Concept and Design

The journey to the perfect T-shirt begins long before it reaches retail shelves and wholesale warehouses. It’s a science all beginning with an idea, trend research and analysis.

Getting the right garment into the hands of the end user is one of the most important sales tools you have. Photos courtesy of Lane Seven

“The products that you see listed in the store or online as new likely began their development process anywhere from nine to 24 months prior,” says Marcus Davis, product manager at Hanesbrands Inc. “The idea typically starts with a team identifying a target market and a price point.”

Adding further depth to this phase, Milissa Gibson, director of sales at Lane Seven Apparel, says the design process can be as easy or complicated as you want to make it, but it will all come down to finding the ideal niche for a specific market. Echoing Davis, Gibson says “It always starts with an idea or concept, like a mood board, often taking elements from one design and combining it with another.”

This can then help determine what fabrics will be considered, where the product will be made, and what features and benefits should be included. Once those details have been narrowed, then a team will work on designing what the tee will look like, create patterns and begin fabric development for prototype samples.

“The first step in a new style is design,” says Jakob Daito, president and co-founder of US Standard Apparel.  “A mood board is created to inspire a direction, oftentimes based on vintage references. Once the idea takes form, the concept is passed to the tech and pattern team who digitizes the pattern. This pattern is then shared with the sample department to cut and sew the initial samples for fitting.”

It’s all about what the consumer wants at a specific time, so research is fundamental explains Jen Oleksik, vice president of apparel of Live & Tell Apparel by L.A.T. “Looking at fabrics, fits, details and decoration trends are all key factors in building out a T-shirt before you even begin designing. From there, it’s landing on a fabric, making sure your T-shirt specs are the perfect fit, and in our industry, making sure it’s easy to decorate across various techniques.”

Fabric Selection

Choosing the right fabric is crucial. Whether the fabric type is created in-house or sourced across third-party suppliers, it must measure up to the aforementioned qualities. Otherwise, the final product will be futile setting the process back not only in time but money as well.

The T-shirt process starts with fiber selection. Whether it’s organic cotton, recycled polyester or a performance blend impacts durability, comfort and sustainability. Photo courtesy of TO THE MARKET

“Fiber selection impacts durability, comfort, and sustainability,” says Mehathab Joharullah, TO THE MARKET’s compliance and impact analyst. “Fibers are spun into yarn, which is knit into fabric [jersey being the most common for T-shirts]. After knitting, the fabric undergoes pre-treatment processes, like dyeing, softening and sometimes enzyme washing for a soft, worn-in hand feel.”

Mel Lay, co-founder of Allmade Apparel, elaborates, “Once the yarn is ready, the next step is to weave or knit the fabric. In the case of Allmade Apparel, we focus on creating a fabric that’s soft, durable and breathable, perfect for everyday wear or custom decoration.”

Oleksik notes that consumer preferences must also be taken into account during fabric selection, noting, “Higher quality, combed ring-spun cotton garments can look and feel better and ultimately decorate nicer.”

Fabric weight, measured in grams per square meter (GSM), can determine durability, weight and feel, says Joharullah. “Lighter weights (120-150 GSM) are airy and ideal for layering, but can be sheer and have lower tear strength. Midweight fabrics (160-180 GSM) offer the best balance of comfort and structure, making them the industry favorite, while heavyweights (200+ GSM) provide extra durability, more structure and warmth—ideal for long sleeves, lightweight sweatshirts or rugby style polos, for example.”

Garment Construction

Textile manufacturers employ different types of equipment to knit the selected fabrics for T-shirts, with certain machines being more prevalent in either the Eastern or Western hemisphere. The type of equipment used usually depends on the preferred construction method. There are two primary construction methods: tubular and side-seamed.

“Tubular tees, or tees without any seams on the side of the body, are made from machines that knit the fabric in a tube, much like a sock,” explains Davis. “The size of the tee is determined by how wide the tube of fabric is knit. Other machines can knit fabrics in a single-ply sheet, which is known as an open width fabric. Because the fabric is knit single-ply, the tee made from this fabric will end up with seams where the body was assembled. Side-seamed garments can be made from tubular knit fabrics that have been cut, but you can’t make a tubular tee from open width fabric.”

Gibson points out the economic advantage of tubular garments, which are knit in a continuous tube, but also mentions, “Side-seam shirts lead to a much more elevated fit and overall product.”

The relaxed, lived-in look and feel of the Ladies Vintage Wash Tee never goes out of style. Photo courtesy of LAT Apparel

The key benefit to a tubular garment versus a “regular” or side-seamed tee, would be a lower cost, Oleksik agrees. “However, the benefits of a side-seamed tee are more in quality and performance. Side seams aid in a better fit and less torque when washing.”

Utilizing side-seam construction will significantly enhance the wearability of a T-shirt, providing a more tailored fit that better aligns with all body types, while reducing twisting and distortion after washing.

“Side-seamed T-shirts offer better fit and reduce fabric waste, despite higher costs,” Joharullah says. “Once prepared, the fabric is cut into pieces like a puzzle according to the design specifications for the perfect fit, stitched together using specialized sewing techniques, and finished with details like ribbed necklines, reinforced seams, or double-stitched hems for the best quality possible.”

Lay also supports side-seamed construction for its quality advantages: “We love for our products to be categorized into the fashion-fit category, offering a more flattering silhouette.”

Attention to Detail

In addition to fabric consistency, quality T-shirt production hinges on precise stitching and finishing. According to Oleksik, higher-quality garments typically feature “double-needle stitching or cover stitches, enhancing durability.”

From the beginning, precision is paramount. Photo courtesy of Hanesbrands

When evaluating the quality of a T-shirt, Davis suggests one of the first things you should be on the lookout for is noticeable puckering and/or waviness around the seams. This is typically the result of too much or not enough tension on the fabric when sewing. “Another easy thing to identify is whether there are any broken or popped stitches,” he says. “This could result in seams coming apart after washing and wearing.”

Gibson emphasizes how much details matter. “Look at sewing hems—extra fabric, loose threads, single or double-needle stitches—these indicate the garment’s quality.”

For its part, Allmade uses reinforced stitching in critical areas like the shoulder and arm seams to prevent unraveling over time, further evidence of the importance of this aspect of T-shirt production.

“We sew using tee manufacturing, where each operator constructs a single portion of the garment in rapid succession,” says Marty Bailey, US Standard Apparel president of manufacturing. “The components are moved through the line until the finished garment takes form, a QC at the end of each line triple checks for any defects or issues.”

Once construction is complete, it is vital each T-shirt undergoes quality control checks before being pressed, folded and packaged for distribution. Joharullah explains that each step requires precision—especially when balancing softness, strength and sustainability.

Sustainability Practices

Sustainability remains a critical aspect of modern apparel production. There is a growing global demand for sustainable manufacturing practices that stress environmental responsibility at every stage—beginning at the seed level. This shift reflects a more conscious consumer base and stricter

Allmade prioritizes eco-friendly materials above all. Photo courtesy of Allmade

regulatory landscapes. Europe is at the forefront of this movement, setting standards that drive the market through both legislative requirements and strong consumer preferences for ethically produced, eco-friendly apparel. However, U.S. manufacturers have now made sustainability a priority as well.

Describing HanesBrands’ sustainability efforts, for example, Davis says, “75 percent of [HanesBrands’] cotton is grown in the U.S. by farmers using leading environmental practices. Nearly 59 percent of our electricity comes from renewable sources, and we’re committed to reducing packaging waste significantly by 2025.”

Similarly, at Allmade sustainability is central to the company’s fabric choices, which include fabrics made from materials like organic cotton, recycled polyester and modal. “Allmade’s dedication to sustainability is to continuously prioritize eco-friendly materials and eco-conscious manufacturing processes, minimizing waste, using water-based inks and reducing carbon emissions,” Lay says.

Joharullah stresses that true sustainability extends beyond fabric: “Sustainable materials are just the baseline. True sustainability examines the manufacturing process itself—energy and water usage, waste monitoring, carbon reduction, and ethical labor practices.”

One thing is clear, manufacturers worldwide are being challenged—and incentivized—to reimagine their production models to meet these fast-evolving expectations.

Selected materials are spun into yarn, which creates the foundation of the fabric. Photo courtesy of Allmade

“At Live and Tell Apparel, we have a sustainability team that works to ensure we are making a conscious effort to not only improve sustainability in our manufacturing, but also in our daily operations,” Oleksik says. “Our sustainable products such as the 6901ECO tee blends 60-percent organic cotton and 40-percent recycled polyester. We are also currently implementing some new processes that will greatly reduce our sampling needs while improving our speed to market.”

“You are seeing major advancements in regenerated and recycled materials and costs coming down; sometimes it’s even less expensive for products [like our LS18002 Future Fleece made from 100-percent regenerated yarn] to be made from either regenerated or recycled materials than a standard garment,” says Gibson.

“A truly sustainable T-shirt isn’t only about what it’s made from—it’s about how it’s made,” says Joharullah.

Decoration and Compatibility

Fabric choice, construction and sustainability are not the only factors manufacturers consider during the production process. Apparel decorators and the challenges they often face are also at the very forefront of T-shirt design, a surprisingly complex problem Davis acknowledges the industry is still working to master. “It’s difficult to create one perfect T-shirt for all decorating methods. Direct-to-film (DTF) printing helps solve compatibility issues, but fabric content still significantly impacts decoration.”

Oleksik notes there can also be limitations with textured fabrics. Lower quality fabrics can pill or shed as well, further complicating decoration. She says to stay vigilant as thorough testing during the development process can prevent these issues.

Addressing decoration-specific difficulties, Gibson says certain printing techniques like sublimation or direct-to-garment (DTG) require specific fabric compositions, but advancements in print technology have expanded compatibility.

Tees with the least amount of sewing are the most production friendly. Photo courtesy of Hanesbrands

As printing technologies continue to advance and new methods emerge, the definition of the ideal T-shirt must also adapt—evolving in fabric, construction and compatibility to meet the changing needs of decorators.

“Fortunately, DTF printing has solved some of these issues as this printing technique appears to be compatible with a very wide range of fabric types,” Davis says. “This may be an instance where the decorators have actually found a solution to the challenge. If decorators have a printing technique that works on all tees, then they are no longer limited to what options they have when choosing a tee to decorate on.”

That said, until the holy grail of T-shirts is invented, Lay says it is important for companies like Allmade to offer a variety of fabric options which work well with digital decorating, screen printing, heat transfer and embroidery to ensure decorators can find the right T-shirt for their needs.

“While no single T-shirt is perfect for every decorating method, sourcing a high-quality midweight, tightly knit product, like the Global Good classic organic blend tee, is a universal option,” offers Joharullah.

Fabrics such as these can balance absorbency for screen printing, smoothness for DTG and durability for embroidery. Adding a bit of recycled polyester checks nearly all the boxes. It enhances performance, maintains print versatility and is eco-conscious. All specifics consumers and decorators love.

Influence of Decorated Apparel Market

The decorated apparel industry plays a pivotal role in shaping production trends, as manufacturers will continue to tailor their offerings to meet the specific needs of decorators. Joharullah notes, “The decorated-apparel market demands specific fabric blends, stitch types and fits based on printing needs. Consumers drive demands and manufacturers must adapt. Trends are co-created—brands introduce new innovations and consumers decide what sticks.”

Gibson highlights Lane Seven Apparel’s proactive approach as well, saying, “Our focus is the decorated-apparel market, ensuring our garments can handle a variety of decoration methods with the latest technology.”

USSA’s Standard SS Tee is knit, cut, sewn and dyed in Los Angeles. Photo courtesy of US Standard Apparel.

These production shifts are driven by a dynamic interplay between consumer behavior and brand innovation. “Trends often start with consumers,” says Davis. “Small shifts in buying habits prompt manufacturers to adjust product offerings, like the recent shift toward heavier-weight tees.” Gibson also points to music merchandise as a powerful trend driver: “Music merch is setting trends. Leading artists’ collections often predict broader market shifts.”

Tapping into the music influence, US Standard Apparel is connecting directly with the consumer via social media. The brand recently launched its “Birth of a Shirt” series on Instagram, giving consumers an inside look at how their Vintage Rocker Tee is made. The multi-video series provides an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look of the manufacturing process, which in turn invites consumers to be part of the conversation.

Oleksik adds that along with broader market shifts, societal forces are also at play furthering the conversation as well: “Trends emerge from a mix of technology, social, environmental factors, economics, and even politics, shaping consumer preferences globally.”

Ultimately, creating the perfect T-shirt is the result of thoughtful collaboration across all stages of production—from fiber selection and fabric development to stitching, sustainability and market alignment. As the industry evolves, open dialogue between manufacturers, decorators, and consumers will continue to ensure that T-shirts remain everyone’s favorite apparel.

The post T-Shirt Construction: Spinning, Stitching and Everything in Between appeared first on Impressions.

Athletes today gravitate toward comfortable, versatile gear that works beyond the game, such as these Cool Tees. Photo courtesy of Citadel Brands

Another major trend is that sports and fashion, particularly fashion-forward streetwear, continue to merge, with Gen Z’ers and younger millennials having the most influence on fashion spilling over into sports. This has led to an oversized fit, as well as a shift toward unisex and gender- and size-inclusivity trends. Not only are unisex styles going trending but some companies like Royal Apparel are working on inclusive sizing, going up to size 5X in some cases.

“Unisex, oversized fits are dominating athleisure in 2025, blending comfort and style with a focus on relaxed silhouettes, neutral tones and versatile layering. This trend reflects the growing demand for gender-fluid fashion, emphasizing both function and streetwear- inspired aesthetics,” said Lauren Hoskinson, brand ambassador, TriDri Active.

As Gen Z and young millennials continue leading the way, they are also bringing back an old-school collegiate vibe while at the same time mixing it with modern streetwear and high-performance gear. “They want style, comfort, and a personal touch all in one,” said Rachel Hoskins, vice president of sales at Sock 101. She added that custom socks and sneakers are trending, with teams focused on style on top of performance. “From game day to streetwear, the vintage collegiate look is making a big comeback in both sportswear and retail. Think bold stripes, classic varsity fonts, and retro colorways—blending old-school vibes with modern performance.”

Besides the marriage of sports and fashion, unisex and oversized, some of the other buzzwords for this year’s athletic and teamwear market include versatility, comfort, moisture-wicking, sustainability, breathable and lightweight.

A Range of Influences

Rec leagues can be casual enough for participants to wear more classic athletic silhouettes, such as cotton tees. Photo courtesy of HanesBrands

Gen Z and the athletes and influencers that they follow are the primary drivers of trends in this space.

Most industry experts agree that fashion continues to play a major role in team sports, with amateur teams more closely emulating professional teams, yet another trend that is only growing each year. “Professional athletes are more visible due to social media, where the showcase their gameday attire as well as their training and lifestyle looks so it’s very easy for anyone to replicate what they see on these social platforms,” said Karam.

Glen Brumer, sales director with Royal Apparel agreed with the way these trends are coming from influencers and athletes, and what professional teams are wearing, noting that teams are reinventing the uniform as well as what is being worn to sporting events.

“Within this industry, you find trends drive demand, and brands keep the cycle going. Amateur teams follow professional styles for inspiration, team identity, brand influence and better performance wear,” Hoskinson added.

Boomers are influencing trends as well, as this demographic is concerned about health and mental well-being and is therefore participating in sports, like pickle ball, or joining walking or biking clubs. “Each of these activities could be organized to where they are all wearing high-performance team uniforms or could be casual enough for each participant to wear more classic athletic wear silhouettes, such as cotton tees and blended sweats,” said Marcus Davis, product development manager for HanesBrands.

Fit and Silhouettes

The pandemic solidified the place of athleisure in the market, with many people wearing casual, team-inspired clothing as part of their daily outfits. “As that became the norm in more formal settings, we’ve seen significant advancements in fabrics, innovations and products as consumer preferences shifted brands to move in that direction. There is a spectrum shift when you look at active use (uniforms) to passive use (daily wear/outfitting). As uniforms are getting tighter, slimmer, shorter and smaller, you’re seeing outfitting and daily worn apparel gets looser, more relaxed and oversized,” said Joel Bennink, senior vice-president of product for Momentec.

“For low-impact activities, looser or relaxed fits are popular for comfort and can provide warmth and layering opportunities, where high-impact activities may still rely on more fitted clothes for moisture wicking and stretch benefits, as they are closer to the body,” said Davis. “For off-field styling, classic tees, fleece crews and hoods are the go-to silhouettes in this space. The details on each remain simple with them not being over designed, such as hoodies being offered without drawcords. Relaxed fits are being requested more often for comfort and for layering opportunities.”

Karam agreed, saying: “Relaxed and oversize are making a comeback with a streetwear type of influence, with crossover designs of hoodies and joggers and layering pieces. Simple logos with muted tones are incorporated into the design. I do think women do have a more diverse range for fit, with baggy and oversized bottoms mixed with cropped and more fitting tops, while youth has a more fun and bold look.”

Fabrics, Materials

When it comes to socks and shoes, teams are looking to blend retro styles with modern touches. Photo courtesy of Sock 101

Polyester and polyester blends remain popular in this market segment, in part because of their being the best material for sublimation. That said, materials with some stretch are always welcome in the teamwear space. “Moisture wicking, anti-odor and UV protection are features that everyone will be asking for and expecting, but anything that has stretch and recovery for mobility and a soft hand for comfort will be a top seller,” said Davis.

Bennink added that while performance is still king in teamwear, he’d also still seeing a lot of movement toward softer fabrics, cotton handed synthetics, double knits and textures across the board.

“Fabrics can vary from 100-percent cotton, which remains popular due to the soft hand and breathability, to polyester/spandex blends, which can offer benefits such as wicking and stretch. Bottoms will remain important as long as the fabric and styling allow for diverse end-usage occasions, such as training, running and various sporting activities, while maintaining appeal as an everyday lifestyle item,” agreed Davis.

Recycled/alternative materials are also always being improved upon, with recycled polyester (rPET) becoming a staple, Hoskinson said, noting recycled fibers, and cationic dyed products are both trending. “Cationic dye means a product has a higher resistance to bleeding, staining and fading and can promise zero dye migration on to your chosen decoration technique,” Hoskinson said, explaining the advantages of the latter.

“The athletic orders we get have the best of both worlds: the comfort of cotton, and rPET gives you some of that performance,” said Brumer.

Patterns and Colors

Colors are all over the board this year. Brumer said to look for pops of bright, vivid colors trending as well as neutrals. Bright colors can be traced back to fashion influences, while neutrals are often influenced by nature.

“Team palettes don’t change, but how kids express themselves and get noticed through accessories—gloves, mouthguards, sleeves plus footwear continue to drive the trends. Textural patterns are also big—we’re seeing a range of tonal colors within those patterns, to really fun spectrums of cools (purples, turquoises/teals to light blues) or warms (orange to red to pink). Color combos are less abrasive on the eyes (neons), while still providing a pop to the overall look,” said Bennink.

Sustainability

The call for sustainability in apparel—in corporate practices as well as in actual materials used—continues to grow each year, with an increasing

Unisex Fashion Fleece pulls double duty offering more than a trendy look. Photo courtesy of Royal Apparel

number of companies working to try to meet those customer demands. Still, not all experts see sustainability trending very heavily in the area of team apparel. “There are so many advancements in yarns, fabrics and processes that are happening right now. I wouldn’t say it’s at the very top of customers’ demands or wants yet in the team space though; it doesn’t drive the purchase amongst other key features and benefits necessarily,” said Bennink.

“Sustainability is becoming a larger focus for the majority of consumers, but comfort and performance adaptability will be what people look for in their active apparel,” agreed Davis.

One problem, he said, is the attention on the negative environmental impacts of microplastics, often found in recycled apparel. “Synthetic garments make up a large portion of what’s sold in the active wear and team wear markets, and these materials have a higher tendency to create microplastics as they typically do not biodegrade. There are many regulations and innovations being set in place to try and manage the impact of microplastics, from new standards for filters in washing machines to managing how we dispose of our clothes at the end of their lifecycle,” Davis said.

This awareness has led companies to work on innovative solutions and alternatives. Hanes, for example, introduced EcoSmart polyester technology into many of its products last year, which allows synthetic plastic-based fibers to behave more like natural fibers once they are in a landfill, unlike untreated polyester.

Customization Techniques

Customization remains key in athletic wear and team uniforms, though stock uniforms continue to sell well and will always likely have a place in the market.

Customization remains dominant, but stock uniforms also have a strong presence. Photo courtesy of A4

“Customization is still a dominant force in athletic wear and team uniforms, but stock uniforms continue to have a strong market presence—especially for budget-conscious teams. However, the overall trend is shifting toward custom, performance-driven designs,” said Karam.

Brumer noted direct-to-film (DTF), in particular, has grown tremendously over the years. “You can do printing on demand; individual sport names or number lend itself to that,” he said, though if the team is all wearing the same thing, traditional screen-printing comes into play.

“With the continued growth of DTF printing, it’s easier to customize and decorate on just about any fabric blend now. Designers are no longer limited to sticking to high polyester content fabrics to support the decorating side of the business,” said Davis.

That said, sublimation remains important, particularly for polyester-dominant sportswear, which is why companies like Momentec invest heavily in it. “Sublimation is the biggest mover and shaker in the industry right now. It allows so much creativity and expression while allowing for speed and service needs at a reasonable cost,” said Bennink.

“I think embroidery is back in a big way, the consumer is appreciating the quality and the time it takes to get something custom embroidered,” said Hoskins, adding that heat transfer or sewn on patches are another way to personalize garments.

The Year Ahead

The future is bright for this segment of the market, due to the demand for versatility, comfort and performance.

“I still think it continues to be very, very strong. Real estate for activewear continues to grow. As society gets more and more casual, we don’t see it slowing down,” said Brumer.

“Team sports and activities will continue to grow as people look for community building and focus on their own mental and physical well-being. It’s not just organized team sports, but also activities that help build groups and communities that find a common interest in being active together. The products for each market can be completely different, so make sure to offer a variety to your customers, ranging from high tech polyester performance gear to cotton rich tees and sweats,” advised Davis.

“The athletic team wear market is expected to remain strong in 2025, driven by growing participation in sports, increased demand for customization, and advancements in sustainable and performance-driven materials. However, economic factors, supply chain challenges, and evolving consumer preferences will influence the pace of growth,” said Karam.

Hilary Daninhirsch is an award-winning freelance writer based in Pittsburgh. Her work has been featured in a number of lifestyle and trade magazines. She can be reached at hdaninhirsch@gmail.com or hilarydaninhirsch.journoportfolio.com.

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