OK, so The Spinners, Judas Priest and Donna Summer are nowhere near each other on the musical spectrum, but they do have something in common. Each of these artists and other pop culture icons can be immortalized on a simple T-shirt.
Although stores such as Target or American Eagle Outfitters sell "vintage" tees, nothing beats the real thing. East Lansing-based RetroDuck, which is owned and operated by MSU students, produces original old-school images on new shirts.
The store opened in 2003 and has continued to purchase collections of iron-ons left over from bygone decades. It's located on 210 Abbott Road, Suite 22, but shirts also can be purchased online at retroduck.com.
"We have the benefit of having sold vintage T-shirts for so long that we know what's going to sell and what's not," said co-owner Arun Das, a telecommunication, information studies and media senior.
Regardless of the shirt, you don't want it to look too vintage. Most retro tees - especially iron-ons - are easily damaged from overwashing. From the good people at RetroDuck, here are some tips to keep them in shape.
• Wash the shirt in cold water. Hot water causes the ink or screening to crack.
• Wash the shirt inside out. This helps protects the image.
• Dry it responsibly. Putting it in the dryer for more than an hour on high heat can crack or melt the image on the shirt. Hang dry the shirt.
