Summertime Is T-Shirt Time In Virginia

Richmond, VA May 28, 2004 -- Richmond has been going through a heat wave and its only May. But that doesn't bother Craig Weinstein, owner of Adventures In T-Shirt Land. "The heat definately puts t-shirts on the minds of my customers," says Craig. "Seventy-five percent of my business comes during the warm months." His company used the 'off-season' to move to a larger facility and upgrade equipment and software.
    
"Summer is when I get all the orders for baseball and softball leagues. There's also quite a call for reunion, church groups, summer camps, and other summer activity groups," he says. Statistics seem to back him up. A recent survey showed that the average American owns 7.2 printed t-shirts, and an episode of the Simpsons included an alien that referred to Earth as 'that t-shirt producing planet.' Craig goes on to add that he gets almost all his hat and cap orders in the summer.
    
If all his business happens during the summer, what happens in the winter? "I print a lot of sweatshirts and heavier garments. Most of my fraternity and sorority demand is during that time, as well. And I print shirts for markets, like Florida, that don't have a Winter, per se."
    
A call around to other Virginia screen printers also showed the disparity in pricing for custom printed garments. Two dozen white shirts with two colors on the back and 4 on the back were priced, and the total quotes I got back were as much as $260 more than Adventures In T-Shirt Land. "I'm not surprised," says Craig. "Some companies don't care about smaller orders, but I built my business on the fact that I've never lost a customer, and those smaller runs may turn into huge orders in a few years. Then they have screen fees and other hidden costs. I like keeping my costs up front and simple to understand."
    
Internet business is also picking up. At his site, http://www.adventuresintshirtland.com , he's getting a lot more business than last year, and gets a lot of his logos from clients via e-mail. His upgraded software can turn a clients idea into a t-shirt with minimal time, keeping costs low and customers happy.
    
"One other thing I get to do in the winter," says Craig, "is finally take a day off."
    



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