Groovin’ with Groovy Garments
Gwen Akers
The Ashland Beacon
Conscious, creative, and downright groovy, Ashland native Anthony Persinger has created his own clothing business known as Groovy Garments.
After spending much of his time working in the restaurant business, Persinger felt as if it was time he forged his own path, following his creative passions. After spending many years away from the area for schooling and other pursuits, Persinger returned to the area to be closer to his family and his inspirations. Spurred on by the support of his mother, a local business owner, Persinger knew it was time to take a leap into his dream of creating his own t-shirt business. Persinger has always loved the freedom of expression found in art, and it was almost fate when he began the process of learning how to screen print t-shirts during his time at Area Advertising.
“They threw me in the screen-printing department, and I immediately fell in love, like a kid in a candy store,” explained Persinger. “I care about the environment, [and] like to make art. Let's combine all that into one.”
Persinger was inspired by this process–the colors, methodical process, and the different materials that all came together to create a simple t-shirt. Persinger began studying the process of screen printing, which begins from a simple doodle on a notepad. The first step is to digitize the base out through a computer graphics program, from here begins the complex process of layering the artwork by color.
These different layers eventually become screens, which are similar to silk mesh spread around a piece of metal. This serves like a “stamp” for your design, which is then covered in paste and then sprayed with water to distill the design.
“It's definitely a long process. It's a labor of love, and that's what makes it so fun and interesting,” detailed Persinger about the process of screen printing.
Now, Persinger has taken screen printing into his own hands, as he does all the printing and designing of all his shirts by hand. Officially an LLC since about a year and a half ago, Groovy Garments has been making shirts for around six months. Further, Persinger expressed his desire to make all his designs from sustainable and eco-friendly materials, as even in his art, he wants to give back to nature.
“The goal initially was just to create my own clothing brand and come up with my own designs and source better material like organic cotton and recycled fibers,” expressed Persinger.
Keeping this goal in mind, Persinger hopes to continue to grow and expand his t-shirt business in the coming months and years. He wishes to collaborate with other artists and businesses in the future, as well as print his own art and designs. Those interested in checking out Groovy Garments can find them at Ashland Makers’ Market and at pop-up events in the area. You can also check out their website at groovy-garments.com. Until then, remember to keep groovin’!
