Justin Vaughn, a 26-year-old designer, is the founder of Jackson-area T-shirt screen-printing company, Unik Ink, pronounced "unique" ink. A lifelong resident of Madison, Vaughn graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in art, emphasizing graphic design. He learned his trade during college working as a designer for a screen-printing company.
Unik Ink took its first order in 2007. Vaughn's business allows him to apply his passion for art while making a living, he says. The company specializes in fashion, retail-ready T-shirts, but also provides shirts for events, student organization, bands and businesses. "The fashion market is where a lot of the higher quality shirts are being made and I like doing this type of designing," Vaughn says. He also continues to do freelance graphic design in his spare time.
The company's niche is in over-size and all-over printing that, literally, puts ink all over the front of the shirt. The prints can cover up to 40 inches by 40 inches. The reason why many companies don't provide oversized printing or all over designs is that it's "a lot more difficult than printing normally," Vaughn says, and it requires specialty equipment.
Most people find Vaughn's T-shirts through the Unik Ink Web site and MySpace page, and a lot of his costumers bring their own designs to him. Currently, 90 percent of the people Vaughn works with are out of state, from California to New York, and he even has international customers. Unik Ink operates out of warehouse space in Ridgeland, but his orders come strictly via e-mail and by phone. "I'd love some more local business," Vaughn says.
Vaughn says he's consumed with his work for now, but when he has free time he enjoys hunting, fishing and hanging out with his friends. Check out his work online or call him toll-free at 1-888-7-TSHIRT (1-888-787-4478).
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