Meet Sal Samano of Forty 5 Shirts in Imperial Beach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sal Samano.

Sal, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Growing up, my Dad was a record collector, which resulted in me being exposed to many genres of music. I started collecting records myself when I was 12 years old. I first started collecting punk and metal records, but as I got older, I started discovering different genres, including soul, funk and traditional Mexican music. As my collection grew the old 45 record labels really stood out to me and I thought some of these labels would look really cool on shirts. Unlike metal and punk there really wasn’t a lot of merchandise available for these genres, so I decided to make my own. I also wanted to bring attention to artists/groups that I didn’t feel got the recognition that they deserved, and that’s what inspired the following shirts; Brown Brothers of Soul (Cholo), Sunny Ozuna (Talk To Me), Thee Midniters (Chicano Power) and The Jhamels (I’ve Cried). These are just a few of my favorite shirts but there is more variety in my Etsy shop.

Originally I was only printing shirts for myself and a few friends, but the word got out and I started getting asked for more, so I bought screen printing equipment and had a buddy give me some pointers. I created an Instagram and Facebook account and started putting my shirts on there. Around that same time, I was asked if I was interested in being a vendor at different types of events. Since then, I’ve had the honor of meeting or have been in contact with some of these artists. I would have never imagined that happening because of my hobby turning into a business. I’ve received so much support from my family, friends and fellow music lovers and can’t wait to see what the future holds for my business.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Some of the struggles have been learning how to screenprint, providing a quality at an affordable price, trying to balance a full-time job, a side business and family life.

Please tell us about Forty 5 Shirts.
I print 45 record label artwork on clothing. I print on quality garments and put a lot of time into the designs I print

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
When Little Willie G from Thee Midniters posted a picture on Instagram wearing one of my shirts, since then we have met in person and remain in contact.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.etsy.com/shop/FORTY5SHIRTS
• Email: forty5shirts@yahoo.com
• Instagram: @forty5shirts
• Facebook: @forty5shirts

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