What Makes a Shirt High Quality?

When it comes to assessing the quality of a shirt, there are several factors to consider. One way to test is to take a handful of fabric and crush it in your hand for a brief moment before releasing it. The more wrinkles you have, the lower the quality is likely to be. If it doesn't have any wrinkles, it could mean that it's synthetic.

It's not necessarily bad or good, but it's something you should be aware of. In general, the seams throughout the shirt should be straight or smoothly curved in the curves. A high-quality dress shirt should have at least 18 dots per inch around the cuffs and collar. Some casual shirts can be sewn with thicker threads and fewer stitches per inch, which is acceptable, although these shirts would not be suitable for most work or formalwear garments. When most people think of a t-shirt, they think of 100% cotton. While this is often the case, not all cottons are created equal.

If the type of cotton isn't specified, it's not special, but if it's listed as pima, organic, or Egyptian cotton, you can be sure you'll get a super soft feel. A high-quality shirt will also have a perfect matching pattern on the center of the back of the split yoke, as well as along the front of the shirt and on the pocket (if the shirt has a pocket). Another way to identify a high-quality dress shirt is to check for single-needle side seams along the sides of the shirt and the bottom of the sleeves. Side seam shirts have a much tighter fit that will wash and wear better throughout the life of the shirt. Only a line of thread will be seen on the outside of the shirt and the stiffness of the seam will make it look smooth when the shirt is washed and dried. These are usually signs that the shirt took longer to produce and will help you identify a dress shirt made without shortcuts and capable of lasting you a long time.

Some people may want a shirt that will keep them cool as soon as possible, and not everyone cares that their shirts are so resistant to tears or tears. The stylistic benefit of cutting fabric this way is that if the shirt has stripes or some type of pattern, this pattern will run parallel to the front seam of the yoke, producing a cleaner look on the front of the shirt. In days gone by, when Baby Boomers wore their protest t-shirts, there was a close relationship between weight and quality: heavy shirts were good, light shirts were cheap. The horizontal lines should go smoothly from left to right side of the shirt and vertical stripes should be spaced so that there are no missing stripes on either side of the shirt placket. If you're looking for top-notch t-shirts, make sure your shirt is certified by GOTS (Global Organic Textiles Standard).

Claudia Gribben
Claudia Gribben

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