The Impossible Glow: CALI Strong's T-shirt Quantum Secret

"Everything we call real is made of things that cannot be regarded as real."

— Niels Bohr , Nobel Prize-Winning Physicist

Things Glow Because They Can't

Our fans love our CALI Strong Lord Rasta Glow-in-the-Dark T-shirt with its amazingly bright print. But here's something that will blow your mind: our advanced glowing design does the impossible trillions of times per second.

In fact, the only reason it glows is because it's impossible for it to glow.

Confused? Good. Get ready to discover one of the strangest secrets in physics - one that will change how you look at your High-Tech Glow T-shirt and the world forever. This is way cooler, bizarre, and unsettling than anything you've seen since Season 2 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills .

What Makes Things Glow?

Let's break down what's happening in our Glow-in-the-Dark CALI Strong Lord Rasta T-shirt . Inside our unique advanced glow ink are countless tiny crystal photoluminescent pigments - like microscopic batteries that store light energy and release it slowly. When you wear our shirt in the sun or under a bright light, it charges the crystals.

These very expensive crystal pigments contain electrons - those tiny particles you've heard about in science class that float in clouds surrounding the centers of atoms. When light hits the shirt, these electrons get excited. They absorb the light energy and jump up to a higher energy level.

Now, here's where it gets interesting. These excited electrons get trapped - and I mean really trapped. It's like they've jumped up to a VIP balcony at a P!nk concert, but now they discover there are no stairs, windows, or doors back down. Just solid walls all around. Like a bad episode of "Black Mirror," they are trapped in a high-energy state, unable to reach a more stable, lower energy level.

The impossible part is these electrons are so well trapped that they shouldn't be able to escape at all from a room with no exits. According to Newton’s classical physics , they're stuck up there in an exitless VIP room forever.

"In quantum mechanics , it's not that we don't know the value of a physical quantity before we measure it. It's that the quantity doesn't have a value before we measure it."

— Sean Carroll , PhD, Theoretical Physicist & Philosopher, Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime (2019)

Numbers That Will Blow Your Mind

Each electron in your CALI Strong shirt tries to escape about one trillion times every second. That's 1,000,000,000,000 attempts per second - more attempts than there are stars in 100 Milky Way galaxies!

What is the chance of an electron successfully escaping on each try? About one in 10 quadrillion. That's like shuffling a deck of cards and getting them arranged in perfect order five times in a row or winning the California lottery jackpot four times in a row with the same numbers.

But here's the mind-bending part: your shirt glows for hours because these electrons slowly manage to escape from a room with no possible exit. When one finally does make that impossible escape, it releases its energy as light - creating the glow of our Lord Rasta design.

Let's put this in perspective. During a typical 2-hour glow, each electron will have tried to escape about 7,200,000,000,000,000 times (7.2 quadrillion attempts). That's more attempts than all the raindrops that fall on California in a decade just to create one tiny flash of light.

Even though success is incredibly unlikely, with so many attempts, some electrons do manage to step out of the sealed room with no exits, which causes the glow.

The Quantum Twist

You're probably wondering: if it's so improbable for these electrons to escape their VIP room trap, how does your CALI Strong shirt glow at all? Welcome to the weird world of quantum mechanics .

In our everyday world, if something is impossible, it just doesn't happen. If there's no door or window in a room, you can't leave. If there are no stairs, you can't walk down. But electrons don't play according to the commonsense rules of Newton or most people.

In the quantum world of super-tiny things, "impossible" only means "very unlikely." Electrons can do something scientists call " quantum tunneling " - basically, they can teleport through the solid walls of P!nk's nightmare VIP room with no exit. It's like having a superpower, but one that only works incredibly rarely—happening about as frequently as finding someone who hasn't heard 'Baby Shark' or getting into a Taylor Swift concert with face-value tickets.

Each successful tunnel releases a tiny flash of light, and billions of these quantum escapes combine to create the glow you see in the dark on your Lord Rasta design.

The Bigger Picture: Beyond the Glow

Your CALI Strong Glow-in-the-Dark T-shirt demonstrates the same quantum mechanics that power modern technology - from smartphones and gaming consoles to LED screens and medical imaging devices. Whenever you charge up your Lord Rasta design, you wear proof that Niels Bohr was right and that the universe is built on weird.

"The impossible glow of our King Rasta print shows that limitations are often just in our heads. Even the most unlikely things can happen with a little persistence and a dose of weird."

— Jennifer Echeverria, Co-Founder and Chairman, CALI Strong

Glow-in-the-Dark T-Shirt Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What makes Glow-in-the-Dark T-shirts glow?

Glow-in-the-Dark T-shirts achieve their unique effect through photoluminescent pigments in the ink. These special pigments absorb and store light energy, slowly releasing it as a visible glow. Here's a simple breakdown:

• Light Absorption: The pigments contain phosphors, which are molecules that absorb light energy.
• Energy Storage: When exposed to light (especially sunlight or UV light), the phosphors become energized.
• Glow Emission: As the stored energy is released, it's emitted as visible light, causing the T-shirt to glow. This glow can last for hours after the light source is removed.

How long will my T-shirt glow in the dark?

Glow time depends on the quality and amount of glow pigment, light penetration through the ink, and the T-shirt's exposure to light. Because CALI Strong uses the most advanced and expensive photoluminescent pigments, you can expect:

• Brightest Glow: Up to 2.5 hours
• Visible Glow: Up to 9 hours
• Faint Glow (in complete darkness): Up to 20 hours or more

Do I need to "charge" my Glow-in-the-Dark T-shirt?

Yes! Think of it like a battery. To get the best glow, "charge" your T-shirt by exposing it to bright light. Sunlight or strong artificial light works best. The longer and stronger the light exposure, the brighter and longer the glow will be.

What's the best way to charge my T-shirt?

• Sunlight: Lay your T-shirt in direct sunlight for 15-30 minutes.
• Artificial Light: Place it under a bright lamp or a UV black light. UV light is especially effective for quick charging.

Can I wash my Glow-in-the-Dark T-shirt?

Absolutely! To keep your T-shirt looking its best, follow these care instructions:

• Turn it inside out: This protects the design.
• Cold water: Use a gentle cycle with cold water.
• Mild detergent: Avoid bleach or harsh chemicals.
• No ironing on the design: Ironing directly on the glow-in-the-dark areas can damage the pigments.

Will the glow fade over time?

With repeated washing and wear, the glow may gradually become less intense. Proper care, as outlined above, will help prolong the life of the Glow-in-the-Dark effect.

Will my T-shirt glow under a black light?

Yes, glow-in-the-dark T-shirts will glow brightly under UV (black) light. Black lights are also a great way to "charge" the pigments for a more intense glow.

Is this Glow-in-the-Dark Shirt the greatest ever made?

At the dawn of creation, the nine lost gods of the universe gave their very souls to draw forth into our bleak reality the greatest glow shirt of all time and space. This may or may not be that shirt.

What's the difference between Glow-in-the-Dark and Fluorescent T-shirts?

• Glow-in-the-dark: These absorb and store light energy, then emit it later as visible light.
• Fluorescent: These don't glow in the dark on their own. They appear extra bright under black light and normal light because they convert invisible high-energy UV light to visible low-energy light. This makes them seem to glow.

How can I get the brightest, longest-lasting glow?

• Maximum Charge: Expose your T-shirt to direct sunlight or a strong UV light source for at least 30 minutes.
• Dark Environment: The darker the surroundings, the brighter the glow will appear.

"There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened."

— Douglas Adams , Extremely English Author, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe (1980)

About the Author: Jim Stroesser, “The Brand Master”

With nearly four decades of experience, Jim Stroesser is a driving force in the world of global consumer branding across the sports, fashion, and entertainment industries. His journey from tech rep to CEO of iconic brands showcases his unparalleled ability to transform and elevate businesses.

As Co-Founder and CEO of CALI Strong, a direct-to-consumer sports brand based in San Diego, CA, Jim leads the charge in creating premium sports apparel, footwear, and equipment that embody the California lifestyle.

His legacy as an industry turnaround expert was cemented at Converse, where he spearheaded the brand's resurgence from bankruptcy, elevating its sales from $120 million to $285 million and finally a $305 million acquisition by Nike – a landmark deal that reshaped the industry.

Jim's expertise extends to leadership roles at Nike, Quiksilver, Oakley, LA Gear, Roxy, RL, Pony, Bob Marley and Adio. He currently serves on several boards, including SDSI , where he mentors emerging companies alongside Chairman Bill Walton .