There’s a lot that goes into figuring out that perfect fit for your custom shirts!
Figuring out the right shirt can always be rather difficult, and discovering the perfect shirt is an ever-present mission for all of us, even the Ares Sportswear industry experts!
Our online inventory features dozens of great brands, which are subsequently associated with hundreds if not thousands of different style options. Although fabric is always a major consideration when it comes to deciphering your best custom shirts, on this page we’re going to solely focus upon finding the right fit.
Many people may think that a shirt’s fit is pretty cut and dry, but not all fits are actually created equally and there’s a lot that goes into fitting. This is why it’s important for you to understand certain terminologies, differences between tubular and side-seamed, differences between standard and fashion fits, as well as some basic principles that coincide with custom shirt fitting.
Let’s first talk about men’s, women’s and unisex styles:
What Exactly Is Unisex Style?
Within the world of custom shirts, unisex means that there is no special design oriented towards men or women. It can also simply mean that the shirt wasn’t particularly made for women, or that the specific item doesn’t come in a ladies version.
So in many instances unisex shirts imply that it’s a men’s fitting cut that can equally fit women.
What Is The Difference For A Women’s Style Fit?
The entire world of women’s shirts is much more complex than men’s and unisex tees, and this is mainly because there are new styles and varieties coming out each and every year.
Whereas unisex shirts typically will only come in a handful of unique fits, women’s shirts will potentially come in a much larger variety.
Two T-Shirt Fitting Categories
Although most brands will utilize their own unique terminology when it comes to fitting, the general rule of thumb throughout the entire apparel industry is to divide products between two main fitting categories including:
- Standard Fit
- Fashion Fit
Standard Fit
Standard fit is known to have gained a lot of traction throughout the industry in the 80s and 90s, and it generally features a more generic design that provides a roomier feel to it. These shirts typically don’t include the complex tapering and tailoring that is commonplace with fashion-fitted shirts.
We typically suggest standard fit as a safer option when it comes to buying very large bulk orders of custom shirts, because they’ll be accommodating for literally every body type, and they’re more forgiving within their larger options.
Fashion Fit
Fashion fit is also commonly called fitted, and this is mainly because these shirts are typically designed to contour to an individual’s body much more closely than standard fit. These shirts will have much less bagginess, and will fit to a wearer’s form around the torso, arms and shoulders.
There’s also typically a much snugger fit around the arms, and sleeves tend to be a bit shorter. Some brands will refer to fashion fit as retail fit, but retail fit can also sometimes fall somewhat in between fashion and standard.
Side-Seamed Vs. Tubular T-Shirts
These two fitting distinctions pertain to shirt construction, which subsequently plays a major factor in terms of fitting. It’s difficult to know which option is better for you and your custom shirt orders, so let’s take a look at each of these distinctions in order to further differentiate them:
Tubular T-Shirts
Tubular shirts are basically constructed by utilizing a tube of fabric that’s then added to by sewing on the shirt’s neck and arms. This style is typically much cheaper than side-seamed, mainly because there’s less sewing involved making them much easier to produce.
One great benefit of tubular shirts is that it’s pretty easy to do side prints, because there isn’t a seam in this position like their counterparts.
A couple cons to tubular shirts are that their fit tends to be considered generic, and they are somewhat prone to torquing. This term refers to the shirt being capable of twisting, mainly after going through a wash cycle.
Side-Seamed Shirts
The name of these shirts somewhat speaks for themselves in that they’re constructed via seams running down each underside of the sleeves to the torso of the shirt. This type of design subsequently makes them take much longer to manufacture as opposed to tubular shirts, and they’re slightly more expensive.
Side-seamed shirts are considered to be more fashion fit than tubular, and this is because the tailoring provides a more snug fit around the body. Many of us throughout the industry also consider side-seamed shirts to be easier when it comes to a variety of printers, and this is because logos can be lined up utilizing the seams leading to more placement consistency.
Side-seamed shirts still are generally a minority as compared to tubular throughout the entire custom shirt industry, but there’s no denying how side-seamed shirts are growing in popularity!
Reach Out To The Ares Sportswear Experts For More Fitting Information Pertaining To Our Custom Shirts!
There’s always so much that goes into how shirts should fit, and as always this is subject to personal preferences and style. When it comes to ordering custom shirts for a team or business, there are always going to be a ton of factors to take into consideration when it comes to what’s best for your specific order.
That’s why the experts at Ares Sportswear are always there for you when you need us. Always feel free to contact us online or call us at 800-439-8614 today to speak with one of our representatives in terms of how fitting should play a role with your custom shirts!
