The Journey of Funny Graphic T-Shirt Designs Through Time

A T-shirt with remarkable artwork - Is this what we are discussing here?

Well, the answer is a ‘yes’ if it’s a short answer. Graphic t-shirts are probably one of ‘the’ common apparel choices for modern men and women simply because they are probably the most hassle-free garments they can wear. The comfort with that is a bonus.

However, these T-shirts also provide a treat for the eye and soul when they are made into funny T-shirts with imagery, text, or other content that brings them into a humorous, entertaining context.

Funny T-Shirts: The Concept and the Product

A funny graphic t-shirt is an apparel, which bears humorous content printed on it to make it more entertaining, attractive, and relevant to modern fashion.  Most giants in the t-shirt and apparel industry manufacture graphic t-shirts for a variety of reasons.

The humorous content you get to print on your t-shirts can be anything as long as you are not hurting someone’s or the mass people’s emotions by it. You may add funny texts, humorous words, jokes, cartoons, funny pictures, satirical content, and more to make this t-shirt. Just keep in mind that the end goal must be funny.

You can wear this t-shirt for personal purposes such as delivering your own message or inspiring yourself and other people. Businesses may go on to use funny t-shirts as promotional items for their brands for increased visibility.

You may choose to wear funny political t-shirts to support your political views and inspire like-minded people. Or you can choose a t-shirt of this kind for being more connected to the message you support or the belief you have.

Modern day t-shirt printing technologies can help administer any design on a t-shirt. Traditional printing methods include screen printing, dye sublimation, etc. You can also ask your manufacturer to use digital printing methods to make your t-shirt.

The First Instance of GraphicT-Shirts

It started in the late 1800s, which  you might not have not imagined. You may not believe it, but graphic t-shirts have been into development for more than a hundred years. Although it came into popularity with a political campaign of the US presidential election, graphic t-shirts were produced before that for World War II soldiers.

At that time, white t-shirts with no designs were worn simply as men’s undergarments. The union labors in the UK first started wearing printed t-shirts in the factories, reducing the length of the apparel so that they feel freer. At that time, the design was mainly the company logo and the words describing the company.

Soldiers of World War II used them because they served as apparel as a symbol of pride. The T-shirts were worn also for fitness purposes of the soldiers. The designs have been the symbols of the army, made with Stencils. Simplistic in nature, these symbols created the first line of graphic t-shirts.

We might need to note something here. Although these t-shirts bear simple images and texts, often in a singular color, they were not women's or men’s funny graphic t-shirts. Humor came in later with how the t-shirts were commercialized for a different audience.

How Did Graphic T-Shirt Designs Evolve Through Time?

Back in those days, graphic t-shirts were popularized when they entered the main commercial market being produced for the consumers with the largest numbers…and they are the domestic people.

When the soldiers and veterans came back home from the war, the concept of graphic t-shirts became popular. Manufacturers noticed the huge potential of these t-shirts and how they can create the best effect.

Both women’s and men's t-shirts with funny sayings make them partly funny. It is the context that makes them a funny t-shirt. You can make a funny t-shirt by ascribing the right storytelling to the satirical content. The humor that people can relate to makes a graphic t-shirt truly funny.

The first instance of the funny t-shirt was the one in the Presidential Campaign in 1948. Thomas Dewey created his own line of T-Shirt using the design of a loose sketch of his portrait with the lines: ‘Dew-it-with-Dewey’. It is the first reference to funny t-shirts. As a matter of fact, it is also the first funny political t-shirt.

T-shirt designs needed to go through that evolution, which needed a change in the material. In 1959, a material called plastisol ink was used. It helped make the designs more flexible because you could screen-print on your t-shirt using this ink. Both manufacturers and small-grade providers started making t-shirts with this ink.

Think of the cakes where you can transfer a real photograph these days. Well, it came into existence with artist  Andy Warhole in the 1960s. He helped transfer real photographs onto t-shirts. It was for him, the concept has been popularized and is used till this day.

T-shirt designs also took a very creative route with the social rights movement, in the time of the Anti-Vietnam campaign, and more. 

With the dual rotating printing process by Micahel Vasilatone, graphic t-shirts entered easier productions. Musicians and bands understood the power of the graphic t-shirts and used them in their performances.

However, funny t-shirts with sayings for men or women are largely indebted to the British punk social movement, which later came to America. Vivienne Westwood’s bold and funky designs paved the way for satire and humor to get that space in the realm of graphic t-shirts, which made today’s funny t-shirts into a trend we always need.

To Conclude: Where Can You Get Funny Graphic T-Shirts

Whether it’s funny t-shirts for men with quotes or funny t-shirts for women with satirical art, we at Silver Lake T-Shirts have them all for you. Either choose our designs or ask us to put your design (just make sure it’s not too offensive) in your t-shirts and we’ll make it happen for you. For the manufacturing part too, have faith in us.