The "Re-Wear Value" of a T-shirt

As I continue my designing and research for my brand, which I plan on releasing early next year, I’ve been going back and forth on a few things. One thing I’ve been talking to friends and designers about is “re-wear value.” What is that, right? Well its simple really, but a couple of things go into the make-up of re-wear value. I define re-wear value with a question: How many wears will you get out of this tee?  

The first thing is the design. It’s obviously the very first thing that attracts you to a tee. I usually ask myself a few things before I buy a tee: Where would I wear this to? Do I like this as art or as a tee? Is this age appropriate? A tee shirt should be pretty diverse when it comes to places you can wear it. No tee is appropriate for a wedding or an interview, I know this, but I would like to be able to wear my tee anywhere without looking like I’m going to a rap concert (unless I’m going to a rap concert!). Another thing I take into consideration is the art itself. A lot of times I love a design but that doesn’t mean I want it on my tee shirt. Some art is best left on walls, tattoos or as street art. I have come across art that works well on a tee and everywhere else, but not much. The last thing about the design I consider is if it is age appropriate for ME. I am not in high school any more, and I haven’t been for a LONG time. So my taste has changed dramatically over the years. I love classic looking tees, almost simple, minimalist designs. I find designs that work in these categories get the most wear from me.
Another category, of course, is quality. I would much rather pay 30 bucks for a tee that I know will hold up after several washes than pay 15 for a tee that will shrink uncontrollably or simply lose its fit. There are so many blank tees to chose from when designing a tee, I did a lot of research before choosing a blank for the WORD tee. With so many things to consider, there is no one brand that works for everyone. In our little circle American Apparel is king, but that is not to say there aren’t other brands worth considering. For me personally I do prefer AA. I went with Next Level for the price and for the fact that I would be giving away most of the tees. I have zero complaints about Next Level. But, like I said, no one brand pleases all. It just depends what your market is. Some don’t like the fit of American Apparel. Some people prefer a thicker bigger tee. Nothing wrong with that, to each his own. So for me, its American Apparel for quality and longevity. Their tees hold up in the washer and fit me the way I like a tee to fit. The biggest thing is maintaining the fit through time. I hate it when a shirt loses its fit.

I won’t go into detail about the ink used in a tee, because honestly I don’t know much about it. What I do know is, I like soft water based inks. If a tee has a heavy print, chances are I won’t be wearing it. It’s all about comfort. These are just a few things I’ve come to realize and I wanted to share. A lot of this is simply my opinion, don't beat me up if you don't agree.