How Our Shirts Are Made
Every Lonely Kids Club shirt is printed to order in our Sydney studio using direct to garment printing on ethically sourced blank garments. Each one is printed individually when an order comes in, then heat pressed, quality checked and packed by our team before it ships.
There is no bulk manufacturing in advance, no warehouse of pre printed stock and no mass production overseas. This is a deliberate choice and has been how we operate since we started in Sydney in 2011.
The Production Process At A Glance
- Ethically sourced blank garment
- Printed to order using direct to garment printing
- Water based inks printed into the fabric
- Heat pressed to cure the ink properly
- Quality checked by our Sydney team
- Packed with free gift extras and shipped
The Full Process Step By Step
Order Placed
Your order comes in and goes straight into our Sydney production queue.
Garment Prepared
The blank garment is selected and prepared for printing in the studio.
DTG Printed
The design is printed directly into the fabric using professional direct to garment equipment.
Heat Pressed
The garment is heat pressed to cure the ink and bond it properly to the fabric fibres.
Checked And Shipped
Quality checked, packed with your free gift extras and shipped from our Sydney studio.
What Is Direct To Garment Printing
Direct to garment printing, usually abbreviated to DTG, works in a similar way to an inkjet printer on paper, but for fabric. A specialist machine applies water based ink directly into the fibres of the garment rather than printing onto a transfer and then applying it on top.
The result is a print that feels like part of the shirt rather than something sitting on the surface of it. It also handles colour gradients, fine detail and complex artwork better than older methods like screen printing or heat transfer vinyl, which is part of why it suits the kind of independent graphic design Lonely Kids Club produces.
Direct To Garment
Ink printed into fabric fibres. Soft feel. Handles detail and colour complexity well. Best for smaller runs and wider design ranges. Print lasts well with proper care.
Heat Transfer / Screen Print
Design applied on top of fabric as a transfer or pressed layer. Can feel thicker on the garment. Better suited to very high volume runs of simple designs. Less flexible for niche or varied artwork.
The Blank Garments We Use
The blank garment underneath the print matters as much as the printing itself. A thin or poorly constructed blank does not hold its shape over time, does not hold a DTG print as well and does not feel as good to wear.
We use AS Colour garments across much of our range as the base blank. AS Colour is an Australian and New Zealand based brand that provides considerably more public information about sourcing, supplier standards and production conditions than many of the generic blank alternatives used across the industry. This transparency is part of why we use them as part of our broader ethical clothing approach.
AS Colour blanks are heavier weight and better constructed than cheaper alternatives, which means they hold their shape better over years of regular wear and washing.
Why Print To Order Rather Than Bulk
Bulk manufacturing requires brands to forecast demand and commit to production runs before a single order is placed. Get the forecast wrong and you end up with a warehouse of unsold stock.
Print to order eliminates that problem entirely. Because nothing is printed until someone orders it, there is no overproduction, no excess inventory and no end of season markdown pressure to shift stock that no one wanted. It also means we can keep niche, older and specific designs available without them needing to justify a minimum production run.
How To Care For A DTG Print
A direct to garment print on a quality blank will hold up well over years of regular wear if it is looked after properly. The most common reason DTG prints fade faster than they should is washing on too high a heat or tumble drying aggressively.
- Wash inside out on a cold or gentle cycle.
- Use a mild detergent and avoid fabric softener directly on the printed area.
- Line dry where possible, or use a low heat tumble cycle.
- Do not iron directly over the printed area.
- Avoid soaking or bleaching.
Following those steps consistently will keep both the print and the garment in good condition significantly longer than a standard hot wash and high heat dry cycle.
Making Shirts Since 2011
Lonely Kids Club has been printing in Sydney since 2011. The studio has grown over the years but the core process has stayed the same: order comes in, garment gets printed, pressed and checked, then packed and shipped.
Keeping the whole process in house means we know exactly what is happening at every step. There is no third party printer in another city, no overseas manufacturer handling the work out of sight. The shirts are made here.
What Gets Made In The Sydney Studio
The studio handles the full range: graphic tees, oversized t shirts, hoodies, jumpers and most accessories. Every item that goes through DTG printing follows the same process from blank to shipped order.
Because everything is made here, we can also be straightforward about how it is produced. There are no distant factories to explain away and no complicated supply chain to simplify for marketing purposes. What you read on this page is what actually happens.
Find more about the broader production philosophy on our printed in Sydney page, our slow fashion page and our ethical clothing page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are Lonely Kids Club shirts made? Lonely Kids Club shirts are printed to order in Sydney using direct to garment printing on ethically sourced blank garments. Each shirt is printed individually when an order is placed, then heat pressed to cure the ink, quality checked and packed by the team in the Sydney studio before being shipped.
What printing method does Lonely Kids Club use? Lonely Kids Club uses direct to garment printing, which prints ink directly into the fibres of the fabric rather than applying it as a transfer on top. This produces a softer feel, better colour detail and a print that lasts longer with proper care compared with older heat transfer methods.
What is direct to garment printing? Direct to garment printing (DTG) uses a specialist printer to apply ink directly into the fabric fibres of a garment, similar in principle to how an inkjet printer works on paper. The ink bonds with the fabric rather than sitting on top of it, which results in a softer feel and more detailed print compared with screen printing or heat transfer vinyl.
What garments does Lonely Kids Club print on? Lonely Kids Club uses AS Colour garments across much of the range as the base blank. AS Colour provides more public information about sourcing and supplier standards than many alternatives, which is part of why the brand uses them as part of its broader ethical clothing approach.
Does Lonely Kids Club mass produce shirts? No. Each Lonely Kids Club shirt is printed individually when it is ordered rather than mass produced in bulk. This print to order model reduces overproduction, avoids unsold stock and is central to the brand's slow fashion approach.
How should I wash my Lonely Kids Club shirt? Wash inside out on a cold or gentle cycle, avoid harsh detergents and do not tumble dry on high heat. Line drying or a low heat tumble cycle is better for both the print and the fabric. Avoid ironing directly over the printed area.
Where are Lonely Kids Club shirts printed? All Lonely Kids Club shirts are printed to order in the brand's own studio in Sydney, Australia. The brand has printed, packed and shipped from Sydney since it was established in 2011.
Why does Lonely Kids Club print shirts to order? Printing to order means garments are only produced when someone buys them, which reduces overproduction, avoids unsold stock and allows the brand to keep a wider range of niche and independent designs available without committing to large bulk manufacturing runs.
How long does a DTG print last? A direct to garment print on a quality blank garment, cared for properly, should last for years of regular wear. Washing inside out in cold water, avoiding high heat drying and not ironing over the print area all help preserve the print significantly.
Explore More
Browse our graphic tees, oversized t shirts and hoodies, or learn more about our printed in Sydney production, ethical clothing, slow fashion approach, graphic tees Australia and Australian streetwear brand.
