# DIY:Compressed T-shirts?



## firemac2d

OK so a few years ago I went to see the movie "Lost in Space". Outside of the theater was a soda machiane. But it wasn't selling soda's. They were T-shirts for the movie. I bought one. The T-shirt was compressed or vacumed into the can. Is thier a DIY way of doing this sort of thing? I have a Dyson vacum and I'm sure that thing could be rigged to compress a Shirt somehow. That thing could suck the crome off a bumper.  
 The reason I'm asking is I think I have a neat idea on selling T-shirts in a unique package. I'm kinda into paperfolding and I found this pattern.....

Cute Papercraft Toys - Kamimodel - PaperKraft.net | Free Papercraft | Anime Papercraft | Video Game Papercraft | Paper Model

I was thinking I could compress the T-shirt and cram it into the body if this paperkraft item. I figure a gimmick like this might help sales at conventions,yard sales and other public forums. Certainly would prompt conversations with cumstomers. No?


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## kriscad

I have seen one before... ill try to find a the link for you - someone had used a hydraulic pump and a standard mold to compress them into sqaures.


T-shirt compression machines, which compress T-shirts for packaging into novel shapes.


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## firemac2d

kriscad said:


> I have seen one before... ill try to find a the link for you - someone had used a hydraulic pump and a standard mold to compress them into sqaures.
> 
> 
> T-shirt compression machines, which compress T-shirts for packaging into novel shapes.


 
YOUCH SON!!! HA HA!! forty grand? Yeah-no.... I'm figuring thier has to be a DIY way. Like sort of how the "Space bags" work I guess. Maybe use a piece of PVC pipeing, something & else... Hmmm. I'm gonna try some tinkering this weekend, to the bat cave!!!!


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## kriscad

lol yes the commercial versions cost $$$

but i have seen someone used a hydraulic jack to compress the parts of a mold together.


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## AddVenture

jimmy, 

i'm curious how this project worked out for you. did you have any success? i ask because the company i work for compresses t-shirts every day. in fact, there's a good chance we compressed the shirt you bought.

did you get it to work with your vacuum cleaner?


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## prometheus

The last thing Jimmy remembers was saying, "Hey look at this!", then they found him with half his arm stuck in a Dyson vacuum and a coke can wrapped around his hand. The shirt was nowhere to be found.


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## AddVenture

prometheus said:


> The last thing Jimmy remembers was saying, "Hey look at this!", then they found him with half his arm stuck in a Dyson vacuum and a coke can wrapped around his hand. The shirt was nowhere to be found.


LOL, i've been away from the forum too long, robert. you always crack me up!


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## tim3560

prometheus said:


> The last thing Jimmy remembers was saying, "Hey look at this!", then they found him with half his arm stuck in a Dyson vacuum and a coke can wrapped around his hand. The shirt was nowhere to be found.


LOL! I'm going to have to get you to write some cartoons for me.


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## tim3560

While we were on the Dyson subject I thought I'd ask if anyone had seen this. Dyson Airblade: The fastest, most hygienic hand dryer.


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## cookiesa

Could you use the cryo vac food bagging system to get it small enough to fit? Also would protect the T from dirt etc.

Love the idea and would like to know how you get along as I wouldn't mind using a similar idea myself... I need a vac bag system first though


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## Titchimp

tim3560 said:


> While we were on the Dyson subject I thought I'd ask if anyone had seen this. Dyson Airblade: The fastest, most hygienic hand dryer.


We have those at my local shopping centre.. they are pretty weird


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## tim3560

Titchimp said:


> We have those at my local shopping centre.. they are pretty weird


Does it dry your hands in 3 seconds compared to say...12?


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## PrintMonkey

Nothing like canned tees.
New Page 1

M


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## perrolocodesigns

I tried one of the FoodSaver vacum sealers. It will compress the shirt a little but it cuts off before any real compression takes place. I have thought about tinkering with the auto shut-off, but my wife might be upset if I destroyed the FoodSaver. Ahh, WTH, I think I'll try it anyway.


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## tim3560

perrolocodesigns said:


> Ahh, WTH, I think I'll try it anyway.


At a boy, way to show em who's boss. lol


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## cookiesa

Love to haer how you go!


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## prometheus

perrolocodesigns said:


> I have thought about tinkering with the auto shut-off, but my wife might be upset if I destroyed the FoodSaver. Ahh, WTH, I think I'll try it anyway.


Sir, you would be a real southerner unless you tried. look at it as you civil duty. How else will you be able to tell kids why you lost that finger? You can always get another food sealer. You can always get another wife. But you will never get back that "What if ...".


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## wormil

PrintMonkey said:


> Nothing like canned tees.
> New Page 1
> 
> M


Wow! I haven't seen a website like that in about ten years. Those folks should invest a few dollars into buying a template.


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## majesticmind

There is a member on the forum here somewhere that sells their shirts in a variety of shapes , T-shirt, bear bottle, etc..... And i think they have a claim on the shapes. So watch you dont waste money making something that you will need to get permission to sell.


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## perrolocodesigns

> Sir, you would be a real southerner unless you tried. look at it as you civil duty. How else will you be able to tell kids why you lost that finger? You can always get another food sealer. You can always get another wife. But you will never get back that "What if ...".


Thanks for the encouragement, but I feel like ya'll are mostly saying these things because your wives don't browse the forum. I just want to know where you 2 will be when the s--t hits the fan. 

But....I gots to try it!


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## tim3560

Same place I was when I wrote it.....right here!


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## AddVenture

majesticmind said:


> There is a member on the forum here somewhere that sells their shirts in a variety of shapes , T-shirt, bear bottle, etc..... And i think they have a claim on the shapes. So watch you dont waste money making something that you will need to get permission to sell.


that'd be the company i work for, although i think i remember seeing another member who may also compress t-shirts as well.

we hold patents on a number of different shapes, so only we can manufacture them. we also hold a patent on the method in which we compress the garment. although i can't go into the details of how we do it, i will tell you that no vacuums or food sealers are used .


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## prometheus

AddVenture said:


> that'd be the company i work for, although i think i remember seeing another member who may also compress t-shirts as well.
> 
> we hold patents on a number of different shapes, so only we can manufacture them. we also hold a patent on the method in which we compress the garment. although i can't go into the details of how we do it, i will tell you that no vacuums or food sealers are used .


If you share it, would you then have to kill us?


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## perrolocodesigns

> although i can't go into the details of how we do it, i will tell you that no vacuums or food sealers are used


Sir,

I am beside myself with indignation. Do you _really_ expect us to believe that you mass produce compressed t-shirts in cool unique shapes without the aid of a FoodSaver? Sir that statement reeks of false-a-fesity. You're simply upset that I have happened onto your secret process and you want to curtail competition in the "vacuum sealed" t-shirt arena. 

I say "down with your monopoly" let the free market decide.

Good Day Sir.


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## prometheus

I think they are sending them overseas and having sweatshops employ slave laborers that compress them by creating a vacuum with straws. Kenn your company disgust me.


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## AddVenture

the jig is up! i've been found out! ok, ok, i confess...

the truth is we hired Brian McNamee to train small orphan children. Now they all have arms like Popeye and they individually crush each shirt into the preferred shape.


at least they all stay in great shape. it's quite a work out. you should try it!


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## perrolocodesigns

> the truth is we hired Brian McNamee to train small orphan children. Now they all have arms like Popeye and they individually crush each shirt into the preferred shape.


Ahhhh...capitalism as it was meant to be. 



> at least they all stay in great shape. it's quite a work out. you should try it!


There is always a benefit that some folks would rather no one hear about.


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## Adam

Have you got a worldwide patent on that? Or can you franchise that out, I want Popeye arms


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## tim3560

AddVenture said:


> the jig is up! i've been found out! ok, ok, i confess...
> 
> the truth is we hired Brian McNamee to train small orphan children. Now they all have arms like Popeye and they individually crush each shirt into the preferred shape.
> 
> 
> at least they all stay in great shape. it's quite a work out. you should try it!


I'm confused, so are we saying this is a bad thing? This is pretty much the exact business model that I'm currently going by but I don't want to get into any trouble.


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## wormil

It's origami.


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## Girlzndollz

Kenn, may I ask please, when your company does this compressing, is this all they do, or is it something they do to their finished shirts as their special packaging, like Johnny Cupcakes with his bakery boxes? 

Does anyone ever approach your company to do compression for their shirts as well? Thanks.

Has anyone thought about how much time doing compression on the shirt will add to the process of shipping, and is it feasible financially to get involved inventing a machine to do this, or orphaning more children to increase the labor base? Are there enough "Brian McNamess" out there to train them?

All I could think of reading this thread was "costs, costs, costs". Would the finished product warrant the time and costs? If someone ships me anything vaccum packed, I want it to be an Omaha Steak, not a tee shirt!!  Ok, carry on with the boy party.


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## tim3560

Girlzndollz said:


> Ok, carry on with the boy party.


We would have but you ruined it.


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## Girlzndollz

I know. I started that post off with "Okay, boys, woman in the house." but erased it -- you already knew that!! Haha. I'd like to hear from Kenn tho. After that, I'll unsuscribe and you guys can break out the cards again.


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## prometheus

I'm not Kenn, but I play him on TV. Here is the site: AddVenture Products

They do some cool "Gel" printing as well.


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## Girlzndollz

Thanks, Robert, for the link. I checked it out. Beautiful site, tho I'm still not sure I get it. Are they screenprinters as well, or more of a promotional company, or both?


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## prometheus

Kenn could answer that better, but he may have to kill you afterwards.


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## perrolocodesigns

Kelly, see what happens when you come down to the basement?


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## AddVenture

Girlzndollz said:


> Thanks, Robert, for the link. I checked it out. Beautiful site, tho I'm still not sure I get it. Are they screenprinters as well, or more of a promotional company, or both?


hi kelly.

to answer your questions, yes, it does add to the cost, but that's the product. often we deal in such large quantities, that the extra cost is quite minimal. we try to think of a promotional t-shirt as more than just a walking bill-board. anyone can get a t-shirt, but a CompressT is something unique that gives people that "wow, how'd they do that?!" appeal that many marketers are looking for.

our main thing is promotional packaging for t-shirts, but we also offer lots of specialty printing options as well. 

now, you're welcome to stay and play along, but it's BYOB and it's your turn to empty the cigar filled ash trays.


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## Girlzndollz

Thanks, Kenn. That's the impression I got, but I wasn't sure. I haven't run into anyone on the forum doing what you do as the companies main focus, so it was a little hard to switch gears, so thanks. I'd also like to add that I love it. Would you say "if" someone was to crack the code, and be able to figure out the James Bond method of compressing shirts, would it be something that's cost effective for small run and individual orders for the regular joe who's main line is the printing? If it was only one shape, say.

Do you guys have to create or buy all those individual dies that you shape into? With each shape, I saw an investment, is that so?

I have also recently realized Robert might have been trying to get rid of me 4 posts ago, so before I end up with 'ashtray' duty, I'll be taking my leave. I am hoping to get a bit more info, but don't want to stick around long enough to smell like smoke.... and no ideas, my bartending days are behind me. Moonshine in the basement, card games, cigars... does anyone else know about this?


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## AddVenture

Girlzndollz said:


> Thanks, Kenn. That's the impression I got, but I wasn't sure. I haven't run into anyone on the forum doing what you do as the companies main focus, so it was a little hard to switch gears, so thanks. I'd also like to add that I love it. Would you say "if" someone was to crack the code, and be able to figure out the James Bond method of compressing shirts, would it be something that's cost effective for small run and individual orders for the regular joe who's main line is the printing? If it was only one shape, say.
> 
> Do you guys have to create or buy all those individual dies that you shape into? With each shape, I saw an investment, is that so?


when we first started creating shapes, it was an extremely costly, time consuming process that made it a very expensive product. after some time, we developed a way that was a fraction of the cost & time. this is what has kept us ahead of our competition. on larger quantity orders, we can even offer a free custom shape now. i've lost count of how many shapes we offer now. i wish i could give you more details, but it's a cut-throat business and i'm bound by my professional and personal code of ethics to remain silent about the process.

IMO, it would not be cost effective to buy all the materials & machinery involved to create just one shape.

we do compress shirts that are sent to us, but we prefer to print our own because we know the proper way to print and cure the shirt prior to the process. i've seen customer supplied shirts that were ruined because they weren't dried properly.

we are a wholesale manufacturer. many promotional companies sell our products. we do not sell to the end-user, only the distributor. 

i hope this answers some of your questions and just ignore Robert. he was once president of the "He-Man-Women-Haters-Club"


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## Girlzndollz

Very much so, and I appreciate the post, that was very nice of you to take the time and try to explain as well as you did within the limits. Thank you. Okay, boys, I'm outta here...


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## Uncle John

I have enjoyed and laughed a lot with this thread. Here's what I do know. There is a company in Dallas, TX that does contract compression of tee shirts they have about 60 molds or shapes that they do. Min order is 144 shirts and it starts at about $2.75 per piece. Prices drop as quantity increase.
There name is Purple Giraffe Shirt Co. I don't know if I can put there phone number on here so message me if it taken off...lol 214-748-0003


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## Uncle John

Found there website purpleg.com


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## Rodney

Thanks to Kenn for shedding some light on what your company does  Thanks also to Uncle John for sharing the information on the other vendors. 

If anybody comes up with a DIY method, it would be interesting to hear about.


*
Thread note:* I know we're having fun here guys, but please try to keep the off topic conversation to a minimum. While it's fun for those involved, it can be intimidating for people reading who want to know the answers to the questions happening in the thread. It can also accidentally alienate people who weren't in on the inside jokes  Any questions, please contact me via email or PM.


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## Rodney

> OK so a few years ago I went to see the movie "Lost in Space". Outside of the theater was a soda machiane. But it wasn't selling soda's. They were T-shirts for the movie. I bought one.


The idea of a t-shirt vending machine really intrigues me. I think it might actually be a neat way to sell t-shirts offline.


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## prometheus

Rodney said:


> The idea of a t-shirt vending machine really intrigues me. I think it might actually be a neat way to sell t-shirts offline.


Getting back online, it does sound like a great idea. I know that we had a similar Mountain Dew can at work that had shorts in it (Kenn?). I thought that was neat. I'm not sure, but I thought I saw someone here mention about putting their Moon Shine shirts into mason jars. I thought that was a cool idea as well, just not sure how you would ship it and if it would be cost effective.


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## tim3560

prometheus said:


> Getting back online, it does sound like a great idea. I know that we had a similar Mountain Dew can at work that had shorts in it (Kenn?). I thought that was neat. I'm not sure, but I thought I saw someone here mention about putting their Moon Shine shirts into mason jars. I thought that was a cool idea as well, just not sure how you would ship it and if it would be cost effective.


Yeah, that was Ken, Perrolocodesigns. He uses plastic mason jars which would make them even more cost effective.

Rodney, that sounds really cool. I remember in high school that Coke did a promo where they put random cans that were really like $1 and a compressed t-shirt. I spent soooo much money trying to get a stupid shirt and never got one. Then a friend of mine tries it once and says. 
"What the crap is this? This ain't a Coke, it's a stupid t-shirt."


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## tim3560

AddVenture said:


> that'd be the company i work for, although i think i remember seeing another member who may also compress t-shirts as well.
> 
> we hold patents on a number of different shapes, so only we can manufacture them. we also hold a patent on the method in which we compress the garment. although i can't go into the details of how we do it, i will tell you that no vacuums or food sealers are used .


Did you ever say the name of your company?


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## perrolocodesigns

Yep, we do pack our shirts in plastic mason jars. Works out pretty well considering the theme of our shirts. It can get pretty tiring when you are trying to cram the larger sizes into the jars. Especially when you're on about your 90th shirt. The thumbs do get tired.


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## perrolocodesigns

BTW, do you guys feel like you just got called out in 8th grade science class? I do. Sorry, Rodney. We'll try to keep to the thread topic.


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## prometheus

Oh they are plastic? I thought they were glass, that's why I thought it would be tough shipping.


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## hammered

Not reading all of the posts, Im probably missing something. Would shrink tubing do the trick to compress the Tees? Works great on everything else Ive used it on and the sizes may go large enough.


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## Rodney

tim3560 said:


> Did you ever say the name of your company?


His company name is the same as his username. I think Robert posted it as well. AddVenture Products


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## tim3560

Rodney said:


> His company name is the same as his username. I think Robert posted it as well. AddVenture Products


Thanks. It's incredible, the number of different shapes that they have available.


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## prometheus

hammered said:


> Not reading all of the posts, Im probably missing something. Would shrink tubing do the trick to compress the Tees? Works great on everything else Ive used it on and the sizes may go large enough.


Shrink tubing like they use on wires and shrink with a heat gun? Do they make it that big?


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## Uncle John

The process uses *Hydraulics* not vaccume, you can't put 10 lbs of crap in a 5 lbs bag...lol unless you compress the shirt out of it


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## Uncle John

Rodney; I like you thinking on vending machines, first thing is find a local vending company that has retired the old spring type machines, the ones that screw the spring to deliver the chips they can handle odd shapes. They should sell them cheap. Pick your designs have them compressed, work a deal for profit sharing in hotel or where ever and you owe me $50 bucks...lol

PS this is a great forum, people share!!


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## AddVenture

tim3560 said:


> I remember in high school that Coke did a promo where they put random cans that were really like $1 and a compressed t-shirt. I spent soooo much money trying to get a stupid shirt and never got one. Then a friend of mine tries it once and says.
> "What the crap is this? This ain't a Coke, it's a stupid t-shirt."


that was us!  we've done the same thing for a few other soft drinks as well. we did do mountain dew, robert, but i don't think it was shorts.

our big thing right now is t-shirt/DVD combo packages. if any of you buy movies from Costco or Walmart and see a free t-shirt packaged with a DVD, we have the patent on that shape. the movies have been very, very good to us the last few years.


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## tim3560

AddVenture said:


> that was us!  we've done the same thing for a few other soft drinks as well. we did do mountain dew, robert, but i don't think it was shorts.
> 
> our big thing right now is t-shirt/DVD combo packages. if any of you buy movies from Costco or Walmart and see a free t-shirt packaged with a DVD, we have the patent on that shape. the movies have been very, very good to us the last few years.


That's awesome.


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## Rodney

Uncle John said:


> first thing is find a local vending company that has retired the old spring type machines, the ones that screw the spring to deliver the chips they can handle odd shapes. They should sell them cheap. Pick your designs have them compressed, work a deal for profit sharing in hotel or where ever and you owe me $50 bucks...lol


Man, that's actually a pretty cool idea. If I end up pulling it off, you've definitely got a fiddy coming your way! 

I wonder if I could get a vending machine in the mall on a profit sharing deal...


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## prometheus

What about those ones that dispense electronics and such?


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## AddVenture

Rodney said:


> Man, that's actually a pretty cool idea. If I end up pulling it off, you've definitely got a fiddy coming your way!


if you are serious, rodney, let me know and i could point you in the right direction for can shaped compressed t-shirts .


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## hammered

prometheus said:


> Shrink tubing like they use on wires and shrink with a heat gun? Do they make it that big?


Yeah Up to 3" is what Ive used. And it comes in 3 fun colors!!  I use the Polyolefin. Its flexible and can shirk up to a 4:1 ratio. Course I use it for work related stuff at my welding shop.


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## tim3560

How much would the t's inside the machine cost? I can't see people putting a $20 into a vending machine. That's not to say that they wouldn't.


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## Rodney

AddVenture said:


> if you are serious, rodney, let me know and i could point you in the right direction for can shaped compressed t-shirts .


That's the part I'm thinking about now. Which "shape" they would be in, and a way for the buyer to see the quality of the t-shirt without being able to touch it.

I guess it's no different than buyers on the internet, except for the fact that these are offline buyers that may not be sued to shopping on the internet and not being able to touch the merchandise they want to buy.



> What about those ones that dispense electronics and such?


They have vending machines that dispense electronics?



tim3560 said:


> How much would the t's inside the machine cost? I can't see people putting a $20 into a vending machine. That's not to say that they wouldn't.


I was thinking $15-$20. I'm thinking the novel idea of it might win them over. 

It's just a matter of reaching the right people and using the right marketing to make them want it enough to slip their money in there. If kids can spend $20 in an arcade getting tokens or adults can throw away $20 in a slot machine, I think I may be able to get them to slip $20 into a machine when they are guaranteed to win


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## AustinJeff

AddVenture said:


> if you are serious, rodney, let me know and i could point you in the right direction for can shaped compressed t-shirts .


The vending machine idea is really interesting. 

Problem with a can-type vending machine is that you could really only offer one design (maybe two) in various sizes. I suppose that could work fine, depending on your venue (like selling an official shirt for an event.)

I would think one of the coil type machines would work better. Actually being able to see the compressed shirts would probably help sales, plus you could offer many designs. Of course, you would get some very irate people if the item doesn't fall, as seems to happen often.


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## AddVenture

tim3560 said:


> How much would the t's inside the machine cost? I can't see people putting a $20 into a vending machine. That's not to say that they wouldn't.


i've seen them put a lot more in for an ipod, why not a t-shirt?

Gadgets: iPod Vending Machine


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## AddVenture

Rodney said:


> It's just a matter of reaching the right people and using the right marketing to make them want it enough to slip their money in there. If kids can spend $20 in an arcade getting tokens or adults can throw away $20 in a slot machine, I think I may be able to get them to slip $20 into a machine when they are guaranteed to win


in airports for tourists, at stadiums for sports fans, restaurants that have gift shops and don't want to pay someone to work a register.

i'm sure there are plenty of places to put it.


on a side note, i love (and hate ) it when someone comes up with a great idea for a compressed t-shirt. i love that there are so many uses for them, and i hate that i didn't think of it myself!!

not long ago, we compressed some toddler pants into tiny shapes to be sold in places mom might need an extra set of clothes for her messy kid. 

i've got a messy 3 year old daughter...i should have thought of that!!


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## cookiesa

I was just thinking along the same lines with the toddler clothes.... we do baby gear!


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## prometheus

In an airport would be a great place for tourist shirts. At a mall would be a great place for teen related tees (think Hanna Montana or I hate clowns  )

At the mall near my house they have those machines like Kenn linked too. They are mainly iPod related accessories and such. I think I have even seen DVD ones.


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## tim3560

AddVenture said:


> not long ago, we compressed some toddler pants into tiny shapes to be sold in places mom might need an extra set of clothes for her messy kid.
> 
> i've got a messy 3 year old daughter...i should have thought of that!!


Now I've got the picture of a toddler in a horribly wrinkled set of clothes. Lol


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## tim3560

AddVenture said:


> i've seen them put a lot more in for an ipod, why not a t-shirt?
> 
> Gadgets: iPod Vending Machine


That link is hilarious! Everyone should go there and read the comments.

Rodney. The peak of awesomeness would be reached in my opinion if you had a mix of shapes. Some like moonpies, some like chips, some like candy bars, a big a roll of lifesavers, etc.


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## PromoTshirtCrazy

I love compressed t-shirts. Addventure is one of the best suppliers of compressed t-shirts, especially for the promo industry. They do a lot of great work for our clients.


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## plastictea

AddVenture said:


> jimmy,
> 
> i'm curious how this project worked out for you. did you have any success? i ask because the company i work for compresses t-shirts every day. in fact, there's a good chance we compressed the shirt you bought.
> 
> did you get it to work with your vacuum cleaner?


which company do you work for?


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## prometheus

plastictea said:


> which company do you work for?


http://www.addv.com/


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