It’s no secret that the t-shirt industry is booming. In fact, it’s worth an estimated $47 billion! With so many t-shirts on the market, it can be hard to tell which ones are high-quality and which ones are not. In this article, we will teach you how to spot a high-quality t-shirt from a low-quality one.
What you need to know about the fabric
One of the easiest ways how to tell if a t-shirt is of high quality is by checking the fabric. A high-quality t-shirt will be made from 100% cotton. Even though cotton blends are sometimes great and useful, when thinking long-term, they corrupt the great qualities a good cotton fiber has.
But don’t be fooled not all 100% cotton t-shirts are high quality. To determine is a t-shirt fabric high or low quality you can do these things:
1. Firstly, you can check the price, if it seems suspiciously low for a high-quality item, most likely the item is not what it is pretending to be.
2. Secondly, If the fabric is very lightweight and see-through you can be sure it is not a high-quality t-shirt. Yes, it can be exactly what you want for a hot summer day, but keep in mind that this item will not serve you long.
3. Thirdly, if you take a piece of fabric and wrinkle it in your hand for a moment and after letting it go it has lots of wrinkles – it is not a good sign. A good quality t-shirt will not wrinkle much after this test. Another explanation also can be that the t-shirt has some synthetic fibers in it.
4. Fourthly, perform a stretch test. If you stretch the fabric in your hands, it should go back to its previous form unchanged. If it shows some signs of changing, it is not a high-quality piece.
High-quality t-shirt fabric will feel firm, but it can also be soft to the touch. It will not pill after washing or wearing, but unfortunately, you can use this tip only when shopping second-hand.
Seams – what holds the t-shirt together?
Another way to tell if a t-shirt is of high quality is by checking the seams. The seams on a high-quality t-shirt will be double stitched and lay flat against the shirt. Additionally, there should be no loose threads or fraying fabric.
Print or application quality on a t-shirt
The next thing you want to check is the print or application on the t-shirt. If it is a screen-printed t-shirt, the ink should be smooth and evenly applied to the fabric. There should be no cracks, fading, or peeling in the design. Also, a sign of poor quality is if the design is printed a little awry. That shows that the company is not putting much effort to create good-looking items, so most likely they are not thinking about their product quality as well. On the contrary, if the t-shirt features DTF printing, you can expect a high-quality finish. With this technique, the ink is seamlessly integrated into the fabric, resulting in a smooth and durable design that won’t crack or peel over time.
When it comes to applique or embroidery, you want to make sure that the stitching is even and there are no loose threads. The design should be firmly attached to the fabric and there should be no puckering or fraying.
Color – does it fade?
The color of a high-quality t-shirt will be rich and vibrant. It will not fade after washing or wearing. Additionally, the color will be consistent throughout the entire shirt. There should be no areas where the color is lighter or darker than other areas.
Check the manufacturer and their reputation
Finally, you want to check the manufacturer of the t-shirt. A high-quality t-shirt will be made by a reputable company. The company should have a good reputation and produce high-quality products. You can check reviews and other information about the manufacturer or seller online. It might reveal a lot of things you would not have noticed while shopping.
Conclusion
When you are shopping for a t-shirt, keep these things in mind. If possible definitely touch the item, to make sure it has a firm to touch fabric and the print is not already peeling off. Check the label and what the fabric is made of, as well as where the t-shirt is made. There are definitely well-made t-shirts out there, you just need to look for the signs that are directing in their way. Good luck!
