Hand crafted to perfection
In an era when we are used to seeing craftsmen being replaced by mechanical counterparts, it is surprisingly refreshing to see a creative company here in Leeds bucking the trend.
Dots Printhaus screen print everything, whether on textile or paper by hand. Their charismatic studio, complete with tied together trainers thrown over the doorway and an over excitable (but adorable) dog Alfie, oozes the creativity any workshop should strive for.
If you haven’t heard of Dots Printhaus before, it is more than likely you will have seen their work. Screen printing for venues such as Hyde Park Picture House, the Cockpit and printing posters for bands such as Alt J and The Mystery Jets. It is a wonder founders Joe and Jonny find time to have their own brands of t shirts too.
Their brands Jaker and Saveloy are not only available on their website but also from the print shop, Off The Wall in Leeds city centre along with designs by artists they collaborate with.Everything is unique explains Sofia, an artist who works at Dots and creates her own craft range; “Obviously we try to keep everything the same, but that is the beauty of doing everything handmade. It is unique; I think that adds value to the t-shirt or the print.”
Started two years ago when Jonny and Joe began the project as a personal workshop it has gradually grown, gained client based work and after a studio move Dots Printhaus as a business was established. “It wasn’t really feasible what we did.” Founder Jonny explained; “We found this place, we couldn’t afford it but we signed for it. Just one of those things, we needed space. We both worked full time and full time here, we maybe did 80 hours a week for a year.”
Not one to shy away from hard work, former manual labourer Jonny might not be your typical t-shirt designer but there are similarities between the two professions; “Before this I had been a brickie, so I was always used to manual labour. Screen printing is a similar thing, it is quite repetitive and you have to concentrate all the time. It is labour some.”
Continuously learning from the client based jobs they take, it isn’t hard to find inspiration; “I might have printed a job in the week and overprinted two colours and gone I really like that. You kind of use what you do for other people and make your own. It is a bit like going around an art gallery and seeing 50 paintings, going home and making your own but taking a little bit of everyone’s.”
With the studio going from strength to strength the ultimate aim for founder Jonny is to be able to concentrate more on his own brand. Not only wanting to print his designs onto the t-shirts but having input into the t-shirt design itself; “I would like to start manufacturing garments and not just print on the front of them. You mature in the way you want to do design. I appreciate more the components on a garment now than just the print or what the print is of.”
With designing dreams and skill to back them up, I’m sure it won’t be long until Leeds sees these handmade t-shirts move to the next level. So, if you are fed up of walking down Briggate and seeing ten people in the same outfit, why not check out Dots Printhaus and bag yourself a design that is truly one of a kind.
To find out more visit www.dotsprint.co.uk