Imagine this. You have a corporate event coming up, and want to order custom t-shirts for your team. What would you look for? Colours that match your brand. Perfect placement of your company logo, or a message you’ve already decided upon…and great quality of course!
But anyone who’s ever purchased a t-shirt in their lifetime knows that ‘quality’ is never just one thing. A high quality, durable t-shirt is the result of many factors put together.
And these factors are critical when it comes to corporate custom t-shirts, for you see, they become an INDIRECT indication of how conscientious a brand/company you are. It becomes pertinent to know and understand the different nuances between high quality and poor, low-quality fabrics.
Here’s how you can measure the quality of a t-shirt…
How To Determine The Quality Of A Custom T-shirt?
There’s a lot to consider when it comes to the style, print type and nature of the fabric of a t-shirt. Hence, it makes sense to invest time in understanding the different kinds of custom t-shirt options available out there.
We review the fabric quality by touching, seeing, and eventually getting a feel by wearing and using it over some time.
However, it’s essential to understand that there are many more considerations beyond the minor ones mentioned above that go into the making of a perfect, long-lasting, comfortable tee. Let’s give them a dekko, shall we?
1. A stitch in time
Grandma was right; a stitch in time does indeed save nine. For you see, stitches, beyond the primary function of ‘stitching’ the garment together, work to determine how long the actual life of the garment will be.
How to tell a well-sewn tee versus a shoddily done one?
Usually, mass-produced t-shirts will have a ‘tell’ by way of their finesse in the sewn pieces. If the stitching is roughshod, you’ll notice unsecured threads on the underside of the tee.
Separating, zig-zag and erratic, uneven, and worse, missed stitches should be red flags on the first look. Closer inspection by gently pulling the fabric from both sides of the seam will tell you all you need to know (but probably weren’t told about).
Pay special attention to the stitches on the hemline, for it is over here that you will want a little flexibility. Too many tight stitches here and it will give way over time. Too loose and you’ll have to run a threaded needle over them sometime in the future. The perfectly stitched t-shirt hemline will have a bit of give so that it can take light-to-heavy tensility over a while.
Ensure to check the undersides, sleeves, and collar area hemstitch lines carefully.
Oh, and do remember to factor in the stitch count. Durably stitched t-shirts will have more stitches than ordinary, hurriedly stitched ones!
2. Flimsy fabrics – A big fat NO
An abrasive, low-quality cloth will make for a poor quality t-shirt – that we all know. However, when it comes to picking out a material for a custom t-shirt, ensure that you pay minute, extra special care to the feel and quality of the textile.
A rough textile, one that might be prone to pilling, will not last long. And worse, will have the recipient’s abandoning the t-shirts in no time.
First impressions are the last ones, and a custom t-shirt that feels rough, and gets speckled with pilling will never make a good impression.
So, to avoid this kind of an unfortunate situation, evaluate the fabric while keeping two thumb rules in mind:
- The fabric quality should be somewhere midway between flexible & soft to strong & dense. Let not ‘thickness’ be your only guide, for thick materials are not automatically good.
- The better the weave and the more delicate the yarn, the stronger the fabric will be. Proportionally, the higher the cost will be.
Ideally, if you’re ordering custom t-shirts (especially custom corporate ones), look for fabrics that will offer continuity, quality, and breathability.
Also, do remember that ordering a trial run for the t-shirts would be a great idea. Particularly if you’re going to bulk order many t-shirts at one go, it does make sense to have a dry run beforehand.
3. Quality of the print
There’s something to be said for exceptional quality reproduction of logos and personalised slogans on t-shirts. Not only do attractive, exceptionally printed logos and slogans help to bring visual purpose to the t-shirt, they also speak volumes about the brand being represented.
Of late, online t-shirt printing in India has taken off because what used to be a cumbersome process previously, has now become a ridiculously easy affair. Be that as it may, when you plan to order custom t-shirts, it helps to know the different printing methods out there.
As is known, the screen printing method, transfer printing, and the heat press method rule the roost as they are accessible and among the most tried & tested printing systems. Check with the online t-shirt printing e-tailer about your specific needs.
Direct To Garment (DTG) is quite a reliable printing method specifically for those who want convenience and appreciate the handiness that online t-shirt printing in India intrinsically offers.
In the case of DTG printing, the ink will be transferred directly onto the material. So even if you require customising a tee with a more extensive set of multiple designs, letterings, and colors; DTG will do the job for you.
If you are looking for high-quality, custom t-shirts for an event, or for your team members, get in touch with us at Champu!