silkscreen « CHRISTOPHELOIRON®

Mister Freedom® original ‘Stanley’ SHOP TEES, tubular knit, made & hand silkscreened in USA, “TRUCK STOP” 2020 edition.

New batch of Mister Freedom® original ‘Stanley’ Shop Tees, tubular knit, made & hand silkscreened in USA.

: “Cat Clothes” (Black)

: “Cat Clothes” (White)

: Sailor MrFrdm (White)

: “Speed Safe” (White)

: “The Champ” (Olive)

: “The Champ” (White)

: Gypsy (Black)

: Gypsy (White)

: MF Ranch (White)

: Surplus (White)

: Treedom (White)

Mister Freedom® Original ‘Stanley’ Shop Tees
Made & Silkscreened in USA

This is an updated version of the initial MF® Shop Tees blogpost, originally published May 21st, 2017).

From stitching appliqués or spray-painting hand-cut stenciled motifs on an assortment of vintage bodies in a small garage in the late 1990’s, to silkscreening our own T-shirts (the USA-made Mister Freedom® Stanley) in the heat of our 7161 Beverly sweatshop, playing with original graphics has always been a fun creative hobby for us.

The journey from hand-doodled graphic to final printed garment is not a dull one. We like having things done in a specific way, so we keep the process in-house, running small batches, scheduling frantic printing sessions in between water-sports activities. Save from having the screens burnt in a small Downtown LA specialized workshop, the whole silkscreening operation is handled at the MF® HQ.

Please note that we are definitely not a professional silkscreening service, and we are not claiming any expertise on the subject. Having said that, here are a few random behind-the-scene bits of intel on the Mister Freedom® way to do it:
* We are using a four-screen rotary printing press, custom jerry-rigged to our needs and available work space. No fancy automatic machinery, this single-operator device pumps them out one shirt at a time.
* Mixing our own colors without formulas results in color variations within each batch. We even mix our own color black, to get a ‘vintage’ black when the shirt starts fading.
* The old-school bleed-through effect (the faint negative of the print on the reverse side of the knit) depends on the squeegee pressure, number of passes, fluidity of the ink, weather, and will therefore fluctuates.
* For multi-colored prints, gaps between colors will vary from one batch to another, as we always eyeball screen registration during set-up (quite a lengthy process with four colors). This random off-set registration is also a cool trait of vintage 50’s-60’s logo T-shirts.
* Four color printing requires unleashing the four-headed dragon, our favorite. Everyone runs for cover, and a full workday will produce endless cursing and about a dozen and a half finished shirts, minus the ink spills and mistakes. A four color graphic takes about four times longer to silkscreen than a single color one, a reason why our finer-than-frog-hair “MF Ranch” Tees are like hen’s teeth.
* Just like the rest of our garments, our T-shirts are not distressed with chemical washes. The prints are not artificially aged either. We chose to not digitally alter the original artwork by adding random scratches or rubbed-off areas to stimulate the ‘vintage look’, a mall favorite.
* Our graphics are not generated on Adobe Illustrator, but actually sketched old-school with a pencil and paper, and it is at that initial drawing stage that we try to capture the ‘vintage vibe’. On that note, out of respect for graphic artists, we tend to not cut & paste their artwork on our T-Shirts.
* For a soft-hand print that will gradually chip and fade overtime with repeat washing/drying, we exclusively use water-based ink.

The base colors of our shirts (see currently-stocked colors here) are also quite light-sensitive and will fade naturally with repeat sun exposure.
Due to both technical challenges (with water-based ink, silkscreening dark on light is much easier than light on dark), and aesthetic considerations, specific graphics are only available in the color combination released.

The MF® Shop Tees share their specs with the Stanley T-Shirts. Initially released in the summer of 2015, our Stanleys (still available without prints) are made in USA and feature a vintage-style tubular 100% cotton slubby jersey with the MF® original signature flatlock & coverstitch combo construction. Our Skivvy T-Shirt (our heavier gage knit with a Mil-Specs vibe, available in White, Navy Blue, and Sage Green) will remain a solid-only undershirt option.

For current availability, check out the Mister Freedom® Stanley Shop Tees section of our webstore, periodically updated with latest graphics, colors, and stock of freshly-printed batches.

Painstakingly hand-printing each shirt one at-a-time guarantees the uniqueness of every MF® Stanley Shop Tee. No two printed shirts are 100% identical. Imperfections, inconsistencies and subtle ink smudges are part of our commitment to vintage silkscreening techniques and overall appreciation of wabi-sabi aesthetics.

The Stanley Shop Tees are designed in California by Mister Freedom® and manufactured in the USA. All shirts are silkscreened in-house in Los Angeles, CA., USA, featuring all original MF® artwork.

FABRIC:
100% cotton light-weight slubby tubular jersey knit, milled in the USA. This fabric twists and torques. This natural yarn distortion is expected and not a default.
COLORS (2018):
* White
* Black
* Jungle Green (Olive)

TEES SPECS:
* Original Mister Freedom® “Stanley” pattern, inspired by vintage 1940′s-50′s cotton T-shaped undershirts.
* Vintage style ¼ sleeve length (= approx. 6 ½ inches)
* Tubular knit (no side seams)
* Cover stitch self-fabric neckband.
* Normal mechanical stretch and fabric memory.
* Combination of flatlock and cover stitch construction, inspired by 1940′s USMC Government issued undershirts.
* 100% cotton thread, for natural roping on seams.
* Original MF® “The Sportsman” black woven rayon label on neck band.
* Made in USA.
PRINT SPECS:
* All original MF® artwork.
* Hand silkscreened with water-based ink, for a soft hand and vintage look.
* Silkscreened in small limited batches, each with unique characteristics.
* Will fade like a vintage T-shirt.
* Printed in USA.

SIZING/FIT:
The MF® Stanley Shop Tees come pre-washed (pre-shrunk).
The MF® Stanley fits like the MF® Skivvy does, but due to the nature of its stretchy jersey, the Stanley will feel looser.
I wear Medium (38) on most MFSC garments, but sized down to a Small for both MF® Stanley and Skivvy, just personal taste. According to your built and silhouette preference, get your normal size or size down for a slimmer/shorter old school fit.
This is how we size our garments.
Tip: The best way to figure out which Mister Freedom® T-shirt size will work for you is to take your favorite T-shirt (your idea of a perfect fit), lay it flat without wrinkles, measure Chest (from arm pit to arm pit), Shoulder (from top shoulder seam to top shoulder seam), Sleeves (from top shoulder seam to end) and Length (from top of back collar band to bottom hem), and then find a close match in the Stanley size chart. Again, keep in mind that the Stanley’s knit jersey has mechanical stretch.

Refer to sizing chart below for Washed/Dried (we use a heat dryer) approximate measurements (measured flat, without pulling/stretching):

CARE:
Low-maintenance as a T-Shirt should be, just throw your Stanley Shop Tee in the washer/dryer when needed. Cold water, delicate cycle, minimal eco-friendly detergent. No bleach. Keep colors separate to avoid potential color transfer when doing laundry.
Gradual chipping of the ink and natural fading of the printed graphic is expected and considered a normal evolution.

Available rinsed (pre-shrunk)
Sizes (Limited sizing available per graphic)
Small
Medium
Large
X-Large

Retail:
Solid Stanley (no print, all colors, White/Black/Navy/Gold…): $69.95
Shop Tee Stanley (with single or double-screen print, Gypsy/Sig/Rocket/Knuckles/Skipper/Surplus/Treedom/Sailor MrFrdm/The Champ…): $89.95
Shop Tee Stanley (with three or four-screen print, MF Ranch): $149.95

Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles brick & mortar store, and fine retailers around the World.
Email sales@misterfreedom.com or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support.

Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2018

“SKIVVY” Shirt (Made in California), Mister Freedom® ‘The Sportsman’ Collection, Spring 2013

Mister Freedom® “SKIVVY” Shirt, tubular white Tee, made in USA.
‘The Sportsman’ Collection, Spring 2012

Introducing the MF® “SKIVVY”, a new addition to “The Sportsman” 2013 Collection.

Not long after I watched “Rebel Without a Cause” in the early 80’s did I become partial to wearing plain white cotton Tshirts with a ‘Jim Stark’ fit. Wearing a plain white T was both a neutral statement and a reference to America for me. Little did I know that some 30 years later, i’d be trying to figure out how to make one…
At that time you would pick up a cheap three-pack (‘Fruit of the Loom’ or ‘Hanes’) from the local surplus store. They would last for years and soften up overtime, and eventually retire as wiping rags in the garage.

A young John F. Kennedy staring out from his balcony in 1954, U.S. Servicemen at ease, dock workers, U.S. Navy old salts on deck, McQueen on the set of “The Sand Pebbles” in 1966 and other Hollywood icons… Men from all walks of life had sported white Tees.

Since the 1930’s, long before Tshirts were used to convey messages and promote businesses, plain ‘T’ shaped shirts had become a standard garment for men, slowly replacing Henley type undershirts. They were also more accepted when worn on the outside than the tank top, its side kick, was.
According to ‘The White T’ book by Alice Harris (Umbra Editions, Inc., 1996, ISBN 0-06-270166-5), the short sleeve white cotton Tshirt, as we know it, was officially adopted by the U.S. Navy in 1913. Followed the Marine Corps during WW2, issuing Marines three white “skivvy shirts”, later in 1944 to be changed to a sage green version, a standard GI issue until about 1958. In 1948, the Army issued the “Quarter Sleeve Undershirt” to all recruits…

The USMC issued undershirts were different in construction from other basic Tshirts. They were half the weight and featured flatlock seams, the inspiration for the MF® “SKIVVY” Tee. See image below of the vintage USMC sage green issue shirt from our archives (Size 1, never worn!)

On our quest to produce a ‘simple’ Mister Freedom® white Tee, we were lucky to have access to 100% cotton tubular 18 single (18/1) jersey, loomed from USA grown cotton and manufactured in California. Tubular jersey has no side seams, like on most vintage Tshirts, which requires specific looms for each size, a bit challenging for small productions.
Unlike most modern Tshirts, the MF® SKIVVY has an ‘old school’ 40’s-50’s silhouette, inspired by a combination of old photos and vintage shirts, often a bit ill-fitting by today’s standards. The 1/4 sleeves are a bit shorter and the body slightly ‘boxier’ than your average contemporary Tshirt, giving the MF® Skivvy that ‘hand-me-down’ intentional feel. The thin neck band is also a nod to early vintage Tshirts.
As always, our shirt is not a replica, just an humble interpretation of a classic piece.
Designed by Mister Freedom® and MADE in CALIFORNIA, USA.

Also, we will soon be offering original MF® graphics past and present (see below for some Tshirt graphics we have done in the past 10 years), all printed in-house by hand, with water-based ink that will age and fade with wash & wear. The fun silkscreening process here.

SPECS:
PATTERN: An original Mister Freedom® pattern, inspired by 1940’s-50’s cotton Tshirts
FABRIC: Unbleached 100% cotton 18/1 tubular jersey, cotton grown and knitted in the USA. Carded open end yarn.
CONSTRUCTION: Combination of flatlock and cover stitch, inspired by 1940’s USMC Government issued ‘skivvies’. Tubular body, no side seams.
STITCHING: Natural color 100% cotton thread, unbleached.
LABELING: Original MF® woven rayon label on neck band, with stamped sizing tab.

SIZING/WASHING: Low-maintenance as a Tshirt should be, just throw in the washer/dryer, cold or hot water, no bleach. The cotton jersey will stretch out with wear and ‘mold’ to your body.
According to your built and silhouette preference you can get your normal size or size down for a slimmer/shorter fit (as often seen in vintage photos.)
I wear Medium (38) on most MFSC garments, but sized down to Small for the MF® Skivvy, just personal preference. I like to slightly ‘pull’ on it to distort and give torque to the tubular jersey.
Refer to sizing chart below for washed/machine dried approximate measurements (measured flat, without pulling/stretching):

Available RAW/Unwashed (will shrink to tagged size)
SIZES xS, S, M, L, xL, xxL

Retail SOLID white (plain) $69.95

Call 323-653-2014 or email sales@misterfreedom.com to get yours. We ship internationally to select Countries. As always, thank you sincerely for your support.