Linux Store and T-Shirt Design Contest

For all you geeks out there … well not all of you. For all you Linux geeks out there you may be happy to know that there is an official Linux store now where you can buy some absolinuxly hilarious t-shirts. OK, so they are not so hilarious but they are not bad and they are not too badly designed either but they are not amazingly designed either but if you think you can do a better job they want to hear from you. And if you do a better job they may reward you with a trip to LinuxCon. Yes, I know, wow! Well it probably really is a big wow for people who want to go there. Check out the info and links after the tees.

You have to submit your designs to the Linux T-Shirt Design Contest by April 11th. OK, so not much detail but click the link and all will be revealed.

DBH Facebook Profile Pic Design Contest

Design by Humans are holding a fun little contest with a $100 prize. You may also get a little fame so if you enter and think you might win and of course you do otherwise why would you enter then you better tidy up your website a little just in case you get some visitors. The details are below. I think you need to be a fan of Design by Humans to participate. So go check out the DBH Facebook page. There are already some sweet submissions.

The T-Shirt Vault is open!

Yet another t-shirt contest site has opened but this is definitely one with a difference. In the T-Shirt Vault all submitted designs will go on sale and the designers will received $3 for every shirt sold. When a tee is sold it’s sold on a DTG printer and shipped out, like a POD.  It’s not very clear but I think that the t-shirt that sells the most in a month will get the grand prize of $5000 on top of the royalties. Then $3000, $1500, $1000, and $500 respectively for 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th place. They are pretty decent prizes. $3 royalties per shirt is pretty crap but the chance to win those prizes might make it worth.

Well, again I feel I just throw my 2 cents in. The site design is nice enough but it’s a shop and they haven’t made that obvious enough on the front page. There are some pretty good designs in there but lots of mediocre ones too and you have to do a lot of clicking to see them in any detail. I don’t know how many people will bother with that when there are a million t-shirt sites out there with easy navigation and better presentation. I think the T-Shirt Vault will have a difficult time pulling it off as that is a lot of prize money they have to pay out which means they have to sell a hell of a lot of t-shirts just to cover the cost. I think that they might break even around the 1000 t-shirt mark which is pretty tough for a new unknown brand.

Also they are printing DTG rather than screenprinting which a lot of people have doubts about. That said I have some awesome DTG t-shirts and I think at this stage it just depends on the quality of the DTG printer.

I do have some concerns about the lack of information and Terms and Conditions on the website too. There are also quite a few broken links. Hopefully it will be sorted out pretty soon.

Having said that I encourage you to check out the T-Shirt Vault and if you like some t-shirts you will be supporting designers by buying them as well as being part of this new experimental business model.

47 Online Ongoing T-Shirt Contests

There are now tons of websites holding design contests as a way of sourcing designs for t-shirts and this is probably the most comprehensive list you are going to find. So if you are creating some awesome designs you now know tons of places you can submit to.

1. Threadless
   Of course Threadless would have to be at the top of this list as it is often credited as being the first to use this business model. It is also the biggest and probably the most successful of all the t-shirt contest sites.

   Prizes
   $2000 Cash
   $500 Threadless Gift Certificate (can be redeemed for $200 cash)
   $500 in cash each time your design is reprinted
   Up to $22,500 more if you win a “Bestee” in the Threadless Awards
   Alumni Club membership including a Medal of Honor and other goodies

   How often?
   Weekly.

2. Design by Humans
   At just about 2 years old Design by Humans is one of the most talked about tee contest sites and is famous for its large prints.

   Prizes
   Shirt of the Day: $500 cash plus $250 store credit
   Combined with Shirt of the Week/Month and the Rock Star program you could earn up to $8500

   How often?
   Almost daily.

3. Uneetee

   Prizes
   $1500

   How often?
   Weekly

4. laFraise
   Probably the largest t-shirt contest site in Europe. Owned by Spreadshirt they have a lot of resources. Specialize in cartoonish designs. Multilingual web site (German, French and English).

   Prizes
   €1,000

   How often?
   Almost daily.

5. Look- Zippy
   France based site I believe, multilingual (English, German, French and Spanish) and specialize in fair trade organic garments.

   Prize: €300 for 200 shirts, €75 for every 50 more printed
   How often? Monthly

6. Springleap
   South African based contest. Don’t expect to get paid soon. It is about one and a half years since I got runners up there and still haven’t seen a dollar which is probably about all I earned as the runners up prizes were probably the worst prizes ever for a tee contest. A few days ago I received an email saying that they are finally going to pay the winners but I’ll believe it when I see it. My advice: avoid this contest.

   Prize: About $900
   How often? Bi-weekly.

7. Red is White
   The premier Christian tee design contest site.

   Prize: $500 plus royalties after first 250 shirts
   How often? Perhaps monthly.

8. Bang Bang T-Shirts
   British contest site that focuses on pop culture.

   Prize: £100 – £125
   How often? Occasionally.

9. Edo Label

   Japanese contest site with bilingual site (English and Japanese).

   Prize: 50,000 yen + 10,000 yen  store credit.

10. Code Creations
    Organic apparel for you, your baby and your dog.

    Prize: Varies but mainly based on sales.
    How often? Monthly.

11. Shirt.Woot
    They have a Derby (contest) regularly as well as accepting submissions for their daily tee. Famous for $10 t-shirt deals.

    Prize: From $500 (I think)
    How often? Weekly (perhaps)

12. Scribtee
    It’s connected to the ShirtCity POD.

    Prize: $300-$500 plus $50 shopping voucher
    How often? Twice a month.

13. teetonic.com
    British site.  I haven’t notice much activity around here in a while.

    Prize: £100 plus 50p per shirt sold.
    How often? Rarely, if ever.

14. Allmightys
    One of the first contests where the prizes were based on sales.

    Prize: $2 per shirt sold.
    How often? Occasionally.

15. Cameesa
    This site added crowdfunding to crowdsourcing to build what should be a risk free contest site. They don’t print the tees until they are paid for.

    Prize: $200 cash, $50 credit plus $2 per shirt after the first 125 sold.

16. Ink Fruit
    India based site.

    Prize: 5000 rupees (about $100)
    How often? Every 15 days.

17. Monsieur Poulet
    Based in Paris, France, this is a bilingual site in French and English that uses fair trade cotton garments.

    Prize: €2 per shirt sold
    How often? Several times a month.

18. Fair and Bare
    British based site also using Fair Trade cotton.

    Prize: £200 plus residuals
    How often? Occasionally

19. Chimpogo
    British based contest site.

    Prize: £500
    How often? It says every week but I don’t think that is happening. Maybe occasionally.

20. Canvas
    Contest for Christian based designs.

    Prize: Up to $400

21. Ink Hound
    Design hats and t-shirts.

    Prize: $2 per shirt
    How often? Weekly.

22. Teextile
    Fairly new site that sells t-shirts for one week only.

    Prize: $4 per shirt for first 500, decreases after that for some reason.
    How often? Weekly.

23. Full Metal T-Shirt
    This site is wild. Like a cross between Dungeons and Dragons and bikers if you could imaging such a thing.

    Prize: $100 cash, $100 credit plus $5 per shirt (or print) sold for one year.
    How often? Weekly.

24. Teepay
    British site imilar to Cameesa in that the tees won’t be printed unless enough people order them.

    Prize: £2.50 per shirt sold.

25. Tilteed
    Another new kid on the scene.

    Prize: $500
    How often? Weekly.

26. Goodjoe
    Looking for designs that inspire.

    Prize: $1 per shirt
    How often? Weekly.

27. Scopial
    Another India based site that attracts a lot of great designers.

    Prize: About $400
    How often? Don’t know.

28. bookis.org
    Similar again to Cameesa. This time though the designer can set the profit he wishes to make per shirt. Based on the Chinese idea of “tuangou” where a group of people get together to buy in bulk from the wholesaler.
29. Metal Ink
    Tatoo inspired designs for tees.

    Prize: $700 cash + $300 store credit + residuals

30. ArtyTee
    Not too sure about this one. Seems to be some type of subscription based store.

    Prize: $2 per shirt (up to $100)
    How often? Monthly

31. SwishSwosh
    New site from the UK.

    Prize: £1100 + 50p per shirt sold for first place, £101 + 50p per shirt sold for runners up
    How often? Monthly.

32. Syckfits
    Another new contest site by the looks of it.

    Prize: $500
    How often? Monthly

33. Badashell

    Prize: $200 + $50 store credit
    How often? On a break.

34. nomoretees
    This is another site in the same vein as Cameesa. If enough people preorder it will be printed. Nomoretees is no more.
    
35. Camiseteria
    Brazil based website in Portuguese.

    Prize: R$800 in cash, R$800 in store credit

36. BlackEyedT.com
    Don’t know how trustworthy this site is. The fact that it is full of comment spam makes me think that it isn’t being maintained. Last update to their blog was in October and that was a cry for help. The tees are not the best designs I have seen so I am not all that surprised they are struggling.

    Prize: $500 cash + $100 store credit

37. Is This Chicken?
    Netherlands based contest wins prize for most creative name.

    Prize: Don’t know.

38. Collar Free

    Two guys got together to set up this contest site that favored graphic tees. Didn’t go so well and they tried to branch out into another business but it looks like they are coming back.

    Prize: Looks like it will be on a per shirt basis.
    How often? No idea.

39. itself
    Turkey based tee contest burst onto the scene about two years ago with a $4000 prize. Selected just a few tees and then no activity. While they appear to be accepting designs and if you dig around you can find a voting area I suspect there is no longer a contest. The last submission was in July. The last tee was chosen about a year ago.
40. Wooshka
    Australian based site. No recent activity. I imagine it will just disappear one day.
41. Milk Shop Gang
    Australian site with interesting site design. I have never seen any activity on this site.
42. Righteous Enterprise
    Disappeared
43. ice cream t-shirts
    Say they’ll be right back but they’ve been saying that for a bit.
44. Tasty Threads
    Never made it out of the gate.
45. Teeple
    Japanese t-shirt contest. Shut down recently.
46. tFuse
    Had a short run and then seemed to disappear. It is now a “Reported Attack Site”.
47. Caponocca
    So little activity on this site too I am going to assume it has gone under.

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Note: These are all just websites that I have come across over the last while or so. I didn’t search the web for t-shirt contests so I am sure there are some that I have missed. On top of that I am sure I have made some mistakes in the details. These things happen.

If you know of any other t-shirt contest sites or can see some mistakes I have made please leave a comment below and I will do my best to rectify the situation.

T-Shirt Design Contest for the Altruistic

I’m sure you have probably heard of One before but just in case I copied this text from their website:

ONE is a grassroots campaign and advocacy organization backed by more than 2 million people who are committed to the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease, particularly in Africa. Cofounded by Bono and other campaigners, ONE is nonpartisan and works closely with African policy makers and activists.

Well, One is holding a t-shirt design contest with no real prize as far as I can see but it is for a good cause so it would almost be hypocritical to accept a prize for designing a t-shirt for a charity.

The winning t-shirt will go on sale on African-made t-shirts and the profits will be used in the war against poverty. Money is after all the only real solution to poverty..

Check the One website for terms and conditions. Submissions close November 6th to don’t waste any more time.

Camaro T-Shirt Design Contest at Yerzies

If you like cars and you like designing you will be delighted to hear that Yerzies are holding a Camaro T-Shirt design contest with a $500 first prize. You must be a US resident to take part though. Check out Yerzies for Terms and Conditions and other details.

€15,000 T-Shirt at LaFraise

OK, so the t-shirt doesn’t cost €15,000 but that is how much the designer got paid for the design. It was one of the biggest prizes ever awarded at a t-shirt design contest as far as I know. You can see a closeup of the design in previous post where I told you about the winner.

It’s a very cute but very feminine design by piu-piu.

Incubus T-Shirt Design Winners Announced at DBH

Back on June 16th I told you guys about the Incubus t-shirt design contest being held at Design by Humans and I totally forgot that it had happened. Well, no worries because I was reminded today by the annnoucement at Design by Humans. Of all places! Anyway, it is an excellent illustration and I guess a deserved win. I say ‘guess’ because I haven’t seen the competition. Anyway, as the illustration is a little hard to see on the tee I have included a closeup too.

Free Promotional Gear

YOUTHEDESIGNER is holding a contest  to provide you with a great free promotional package from UPrinting.com. “One lucky winner will win 500 business cards, 250 stickers and 250 hang tags courtesy of UPrinting.com”. You just have to leave a relevant comment (see post for details) to be in with a chance of winning this package.

Even if you don’t win this contest, if you want to launch your own line, these are things that you should definitely consider. Always hand out your business cards to potential buyers, pin them on notice boards etc. If the right person finds them word of mouth can really help your brand. Stickers can be a nice bonus for your customers and hang tags make your tee more professional looking.

Dreamhost T-Shirt Contest

I am a Dreamhost customer and this website is hosted on Dreamhost as well as half a dozen other neglected sites of mine and today I had a little look around the Dreamhost website and came across this little contest. Here is the challenge in a little copy and paste:

Create your own retro-styled DreamHost t-shirt design to recapture the early days of web hosting as we know it. If we like yours enough we’ll turn it into actual t-shirts. Our employees will get them, people on the Internet will be able to buy them, and YOU’LL get a year lifetime of free hosting! And mayyyyyybe even some copies of your own shirt! What the heck!

An here are some more details:

You don’t need to be a current customer to win. Just post a link to your entry (or entries) in the comments of this post. If you’re a winner you’ll need to be able to provide your artwork to us as a 200-300 dpi PNG file at a maximum size of 13.5″ x 16.5″. (Don’t forget the alpha channel data for any transparent areas.) File sizes must be no larger than 10 megs. Post an email address with your submission so that we can contact you if you’ve won and award you your prize!

Marlon Brando used Dreamhost to host his websites! Really!

Remember, this isn’t just a t-shirt design contest – this is a retro t-shirt design contest. Walk through a thrift store if you need inspiration. Ask anyone wearing a polo shirt what they think of your design – If they hate it, you’re probably on the right track!

I might just enter myself.

Basic details:

• Submission deadline is 11:59PM PST, Sunday October 11th
• Retro style t-shirt
• 200-300 dpi PNG file at a maximum size of 13.5″ x 16.5″

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