Nostalgic Memories of Iron-On T-Shirts in the 1970s
I vividly recall how popular iron-on t-shirts were back in the 1970s. Whenever my mum took us shopping at Highpoint West in Maribyrnong, Melbourne, I spent my time at the iron-on t-shirt kiosk.
The distinct smell of vinyl bonding to fresh cotton tees filled the air, while wild designs adorned the walls. There were countless books of artwork to browse through, featuring everything from Holden and Ford caricatures of Toranas and Falcons to cheeky faces with bulging eyes.
One of my favorites was this classic:
They also created large white numbers for duffel coats, often featuring a player’s name in smaller text. I had a duffel with “Greig 27” on it that I was particularly proud of.
I remember the transfers were made from thick vinyl, which had a habit of sticking to your skin on hot summer days.
There were so many amazing designs to peruse, and I would spend ages exploring them while my mum and sister did their shopping. As someone who loved to draw, I was always interested in art and creativity.
I’ve tried searching online for some of those designs, but it’s surprising how few originals are available. Most of what I’ve come across seems to be American, though I’ve spotted a few Australian versions, mostly car-themed.
If you’re curious, check out some examples here:
And here’s a collection you might enjoy:
Iron-On T-Shirt Designs on Pinterest
I love your nostalgic trip back to the 1970s! Iron-on t-shirts were such a fun part of teenage culture. The whole experience of picking out designs and watching them get transformed onto a plain shirt is something that feels so unique to that era. I remember the smell of the heat press too—it definitely takes me back!
Those Holden and Ford designs really were iconic. The vibrant colors and wild graphics seemed larger than life. It’s wild to think about how something as simple as a t-shirt could capture the essence of automotive culture and youth identity at the time.
I agree, it’s hard to find original designs from that period online. The ones that do pop up often don’t do justice to the creativity and variety that we experienced back in the day. I also used to spend hours browsing through the design books, trying to decide which one to choose. Your mention of the duffel coat transfers brings back memories of customizing everything we owned! Thanks for sharing these links too; it’s great to see that there’s still an interest in these vintage designs. Do you still have any of your old iron-on shirts?