to fix a tainted  image. Consider how many brands just start over with a new name and a  new brand. It’s because it’s easier to create something entirely new  than to fix a tainted brand, because the image associated with it is  hard to change.</p>
<p>In a lot of the newer brands, I find that there is simply a lack of good concepts. Calling your brand <em>Donut Kings</em>,  and having a line full of donut inspired designs, to me, is not a  concept (I apologize if there actually is a donut-themed clothing brand,  I was playing Dilla and it was the first thing that came to mind).  There’s a lot of people who collectively hopped on the Johnny Cupcakes  train, and thought that if they use the same formula of making a  whatever-themed clothing brand, they could reach the same success. <strong>Wrong!</strong> Seriously, come up with an original concept that you can envision  creating a unique style. It might have worked for JC because he was one  of the firsts to do it, but now that there have been hundreds of the  same idea, it’s becoming played out and I guarantee that it probably  won’t work for you. You can polish a turd all you want, but in the end  it’ll always be a turd.</p>
<p>I’ve seen really polished clothing brands, that have nice designs, a  nice site, nice logo, etc. but what was bored me was the concept. I  consider clothing to be another form of story telling; what kind of  story are you trying to tell?  It’s hard to connect to a brand, when  there is no solid ethos driving it. And quit all the benevolent  bullshit. If you don’t truly believe in the cause you’re trying to help,  don’t do it at all. People jump on that bandwagon, because they believe  that people are more likely to pay if it’s for a good cause. Though  that might be true, it’s wrong to take advantage of it to profit from  it. The first thing that comes to mind is the mind-boggling amount of  brands that do disaster relief shirts. The intentions of a lot of these  brands seem vacuous, and for the wrong reasons of trying to make  adjunctive sales. If you really care about it, and want to support  something charitable, you truly have to live it. Don’t manipulate people  by saying that it’s for a good cause, when you’re really pocketing the  majority of the profits. Don’t take me wrong, donating to charities and  trying to help people out is a fantastic thing, and I have a lot of  respect for brands that do if correctly; I just don’t like the mindset  of trying to make a quick buck off of manipulation tactics.</p>
<p>Hopefully this article has gotten some of your wheels turning. I am  by no means trying to dissuade people from creating charitable brands,  or creating themed brands. I just want people to really consider if his  or her brand actually has an original and unique concept that is  memorable and not another boring rehash. I also realize that I was being  a little hypocritical in terms of the part about changing your image.  The new Lowdtown looks nothing like my old Lowdtown stuff, but at the  same time, I’m willing to take on that challenge, and hopefully people  won’t respond badly to the change. Thanks for all the support so far,  and good luck to everyone who is trying to do something good.</p>
<p>Note from Jon Kruse:</p>
<p>Ray is totally right. Even if you pay for a design, if you don&#8217;t think it&#8217;s going to sell well don&#8217;t print it. Printing costs are more then design costs. Sometimes you have to just chalk it up as a loss.</p>
<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/building-a-concept-%e2%80%93-knowing-when-to-not-use-a-design/">Building A Concept – Knowing When To Not Use A Design</a></p>
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		<title>Book Recommendations for Clothing Company Owners</title>
		<link>http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/book-recommendations-for-clothing-company-owners/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=book-recommendations-for-clothing-company-owners</link>
		<comments>http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/book-recommendations-for-clothing-company-owners/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:07:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jon Kruse</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[E-commerce]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marketing]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Starting Out]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/?p=1188</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I just put up a page for my book recommendations. You can check it out on the very top navigation of the site on the far right. Or you can just click here book recommendations Also post some comments on the books I missed. I am going to go through and add some more in [...]<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/book-recommendations-for-clothing-company-owners/">Book Recommendations for Clothing Company Owners</a></p>
]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>I just put up a page for my book recommendations. You can check it out on the very top navigation of the site on the far right.  Or you can just click here <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/books/">book recommendations</a></p>
<p>Also post some comments on the books I missed. I am going to go through and add some more in the next week and want to know of anything I missed. </p>
<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/book-recommendations-for-clothing-company-owners/">Book Recommendations for Clothing Company Owners</a></p>
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		<title>4 hour work week</title>
		<link>http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/4-hour-work-week/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=4-hour-work-week</link>
		<comments>http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/4-hour-work-week/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:45:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jon Kruse</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Business]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Going home for Christmas I have an 8 hour drive from Northern California to Southern California. I always use this time to load my mp3 player with a couple of audio books and try to soak in as much knowledge as possible on my boring drive down I-5. This time I decided to go back [...]<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/4-hour-work-week/">4 hour work week</a></p>
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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<!-- Start Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><!-- End Shareaholic LikeButtonSetTop Automatic --><p>Going home for Christmas I have an 8 hour drive from Northern California to Southern California. I always use this time to load my mp3 player with a couple of audio books and try to soak in as much knowledge as possible on my boring drive down I-5. This time I decided to go back to a book I read right when I got out of college that changed my thought process about what I wanted to do. That book was the<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307465357/ref=as_li_tf_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=howtostartaclothingcompany-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0307465357"> 4 hour work week </a>by Tim Ferris. Most business books out there are just about making money but Tim has an interesting approach&#8230; Find a way to make money and not do all the work yourself! Yeah crazy idea, I thought so to when I first read the book but I have slowly gone from doing 100% of the work to just being a manager running multiple businesses with employees and freelancers doing most of the work.</p>
<p>I haven&#8217;t read this book in over 3 years but  have still retained a lot of the knowledge I got from the book. It was cool to be actually doing what Tim Ferris is talking about the second time I read the book. One of the biggest realizations I had in the past year was that I didn&#8217;t need to be working as much as I use to. I could simply work a few hours a week and use the rest of my time to find out what I wanted to do. This was actually a lot harder then I thought. School or your job usually takes up a huge portion of your time but with this cut down to a few hours a week I found myself just watching a bunch of movies and tv shows and not living my life to my full potential.</p>
<p>This last year has been the greatest year of my life. I partied and lived life to the extreme. I got into rock climbing and white water kayaking, I went on a week long backpacking trip to Canada, I jumped off cliffs into water, I had in the best relationships in my life. Going back to 4 hour work week reminded me that this is why I do it. I free my time not so I can be lazy but so I have the ability to do those amazing things that most people never have the time for. Another great chapter Tim has is about taking a mini retirement and going to another country. He has lot&#8217;s of great info in his book and is one of those things I wish I did more. I did go to Japan and live there for three months two years back but since then I haven&#8217;t traveled as much as I liked. A book Tim recommends on the subject is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0812992180/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=howtostartaclothingcompany-20&amp;link_code=as3&amp;camp=211189&amp;creative=373489&amp;creativeASIN=0812992180">Vagabonding</a> by Rolf Potts.</p>
<p>One area of the book you should avoid if you are going to be an entrepreneur is the part about how to work remotely at home for your job. These chapters are just about people who have a 9-5 that want to work from home and didn&#8217;t apply to me at all.</p>
<p><strong>Click the images below to buy them on amazon.com both of them are under $20</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307465357/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=howtostartaclothingcompany-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0307465357"><img src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;Format=_SL160_&amp;ASIN=0307465357&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;tag=howtostartaclothingcompany-20&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822" border="0" alt=" 4 hour work week"  title="4 hour work week" /></a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=howtostartaclothingcompany-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0307465357" border="0" alt=" 4 hour work week" width="1" height="1" title="4 hour work week" /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0812992180/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=howtostartaclothingcompany-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0812992180"><img src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;Format=_SL160_&amp;ASIN=0812992180&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;tag=howtostartaclothingcompany-20&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822" border="0" alt=" 4 hour work week"  title="4 hour work week" /></a><img style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=howtostartaclothingcompany-20&amp;l=as2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0812992180" border="0" alt=" 4 hour work week" width="1" height="1" title="4 hour work week" /></p>
<p>You can also check out my other book recommendations here <a href="http://astore.amazon.com/howtostartaclothingcompany-20">http://astore.amazon.com/howtostartaclothingcompany-20</a></p>
<p><strong>So how can I apply this knowledge to my clothing company?</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Pay designers to do your designs. mintees.com</li>
<li>Pay a screen printer to print the shirts. threadbird.com</li>
<li>Pay someone to fulfill your orders.</li>
<li>Pay someone for web design. doubledragonstudios.com</li>
<li>Pay/ get a fan to help write articles on your site</li>
</ul>
<p>You can get someone to do pretty much everything for your clothing company.</p>
<p id="articlehed">After writing this article I ran across this other article by Chris Hardwick, that dude from singled out and so many other things. I saw him at the Unique LA Christmas show one year and got a pic with him and me with my power glove but I couldn&#8217;t find it. Instead you will just have to imagine me with a power glove, pink hat, and a fanny pack standing next to Chris. Anyways I thought this was a great article about his quest to accomplish more. Check out his article <a href="http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/magazine/17-01/mf_self_help?currentPage=all">Diary of a Self-Help Dropout: Flirting With the 4-Hour Workweek</a>.</p>
<p>Post from: <a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com">How to start a Clothing Company</a><br/><br/><a href="http://www.howtostartaclothingcompany.com/4-hour-work-week/">4 hour work week</a></p>
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