In life, there are levels to things. You could eat Nongshim instant ramen, or you could fly to Tokyo and eat a bowl prepared by a Michelin-starred chef. Totally enjoyable experiences, but only once you’ve had both do you realise how two versions of the same thing can exist in entirely different leagues.
The same goes for cars, hotels, wine, cheese – and, as it turns out, graphic tees…
You could pick up a graphic tee from Primark—a dirt-cheap synthetic number with Mickey Mouse plastered across the front – or you could buy one from TDR: 100% cotton, cut from repurposed American vintage, and screen-printed by hand. I know which one I’d rather be seen in.
In a new collection they’re calling American Waste, TDR is pushing the boundaries of graphic tees.
Because while most graphic tees begin life on a production line somewhere far, far away, under dubious working conditions, the ones in the American Waste collection have already lived a life before they ever reached the printing press.
The process begins in the United States of America with genuine vintage garments – old tees and sweatshirts that have seen their fair share of highways and dive bars. Instead of simply slapping a new graphic over the top, the clever lads at TDR have stripped each piece back, removing the original colour and artwork entirely. It’s a bit like giving a battered old pickup truck a full restoration rather than just driving it in the rain.
Once stripped, the garments are re-dyed in the US, creating a fresh base while still retaining the character and wear of the original fabric. From there, they’re shipped over to the UK, where each one is individually screen-printed by hand.
And because the starting point is vintage clothing – with all its quirks of age and wear, the results are beautifully inconsistent. The dye settles differently from garment to garment, producing subtle shifts in tone. Two tees might share the same graphic, but they’ll look feel and fit slightly different.
The American Waste collection spans both T-shirts and sweatshirts, featuring six distinct graphic designs spread across an equal number of colour palettes. It’s the most ambitious collection of jersey products we’ve ever come across, and we’re not at all surprised that TDR are behind it.
Shop TDR’s American Waste collection from The Garbstore
