Tee Industry Interview – Blake at You Design It (5)
Published on January 21st, 2009. By The Taddict, under Cool Sites.
We recently reached out to Blake from You Design It through this blog to see if he was a fan. He responded to our call and agreed to an interview. We thought this would be beneficial because we rarely hear from the printers (sometimes referred to as the “dark side” of the industry). 
To show our appreciation we’d like to encourage you to design t-shirts at You Design It for your next printing project. He even said that if you don’t use him for printing, he is readily available to help with any questions. Here goes:
How did you first get involved with t-shirt printing?
I really got into it after college because it was such an easy market where I could relate to the audience I was selling to. It just seemed like a natural fit for me because I liked tees and was interested in the production side as opposed to the retail side.
What are the biggest changes you have seen in the t-shirt industry?
I have seen improvements everywhere. As the taste of the consumers grow, we have to keep up more and more with the retail industry. One good example is the new trend for oversized prints styled similar to the Affliction brand. We’re actually in the process of buying the equipment to offer oversized t-shirt printing.
What is your favorite aspect of t-shirt printing? What is one thing you would change if you could?
My favorite aspect is having a customer go out of their way to call and say that the experience from purchase to receipt was easy….that everything came out to their expectations.
On the flip side, the thing I would change would be the general knowledge and perceptions of the t-shirt printing process. I think awareness would bring out a new appreciation.
How much do you feel your general interest in design has been impacted by screen printing and visa versa?
I had to learn how to design out of a necessity to provide proofs to customers and improve user submitted artwork. Once I felt comfortable/familiar in the design programs, I was able to appreciate the work and creativity that go into good designs.
Do you see yourself still in the screen printing industry in ten years? In what ways do you hope your role or involvement is different and how is that shaping what you’re doing right now?
I want to be involved in some way or another. We have so much development going on right now because we are taking advantage of the down economy. I am hoping to change the interaction between the clothing line entrepreneurs and the printers. Maybe even lose the “garage hippie stereotype” of screen printers.
One last question….we found you through your guest blogging appearances across many of the blogs we have in our feed reader…do you have it in you for some guest spots with the Taddict?
Of course, no problem at all. Thanks for having me!
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5 Comments
The Taddict on January 22nd, 2009
Yeah, it was a pretty ambitious day for the Taddict. Of course, any day I get out of bed is considered a high achievement for me.
liz on February 3rd, 2009
Great interview!
I don’t know about losing the whole garage hippy thing (Have you ever been to the ISS shows? hiiiii-pppies)
But I think the more screen printers are out doing what you’re doing, the more it will show that there truely are some highly creative, forward thinking people in the industry.
T-Shirt Magazine on February 13th, 2009
Lol, funny. But this is a great interview you did. I’m trying to start interviewing more screen printers on my site as well.
The Taddict on February 13th, 2009
Glad you liked it. I will contact Blake and have him email you, he’s very easy to work with.
Kat on January 21st, 2009
Wow! Two interviews in one day?