How Our Shirts Are Made

Old-School Memories. New-School Printing.

Remember the days of browsing racks of concert shirts, collecting souvenirs from your favorite Orlando attractions, or picking up a T-shirt from a place you knew you'd want to remember forever?

Somewhere in the back of your closet, you might still have one of those shirts. Maybe it's from a long-gone theme park, a favorite local radio station, or a business that closed its doors decades ago. The shirt might be a little faded, but the memories are still going strong.

That's the kind of feeling we love at Retrolando.

Our shirts celebrate the Orlando we remember, combining nostalgic designs with comfortable modern apparel and digital printing technology. Whether your favorite memory involves Church Street Station, Mystery Fun House, or a long-lost Central Florida landmark, we want you to have something comfortable to wear while keeping those stories alive.

Here's a closer look at what goes into making a Retrolando shirt.

It Starts With a Great Shirt

A memorable design deserves a comfortable home. That's why Retrolando uses Next Level triblend T-shirts for our standard apparel.

Unlike a traditional 100% cotton shirt, triblend fabric combines three different materials to create a lightweight, soft, and comfortable feel.

Our standard Next Level triblend fabric consists of 50% polyester, 25% combed ring-spun cotton, and 25% rayon.

Each material brings something different to the shirt. Polyester helps with shape retention and durability, cotton provides softness and comfort, and rayon contributes to the smooth texture and relaxed drape.

Together, they create a shirt with a comfortable, slightly vintage feel that's great for everyday wear.

Whether you're spending the afternoon exploring downtown Orlando or just relaxing at home, the goal is the same: a shirt that feels as good as the memories it celebrates.

Men's and Women's Triblend Styles

Retrolando offers both men's/unisex and women's triblend T-shirt styles.

Our men's/unisex shirts have a regular retail fit with a straighter silhouette. They're designed for a comfortable everyday appearance without the oversized shape of some traditional heavyweight T-shirts.

Our women's triblend shirts feature a more shaped silhouette that follows the natural contours of the body, offering a different fit while maintaining the same soft triblend fabric.

Because the measurements and proportions differ between these styles, we encourage customers to review our Size & Fit Guide before ordering.

Finding the right fit is the first step toward finding your next favorite shirt!

Bringing Orlando's Past to Life Through Design

Every Retrolando design starts with something worth remembering.

Sometimes it's a restaurant where families gathered for years. Other times, it's a legendary nightclub, a forgotten theme park attraction, a local sports team, or a radio station that provided the soundtrack to growing up in Central Florida.

The inspiration comes from the names, imagery, and stories that made these places memorable.

Our goal is to capture the feeling of Orlando's past in a way that people can recognize, appreciate, and share.

Sometimes all it takes is a familiar design on a T-shirt to start a conversation.

Someone spots a shirt, smiles, and says, "I remember that place!"

And just like that, a little piece of Orlando history comes back to life.

What Is Direct-to-Garment Printing?

Retrolando apparel is produced using Direct-to-Garment printing, commonly known as DTG.

Rather than applying a separate printed transfer to the surface of a shirt, DTG technology uses specialized printers to apply textile ink directly onto the fabric.

Think of it as a digital printing process designed specifically for clothing.

This method allows detailed artwork and multiple colors to be printed without needing a separate traditional screen for every color in a design.

It's a particularly useful process for the type of nostalgic, detailed artwork featured throughout the Retrolando collection.

Once printed, the ink is cured as part of the production process to help it withstand normal wear and washing.

The result is a printed garment that brings together modern technology and a little old-school Orlando personality.

Made to Order, Just for You

Unlike stores that keep large quantities of preprinted shirts sitting on shelves, Retrolando uses a made-to-order production approach.

When you place an order, your selected design and garment are prepared for printing as part of the fulfillment process.

This approach allows us to offer a wider variety of Orlando-inspired designs without maintaining large inventories of finished merchandise.

It also means that your shirt generally needs to be produced before it can be shipped.

Production time and shipping time are separate parts of the order process, so delivery may take longer than purchasing an item that's already packaged and waiting in a warehouse.

We think bringing back a little Orlando nostalgia is worth a bit of anticipation!

For more information about order processing, shipping, and delivery expectations, please visit our Shipping & Delivery page.

Why Your Shirt May Look Slightly Different From the Website

We work to represent our artwork and shirt colors as accurately as possible, but printed apparel can have small variations.

Differences in fabric color, texture, printer settings, and how digital screens display colors can all affect the final appearance of a design.

Because DTG printing applies ink directly onto fabric, the appearance of the print may also vary slightly depending on the garment's characteristics.

Minor variations in color, texture, or print placement are normal aspects of apparel production and generally aren't considered manufacturing defects.

However, if your shirt arrives with a significant printing issue, incorrect artwork, or another defect, please contact us so we can review it.

Taking Care of Your New Favorite Shirt

Like that favorite concert tee you held onto for years, a little care goes a long way toward keeping your Retrolando shirt looking great.

We recommend turning your shirt inside out before washing, using cold water with a mild detergent, and selecting a gentle wash cycle whenever possible.

Air drying is a great option, but if you prefer using a dryer, choose a low-heat setting. Avoid ironing directly over the printed artwork.

Following these recommendations can help preserve both the fabric and the design.

For more information, visit our T-Shirt Care Instructions page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Retrolando shirts screen printed?

Our standard apparel is produced using Direct-to-Garment (DTG) printing rather than traditional screen printing.

DTG technology applies specialized ink directly to the fabric, making it well suited for detailed designs and artwork with multiple colors.

Are your shirts printed before I order?

Generally, no. Retrolando uses a made-to-order production process, meaning your selected apparel is produced after your order has been placed.

This allows us to offer a larger selection of designs without maintaining extensive inventories of preprinted merchandise.

Why do you use triblend shirts?

We like the soft feel, lightweight fabric, and comfortable drape of Next Level triblend apparel.

The combination of polyester, cotton, and rayon creates a shirt that works well for everyday wear and complements our vintage-inspired designs.

Will the design feel like a thick layer on top of the fabric?

DTG printing applies ink directly onto the garment rather than attaching a separate printed transfer.

Depending on the artwork, fabric color, ink coverage, and printing process, you may still notice some texture in the printed area.

The feel can vary from design to design, especially where heavier ink coverage is needed.

Will my shirt fade after washing?

Like most printed clothing, DTG artwork can gradually show signs of wear or fading with repeated washing and use.

Washing inside out, using cold water, and avoiding excessive heat can help preserve the appearance of the design.

Are the designs printed in the United States?

Production locations may vary depending on the merchandise and fulfillment arrangements used for an order.

We don't want to promise a specific production location unless it has been confirmed for the product being purchased.

If you have questions about your order, please contact us before purchasing.

Can I request a custom Retrolando design?

We're always interested in hearing ideas for future Retrolando shirts!

If there's a forgotten Orlando restaurant, attraction, sports team, or local landmark you'd love to see celebrated, send your suggestion to retrolandotees@gmail.com.

While we can't guarantee every suggestion will become a product, we love hearing what people remember.

What if my shirt arrives with a printing problem?

If your shirt arrives with significant printing defects, damaged artwork, or an incorrect design, please contact us within 14 days of delivery.

Include your order number, a description of the issue, and clear photographs.

We'll review the problem and arrange an appropriate resolution for verified production errors.

More Than Just a T-Shirt

At the end of the day, Retrolando shirts are about more than fabric, ink, and printing technology.

They're about the restaurants we wish were still open, the theme parks we'd love to visit one more time, the music that played on our favorite radio stations, and the places that made growing up in Orlando memorable.

A familiar design can start a conversation, bring back a forgotten story, or make someone smile when they remember a place they haven't thought about in years.

That's why we do what we do.

The technology may be modern, but the memories are timeless.

Retrolando: Yesterday's Orlando. Today's Memories.

Have a Question or a Memory to Share?

We'd love to hear from you!

Whether you're curious about our shirts, have a question about an order, or want to suggest a long-lost Orlando establishment for a future design, drop us a line at retrolandotees@gmail.com.

You can also explore more Orlando history and nostalgic apparel at Retrolando.com.

Thanks for helping us keep Orlando's memories alive!