The Hunt for the Perfect Shirt
Paging through a catalog to select the perfect apparel for your needs can be daunting. With so many choices, how do you choose the right shirt? You need inside information to understand the terminology.
What’s in an ounce?
When the description lists a weight, like 4.5 oz., it is the weight of a square yard of the fabric. However, weight does not directly affect the quality of the shirt. A lighter weight shirt would be perfect for a warmer climate. Retail‐style fashion shirts are also lighter weight.
Picking Cotton
More than fabric weight, the type of cotton and how it has been processed affects the quality of a shirt.
Supima, Pima and Egyptian cotton:
The length, strength and fineness of the fiber of raw Pima or Supima cotton creates fine, soft threads for weaving, which gives you a higher quality shirt. Beware of ‘Egyptian cotton’, which can be a misleading term. While Egypt is a high producer of Pima cotton, much of the cotton imported from Egypt is not Pima cotton.
Combed, Ringspun, and Singles:
Combed and Ringspun cotton create a softer fabric with a finer weave. The additional processing of the raw fibers and the spinning technique produce exceptional finished garments. The weight of the cotton thread, described as ‘singles,’ also contributes to the quality of the final product. The industry standard for a premium quality, fine, soft shirt is one woven with 30 singles.
Beyond Cotton
Blends of cotton and polyester or rayon are less likely to shrink, wrinkle, fade or form pills as a result of friction. Commonly blended fabrics are polyester and modal. Modal is a type of bio‐based rayon made from beech wood, sometimes marketed as ‘synthetic silk.’
Performance Apparel
Garments labeled as performance, dry, or active wear offer features like breathability, moisture wicking, anti‐odor, anti‐microbial, and UV protection. Marketed under a number of trademarked names, these pieces are woven exclusively of polyester.
What’s your best fit?
Below, we’ve outlined a few apparel suggestions based on common events we often provide garments for.
Summer Camps, Student Organizations, Giveaways - you can get away with a basic shirt, 100% cotton or a cotton/poly blend; don’t worry about cotton types or the weight of fabric or thread – unless your climate calls for a light‐weight shirt.
Retail or Company Store, Employee Outing or Loyalty Program - Check out combed and ringspun and/or pima cotton shirts. If you decide to go with a blend, focus on cotton/modal fabrics.
Golf Outings, Team Apparel, Office Apparel - Keep your eye on the performance wear, pure poly or a poly blend is sure to achieve your goals.
Don’t see you’re event type listed? Don’t sweat. Sky High Marketing is your apparel expert. We provide you with the knowledge you need to get the perfect shirt. Call us to begin your consultation right now.
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