Sometimes the simplest choice can be a little baffling! There are a variety of options when looking for a T-shirt; different fits, necklines, and fabrics. I’ve put together this handy little blog post guide to try and help make sense of all the jargon out there! (We also have an old post with a glossary which is really useful if you fancy a nosey.) A T-shirt is always a safe bet and we’re sure it’ll never go out of fashion; its strength is in its simplicity and versatility. By altering details, like the length of the sleeves, colour (and of course the print or embroidery you choose to customise them with), you can create a wide range of looks to appeal to more people. Collars Different neck lines will suit different styles and occasions, for example crew neck/round neck is the most popular cut and choice. V-necks are more casual but also quite classy, and they can be worn both by men and women. There’s also polo collars which combine a neat appearance with comfort and they can be a good substitute for formal shirts in the workplace. A T-shirts success also depends on its fit. Remember, some types of T-shirts are supposed to be loose, others are best worn tight, and an average fit won’t look good on everybody. Keep in mind who the wearer will be, and if you want to attract men and women equally, you should consider both regular and ladies fits. Fabric Type With regards to the fabric composition, T-shirts are typically made with 100% cotton, cotton blends, polyester, or polyester mesh. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages of course! Most people tend to find that cotton is the perfect choice because pure cotton is natural, soft, and comfortable to wear. It’s a natural fibre, good for those who have allergies or find less absorbent fabrics a problem. Polyester is light, breathable, soft, and comfortable. It doesn’t wrinkle or shrink, but it can have a shiny appearance and is usually worn more for sporting purposes. For sports garments, materials have to be lightweight, durable and capable of preventing perspiration build up. A fabric blend that is growing more and more popular are Tri-Blends (made up of 50% Polyester/25% Cotton/25% Rayon), widely known from American Apparel these t-shirts are SUPER soft and have a stretchy feel to them. Brands T-shirts are so popular that it’s really hard to find somebody who doesn’t love to wear them, and a lot of details are personal preference, so for example, I personally have Gildan Ring Spun, Soft Style T-Shirts as my PJs because they’re soft and comfortable, my partner likes Fruit of the Loom and Russel t-shirts, and our customer service manager dreams of American Apparel because “they feel like you’re wearing a cloud”. There’s a good variety of colours to choose from on www.clothes2order.com and we’ve made it nice and easy to search on our website! On the left hand side of the T-shirt product page (or any product page for that matter) you’ll see ‘Filter Products’ and you can change the size, colour, fabric, gender, brand, etc. on there. If you’re customising clothing to sell on to your members, fans or customers, the brand of blank t-shirt you choose doesn’t usually matter. Different brands can vary on quality and price, so it all depends on what the t-shirt is being used for and how durable you want it to be. You’ll definitely want to show off your awesome designs, whatever brand you choose!
