FINDING THE RIGHT SHIRT

Finding the right brand of shirt to use for your t-shirt line can be expensive, frustrating and time consuming.  I do not think you can just buy a shirt from its description.  I also do not think you can buy a shirt based on its brand.  I want to feel the shirt.  I want to wear it and see how it fits my body.  And I want to wash it a few times to see how it looks afterwards.  I have purchased the Alternative brand of shirt and at first it fit great.  It was a longer length, fitted women's t-shirt.  But after a few washes it looked all stretched out.  Lots of people rave about the American Apparel brand but lots of other people dislike it. 

It seems like everyone has their favorite brands and the brands they do not like so much.  How the heck do you figure it all out without going broke?  I have figured out my own little strategy and it yields many benefits.

I LOVE thrift stores.  You can find lots of deals at a thrift store.  You can also get very cheap t-shirts at a thrift store.  These shirts have been worn and washed LOTS of times.  If you want to see how a shirt looks after it has been used, go to a thrift store and look at the shirts on the rack.  You are probably thinking, "Yuck, a used shirt." or "Why would I buy a used shirt?  I can not sell a used shirt!"  You would be correct.  You can not sell a used shirt.  (Actually, some people make very good money dressing up used clothing and reselling it.)   But I love buying used shirts. 

I can pick up a used t-shirt for $1.00.  For that one dollar, I can tell if I would want to use that shirt in the future.  Which is a lot cheaper than buying it wholesale.  Alternative Brand is $5 wholesale and American Apparel is even more.  And you have lots of color choices.

That $1.00 used blank shirt can also yield 4+ test prints.  Test pellons run I think .38 cents each.  Buy a $1.00 used shirt and now your test print cost is only .25 each, saving you .13 cents per print.  That may not sound like much but it will add up in the long run.  After the shirt is all printed with test prints, you can use it for a rag in your shop.  Even more money saved.  LOTS AND LOTS of benefits from a $1.00 used t-shirt. 

So go check out the racks at your local thrift store.  You can also get great design ideas from printed shirts on the racks.  :)

Enjoy!
Jeanette