About the New Shirts

Since posting about the new shirts last week, I’ve seen many comments (and received quite a few emails) echoing similar concerns regarding the fit of the new shirt, where they are made, and even the difference in the cotton between the new style and the old style. So, I thought I would take some time to address all of these in this post. Hopefully the following information and images will help you understand a bit more about the new shirts and why we are making the change.

WHY NOT USE AMERICAN MADE SHIRTS?
While looking for a new manufacturer, I tried out several brands, a few of which were made in America. However, many of the brands did not have the range of styles I was looking for. For instance, while the new shirts we are using are exactly like American Apparel from sizes S-L, I could not use American Apparel for the larger sizes because they are too form-fitting when you get to bigger sizes like XL-3X. And they do not  currently offer a relaxed fit shirt that would fit the demand from our customers who wear those sizes. As for the other American made shirts, price did become a factor. While the new shirts we are using do cost more than our current style, similar shirts by other American manufacturers were double or triple that cost. Using them would force us to raise prices even more, which was a major concern for me.

SO, ARE THESE MADE IN SWEATSHOPS ALL OVER THE WORLD?
NO, these are made in one factory in Mexico that upholds the rights and laws of proper working standards and fair treatment of employees. Here is a statement from the manufacturer:

Alstyle Apparel recognizes its responsibilities to workers for the conditions under which its products are made and that these responsibilities extend to all workers producing products or services for Alstyle. We believe that good workplace standards, decent health and safety requirements, fair pay and conditions, and care for the environment are important elements in business success.

However, it is worth noting that all the fabric used to manufacture these t-shirts is grown in the USA. So the cotton itself is from the USA, it’s just sewn in Mexico.

IF THE SHIRTS ARE THINNER, WHY ARE THEY MORE EXPENSIVE?
Although the newer shirts we will be using are lighter weight, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are manufactured at a lower cost, or more easy to produce…in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Please take a look at the images and information below to help you understand the differences in the fabric. (The images below were taken from Gertex Textile)

CARDED COTTON (OLD STYLE)

Carding is a brushing method that removes tangles from cotton yarn, but does not fully re-align them, meaning they will not all go in the same direction. This results in cotton made up of uneven, thicker, and shorter strands which are much coarser and “scratchier” to the touch. This method is also easier to manufacture and cheaper as well.


RINGSPUN/COMBED COTTON (NEW STYLE)

Ringspun, or combed, cotton is a technique that removes any uneven or short strand of fiber, producing yarn that is more uniform and much softer than carded cotton. It is made up of longer strands of fiber that are more tightly wound resulting in a stronger cotton with a better surface for printing. However, it is also labor intensive, which means it’s more expensive to produce.

For more information, please visit these sites:
WikiAnswers
WiseGeek

HOW WILL THIS AFFECT THE SIZE I WEAR?
As I stated in the previous post, the only major changes in fit will be on the smaller sizes (SMALL – LARGE). Any size larger than that (X-LARGE – 5X-LARGE) will be a similar fit to what we currently offer, but made of a softer, ringspun cotton. Please see the information below to determine how your size may or may not be affected.

SMALL – LARGE
- 4.5 oz
- 100% combed ringspun pre-shrunk cotton
- slightly tapered fit (similar to American Apparel)

X-LARGE – 3X-LARGE
- 5.5 oz
- 100% combed ringspun pre-shrunk cotton
- relaxed fit (similar to our current shirts)

4X-LARGE and 5X-LARGE
- 6.1 oz.
- 100% pre-shrunk cotton

WHEN ARE YOU MAKING THE SWITCH?
Any new design we release will be on this new style of t-shirt. That said, we will be releasing 7 new designs on February 1, so that is when we will begin carrying designs in the current style.

WHAT ABOUT YOUR OLD DESIGNS?
Any current/old design we reprint after February 1 will be on the new style of t-shirt. However, there will still be some Gildans in stock for awhile as we phase them out. I will make every attempt to let the customer know (on the product page) which sizes are available in which size.