Imagine this conversation: ‘Where’d you get your cool T-shirt, mate?’ Doesn’t ‘Hey I picked it up last week when I went for a stroll down Camden Market,’ sound much cooler than ‘I ordered it on the internet?’
T-shirts need to be bought ‘live’.
With that in mind, here are the best T-shirt markets from the U.K. — and not just in London!
London T-shirt Markets – been there, seen it, got the T-shirt
Right, so we said ‘Not just in London,’ but we’d be amiss not to mention the market scene in the capital city. If you look carefully, throughout the capital’s streets you’ll find thousands of cool design shops that sell “typically British” souvenirs that feel more authentic than the ones featuring a double-decker bus or a Union Jack.
Camden Market
Candem Market is great for trendy London inspired T-shirt designs, particularly those with a twist of vintage or hippy chic.
Greenwich Market
The Greenwich Market is littered with independent shops and stalls where you can buy arty-crafty garments.
Notting Hill
Simply put, the biggest street party in the UK.
King’s Road
A throwback to the 60s, the King’s Road is linked with designers such as Mary Quant and Vivienne Westwood. If pricey designer clothes aren’t your thing you can always pick up a bargain at Peter Jones.
Savile Row
Savile Row is the most unlikely contender for T-shirt purchasing, but it is possible to find the odd unique one on this elitist street known for its bespoke tailoring for gentlemen. If all else fails you can always hit the nearby high street shops.
Baker Street
Associated with the musical era of the 60s and 70s, Baker Street is home to not one memorabilia shops, but two! First, the “London Beatles Store”, that sells souvenirs from the famous Liverpool band. And its neighbour, “It’s only Rock ‘n’ Roll” for the fans wanting to purchase a genuine Londoner garment from bands like ACDC, The Who, Black Sabbath and Queen.
[content_band bg_color=”#E8F6D2″ border=”all”] [container]Do you have your very own T-shirt brand? Would you like to delegate the production and inventory stuff – for free? ? That’s right, Printsome’s Print on Demand services are free for a limited time. Join now![/container] [/content_band]Other exciting markets outside London
But…London definitely isn’t the only place in the UK where you can get your hands on some fabulous tees. Here are some places further afield that also have got great options:
Barras Market – Glasgow
The Barras Market is located in the East End of Glasgow, this market dates back to the early 20th century. Back then, people would come with their barrows (or ‘barras’, in Glaswegian dialect) to sell their wares. Today, it’s evolved into a mix of a street market, an indoor market and a shopping centre. The Barrowland Ballroom is also a great place to catch live music.
Birmingham Rag Market – Birmingham (surprise, surprise)
The Birmingham Rag Market’s 350-plus stalls give you a massive amount of choice, so even the pickiest shoppers should be able to find some cool threads to wear here. The Rag, as its’ known to locals, is particularly well-known for its selection of fabrics, but you’ll really be able to find a bit of everything here.
Great Homer Street Market – Liverpool
The Great Homer Street Market is one of the most popular clothes markets in Liverpool, and for good reason. There’s a huge selection of interesting stuff to browse and buy at this nearly 200-year-old market, including lots of tees dedicated to Liverpool’s most famous native sons — the Beatles. Check the website’s calendar to see if there are any seasonal occasions being celebrated during that time, like the annual Christmas Market held in December.
Jacob’s Market – Cardiff
If you’re a serious vintage shopper, then Jacob’s Market should be your first stop in Cardiff! This is the top market in Cardiff to find all things vintage, in addition to leather jackets, lace items, and all sorts of cool T-shirts. It’s held under the railway bridge at the end of St. Mary’s Street from Thursday to Saturday.
Judy’s Vintage Fair – Edinburgh (and more!)
A clothing market where everything is sold by weight? Sign us up! At Judy’s Vintage Fair, over five tonnes of amazing vintage clothing handpicked by fashion experts arrives in Edinburgh and is sold at £15 per kilo. This market was actually such a success that although it started in Edinburgh, it’s now held in 30 different cities, including Glasgow, Bristol and London. Judy’s checks all the prices, so you’ll end up finding some great deals here.
St. Nicholas Market – Bristol
Another market with an emphasis on independent vendors, Bristol’s St. Nicholas Market is a popular spot for the city’s cool young things to shop. You’ll find it inside The Exchange, a historical building right in the scenic old quarter of the city centre. If you get peckish while shopping, don’t worry — there are plenty of food stalls on hand, as well as flower stalls and textiles on offer.
Tib Street Fashion Market – Manchester
One of the best markets to find up and coming designers in the UK, the Tib Street Fashion Market in Manchester is a relatively new addition to the time. It’s the first market dedicated entirely to fashion in the North West, and you’ll be able to get lots of great deals from truly talented new designers. They’ve got a great selection of cool T-shirts, plus a few places that sell accessories to give your outfit the perfect finishing touch.
Final Words
Well, there you have it! If you can’t find a cool T-shirt at any of these UK markets, you’re probably the pickiest shopper around. But it’s a pretty safe bet that you’ll be able to find something you like that’s also much more special than your regular high street shop — on top of getting a great bargain too.
And for those of you who are more creatively inclined, why not try setting up your own stall at one of these markets to sell your personalised tees? If there’s one you’re interested in, go to their website, as they usually have information about how you can become a vendor.
Happy shopping!
Did we miss any popular market? We’re always looking to improve our content, so please let us know in the comments below or via any of our social media networks.
In the meantime, keep reading the Printsome blog for more awesome content.
Print on Demand
Here at Printsome, we’ve always supported creative endeavours which is why we’re proud to announce our brand new ‘print on demand’ service.
Thanks to our five years of experience in the apparel-printing industry, we were able to design a platform catered towards the needs of artists and designers who want to start their own T-shirt line. Printsome’s ‘Print on demand’ service has no minimum orders and can print any design with no colour limitations.
From the moment you connect your online shop (like Shopify) with our platform, anyone can buy one of your designs. We deliver all over the UK and Europe. Drop shipping has never been this easy.
Why worry about inventory or logistics when we can take care of that? We deal with the boring stuff so you have more time to do what you love. To find out more, simply visit our brand new website by clicking on the banner below.
