Choose Tie-Dye Garments & Make Your Custom Merch Pop!

February 10, 2022

It's official tie-dye is back in. Whether you love it or not, the psychedelic print that became popular in the late '60s & '70s has seen a resurgence in the past year or two and is making waves in the custom clothing world.

Tie-dye t-shirts, socks, hoodies and dresses are in vogue at the moment. Everyone from Hollywood celebs and YouTubers to at-home crafters are giving the colourful, relaxed look their nod of approval. Whether you choose to DIY your own tshirts or purchase one of our already dyed garments, choosing tie-dye garments could be the key to make your merch stand out from the crowd!

Joe Cocker, Woodstock 1969 © Elliott Landy/Redferns.

Tie-dye has a colourful history

Matching tie-dye sweatsuits may be a hot trend now, but the pattern dates back hundreds of years. Tie-dye is a method of decorating textiles, practised worldwide for more than 600 years. As a result, there are versions in almost every culture, ranging from Africa to Asia to the Americas.

In the U.S., immigrants from countries like India, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines introduced tie-dye techniques to their new countries over time. A range of dyeing techniques also have roots in Africa. Many immigrants from different African countries brought their skills to the U.S., even as far back as the late 1700s and 1800s.

Tie-dye's popularity surged in the U.S. when the hippie movement adopted the colourful look. In the U.S., tie-dye was a DIY/countercultural statement during that era. This was around the introduction and widespread availability of ready-to-wear and mass-produced fashion. Indeed, the hippie movement was responding to the homogenized clothing styles of the era in the effort to embrace a particular sort of freedom and individuality.

Tie-dye was a significant trend in the 1960s. Tie-dye has been in & out of fashion numerous times since then. Over the years, tie-dye has featured in high-end designer collections, in high street stores or created at home by DIYers. The '90s saw a resurgence of interest in tie-dye and re-dye as the interest for natural and organic dyes over synthetic came to the forefront and yielded quite beautiful results.

Part of the beauty of tie-dyeing is that no two prints look entirely the same. Tie-Dyed & screen printed tees & sweats are exploding in popularity and might be a trend worth considering for your brand or cause.

Re-create your favourite retro 90s t-shirts!

We love this Astral Projections design we printed for Wellington-based craft brewery Garage Project, the design was a nod to the Wolf t-shirts that were popular in the 80s & early 90s. Printed on the Dyenomite Apparel Sidewinder 200SW t-shirts these tees had a real retro vibe and proved to be a hit with customers and flew out the door.

Garage Project Astral Projections Tie Dye T-shirt

Fortunately, we have a range of options to cater to the needs of every tie-dye or dip dye t-shirt enthusiast. Here are some of our favourite garments: