By Al Warr/Hunterdon County Democrat Hunterdon County Democrat

T-shirts have a long and colorful history. They seem to have first seen the light of day back in the 1800s. Tees got a big boost in the U.S. when the Navy began issuing them to sailors. When other branches of the military joined in, the widespread usage of T-shirts by people everywhere was assured.
“We design online and ship all over the country,” said Ryan Amato. Starting in July, the firm will have the highest-quality digital printer in central New Jersey, he said.
Ryan and his father, Bob Amato own and operate Special-Ts on Kings Court in Flemington. They started in 1990. Printed T-shirts are still produced using the traditional screen-printing process. But today, it is a computer-driven process, he said, and the old ironed-on transfer has been replaced. They are installing equipment to emblazon shirts with photographs.
Staying on top of the technology in T-shirt production is one thing. Going green has been another here. The Amatos installed 250 solar panels on the roof, and that generates about half of the energy they use.
This operation (www.Special-ts.com, 908-806-8337) does much more than T-shirts. Names, logos, and emblems can be embroidered on hats, shirts, towels, and just about anything else. Regulars here include schools, teams, corporations and businesses--even people holding birthday parties and family reunions.
T-shirts are frequently used as a canvas to create artwork, advertising, and to make personal statements. Years ago, Val Sivilli found herself at home with small children. She had a master’s degree in fine arts from Rutgers, and she was intrigued with T-shirts. Putting the two together, she formed Civilian Basics.
“I started to make Plexiglas plates, drawing on them — making lines, and filling in with paints,” she said. “Then I would press into a garment. It was time-consuming, so over the years, I began to use screen printing.”
Sivilli’s graphic T-shirts began to attract attention, especially at a shop she opened in Frenchtown. She focuses on “very simple garments” of short and long shirts. The store is now closed, but she displays her original T-shirt designs at farmers’ markets in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
“It keeps me connected to the local communities,” she explained. She regularly does the indoor markets in Stockton and in Ottsville, Pa. Outdoors, she’s at the Easton (Pa.) Farmer’s Market every Saturday morning, and sometimes she goes to special events at the Dvoor Farm Market in Raritan Township. Visit www.CivilianBasics.com or call her at 908 268-2843.
Sivilli’s activities include T-shirts and more. She teaches drawing, color theory, and screen-printing at Raritan Valley Community College and Bucks County Community College. In addition, she’s the guitar-playing third of an all-girl trio called Snatch. Hear some blues and rock by the group at the upcoming Bastille Day in Frenchtown.
T-shirts are useful as underwear, and they have long since come into their own as the “onlywear” above the belt. But T-shirts as pants?
At Pantaluna, T-shirts are meticulously deconstructed, cut up, cropped and the pieces are sewn together to become pants, skirts, even dresses. It all takes place under the direction of Illia Barger.
“One pair of pants involves 26 pieces,” Barger said. “And every skirt has 42 pieces.” Those pieces take soft cotton tee shirts to a new level.
“We’re involved in upcycling here,” she added. “We create one-of-a-kind artwear. We take the form as it is, and we add creativity and elbow grease.”
Under her watchful eye, the studio at 34 Bridge Street in Frenchtown hums with production. Head designer Neja Alic concentrates on design and tapering, while Glen Capelle does the sewing. (He also runs a HVAC business.)
Barger can usually be found elsewhere — in her artist’s studio. She is an accomplished painter who does large-scale works, including murals. A prominent example is the mural in Trenton portraying the reading of the Declaration of Independence — it’s 65 by 33 feet.
“Pantaluna is a destination shop,” Barger said. “People can bring in their own tees and we make ‘memory’ artwear.” It’s that upcycling brought to the personal level. All the work here is done by hand using 100% cotton T-shirts. Visit www.Pantaluna.com or call 908-996-3213.
The shop is open Tuesday to Friday only, noon to 6 p.m., or by appointment on weekends.
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