What is Pantone color matching?

The magical world of color communication can be pretty daunting. With so many options in shades and differences in interpretation, accurate and consistent communication is critical.

Basic color theory and brand philosophy tell us that color can communicate a lot—from emotion, to values, to simply building consistency. So, while it may seem like a silly issue, the world of color matching and consistent color communication is actually kind of make-or-break. 

Luckily, Pantone offers a system that enables anyone to narrow down their desired color to a specific shade—and then communicate it in a language that works across the world. 

Pantone’s color systems

As far as color matching goes, Pantone has 2 systems in place, each relevant to different needs and materials.

The Pantone Matching System (PMS) is the system most may have heard of. It’s mainly utilized for inks, printing, packaging, and digital artwork. For our purposes, PMS is generally what we’re working with, so communicating your intended color results in PMS shades will make the design process a breeze. 

The Pantone Fashion, Home, & Interiors System is PMS’s fancy and more nuanced sibling. It’s best used for fabric, cosmetics, wall paints, and leather work. 

How Pantone matching works in embroidery

Now get ready for the big reveal. The hardest process known to man: finding a color match for custom embroidery thread.

…Wait, the process is actually fairly easy? Ah, awkward 😅 

Turns out, finding a Pantone color match with thread is pretty simple. 

Utilizing a Pantone swatch book, our resident embroidery expert Walt eyeballs the shade needed and then gets more specific to find an exact match in Madeira thread.

If we don’t already have the exact color match in house, we’ll order some and save the remaining thread for future potential orders. It’s as simple as that!

Embroidered orders tend to be a bit easier to color match than with ink in screen printing. Even still, when printing we can match any Solid Uncoated Pantone color. It can be tough to match exactly depending on the color and material of the fabric being printed on, but we’ll get it as close as possible (which is, to say, pretty dang close)..

Why Pantone? 

We utilize Pantone and PMS guides because it’s one of—if not the—lead provider of color standards and color communication. One of our is “results matter”—which means that we believe anything worth doing is worth doing right. If we have high quality color matching then delivering a high quality product becomes that much easier. 

Most people, brands, and organizations use exact Pantone matching across all platforms for consistency, because color is a key component in brand building and recognition. Imagine if the New England Patriots changed the shades of red and blue they wore every single game, or if their embroidered sweatshirts didn’t match their beanies… Kiiiiiiinda hard to have team pride without consistency, no? 

Speaking of consistency—we want to be consistent in the results that we deliver to you, which is why having an agreed-upon color standard is convenient (and borderline critical). 

Learn helpful tips & tricks for taking your custom branded apparel in a more sustainable direction.

Around here, we’re not ones for fast fashion—which creates a cycle of trend-based apparel releases that incentivize buying now, wearing once, and then moving on to the next thing. Which directly translates to…

…waste. Like, a lot of waste. 

So while we’re not fans of fast fashion, we do see the value in refreshing your company’s apparel to keep your team connected, in-sync, and looking good—and we think there are some easy ways to do so without sacrificing sustainability.  

Here are a few of our tips for refreshing your company’s swag without contributing to the fast fashion cycle:
‍

Use an eco-friendly, high-quality garment ‍

When looking to make a sustainable apparel choice for your company, the garment itself can definitely come into play.

We offer several sustainable garment options in our product builder, from brands like Known Supply, Royal Apparel, Allmade, econscious, Alternative Apparel, Next Level Apparel, and more. To learn more about what these brands are doing.

These brands are actively trying to reduce garment waste—which is a massive problem throughout the apparel industry. By recycling used garments, reusing raw materials, and sometimes even using non-garment waste (like water bottles!) to create new fibers. Going with one of these options will ensure that you’re on the track to sustainable apparel before you even begin designing!

Choosing a blank garment that is higher quality and eco-friendly may be more expensive in the short-term but it also means that your finished garments will be longer-lasting—which means you’ll have to pay for new designs far less frequently.

Craft an evergreen message

When playing the corporate apparel long-game, you want to think about consistency—the timeless messages of your brand, as opposed to the more in-the-moment ones. 

Printing targeted shirts around a particular event or initiative can be a fun way to build excitement, but choosing to instead print a less specific shirt with a more evergreen brand message and encouraging your team to wear that garment at all events throughout the year could be a more sustainable way to approach your corporate branded apparel decision-making. 

Looking to still infuse a bit of variety into your refresh? Printing multiple evergreen messaging options in varying colorways allows your team to choose which they prefer—which also increases the likelihood that they will actually like (and want to wear!) the garment rather than just shoving it into the back of a drawer, never to be thought of again. For more inspiration. 

Avoid trendy colors/designs 

Printing your design on a color that’s currently “in” may seem tempting in the moment—but, looking outside of current trends and choosing colors for your garment and design that stand the test of time will help ensure the longevity of your finished garment.  

Consider your company’s internal branding guidelines—generally, these aren’t frequently changing. Taking this same approach with your custom branded apparel can help from a sustainability standpoint, but can also help with broader brand reinforcement by adding consistency. 

Still want to capitalize on in-the-moment happenings to build relevancy? Consider looking to more in-the-moment channels—like your company’s social media pages—to accomplish this, rather than a piece of apparel that may be irrelevant before it even makes it into your team’s hands.

Print with sustainable water based inks

Industry-standard plastisol inks are made from PVC, which is terrible for the planet—Greenpeace even goes so far as to call it the “poison plastic.”

It’s also itchy, uncomfortable, and prone to cracking & peeling after just a few washes—which means that the garment it is printed on probably won’t last.

At Real Thread, we’re committed to printing sustainably, so that the planet is as happy about your finished product as you are. We also believe that products that are printed well will get more wear—keeping them on your people and out of the landfill.

As a custom t-shirt company, one of the questions we get asked most frequently is: How much should I charge for my t-shirts at retail? 

Learn pricing tips & strategies in this article.

It’s a tougher question than you might think, and there’s a ton of strategy that comes into play when considering what price point to sell your product at. So, we’ve collected some tricks of the trade to give you a launching point on how to price your custom t-shirts for retail.

Looking to sell shirts online? Know your costs.

The very first thing you should consider when pricing your t-shirts for retail is how much it costs to produce them. Of course, you want to keep costs somewhat low, but not at the expense of quality. Something we’ve found to be universally true is that people are willing to pay more for a retail quality t-shirt, rather than a shirt that’s ill-fitting and has a rough feel. So paying $1 or $2 more on the front end might enable you to charge $5–10 more at retail, plus you’ll create customers who love your product, tell their friends about it and come back for more! That’s how you build a successful brand.

That being said, don’t be afraid to price your t-shirts for what they’re worth. If you’re selling a high-quality t-shirt, make sure your price communicates that. If you’re pricing your t-shirts for less than they’re worth, your customers are going to perceive them as less than they’re worth. So price them as they should be priced, and let your product speak for itself.

Another thing to keep in mind when forecasting your costs is the inclusion of any retail add-ons like custom garment tags (whether printed tags or hem tags), branded hang tags, bagging, etc. These features can go a long way in building legitimacy around your brand—and, for that reason, we always recommend them to customers who are seeking to sell their garments—but they do increase the total cost of your project. A worthwhile investment, but still one to be aware of and account for when pricing your finished product.

How to price t-shirts? Research the market.

Taking a look at your competitors in the market is also an excellent way of determining what a ballpark idea of what your retail cost should be. Taking a look at a competing t-shirt line to see how they price their shirts gives you a rough idea of what the market is willing to spend—assuming they’re successful. Anyone can price a t-shirt at $150 and “sell” it online (aka offer-it available for sale), but that doesn’t mean anyone is buying it.

This isn’t to say you should just price your t-shirts at the same price, or just $1 less than your competitors, but it’s important to think about what other people are charging for their product when you’re trying to convey to your customers that they should choose you.

A t-shirt pricing calculator

Once you have your t-shirt cost down, you can use it to calculate a price determined by your desired percentage of profit. An article from Entrepreneur states that most retailers shoot for a profit margin of about 50%.

Using the 50% margin, all you would have to do is multiply your cost to produce by 2, and you’d have your retail price. But if aiming for any other profit margin percentage, you’ll use this formula:

Price Formula:
Retail Price = [(cost to produce) ÷ (100-profit %)] x 100

So let’s say you want to set your profit margin at 60%, and your shirt costs $10.00 to produce. In that example, your formula will look like this:

Retail Price = [(10.00) ÷ (100–60)] x 100
Retail Price = [10.00 ÷ 40] x 100
Retail Price = 0.25 x 100
Retail Price = $25

Simple enough, right? Now that we’ve got the mathematical part of pricing down, let’s get into some psychology.

Price for people, not for numbers

This next fact may be one of the most important and least considered factors when people are pricing their product. That fact is: People do not always act rationally.

If people acted rationally all of the time, pricing a product would be incredibly formulaic. You could plug your costs into an equation, get a price that most people would agree upon, and start selling. But people are emotional, and whether you think it or not, the price of your product is going to trigger an emotional response in your customers.

Great pricing will consist of considering human behavior and human emotion to find a sweet spot that will persuade people to choose your t-shirts. With that in mind, here are three quick pricing tactics that will help you optimize your price for emotion over logic:

1) End your price with a non-round number, rather than a zero or a five. Reason being: when humans are scanning information to make a decision, they get lazy. So, even though the difference between $30 and $29 is only $1, it feels like a lot more. And we’ll make decisions based on that feeling.

2) Bundle products together, and give a price break. Rather than stick to selling all of your products individually, think about creating a bundle package as well. Say you’re selling three different shirts for $20 each. Consider offering an option to buy the shirts together for $55 total. 

Ugmonk gives a great example of bundle pricing in the photo above. They sell a set of 4 t-shirts for $100 (or $25 each), as opposed to their normal pricing of $28 each. Centering the bundle around one theme or idea like they do gives this bundle some bonus points too!

Many words have been written on how product bundling increases revenue, so we’ll spare you the reading and give you the short version: when applied right, it works. You’ll sell more t-shirts with less effort, and your customers save money. Win, win. 

Key to bundling though: make sure you offer an option to buy each product individually as well. Some customers may just want the one item, and that’s fine. Plus, offering individually lets the customer see the deal they get by buying a bundled package.

3) Use Anchor Pricing. This means displaying the original price, then showing what you’re actually charging for it. One brand that does a great job of this Huckberry, an online menswear marketplace. Through partnerships with brands, they’re able to offer exclusive offers for their customers.

In the image below, you can see that traditional retail for the S/S Breton Shirt is $55.00. However, at Huckberry, you can get it for $44.98. This lets you know that you’re getting a deal that you won’t get elsewhere. (Notice that their price is also a non-round number!)

Another great use for anchor pricing is when partnered with the bundle tactic. Using the example earlier, purchasing three t-shirts individually would cost $60, but you created a bundle for $55. So, your product page might read like this: $55 $60. 

This way, the customer sees the value of the offer and knows what they’re saving.

There is so much more that could go into this lesson, but this is a great launching point! Get started by 1) Knowing your cost 2) Researching the market 3) Determining your profit margin 4) Pricing for people and 5) Getting paid!

Whether you have a dream of a starting a t-shirt line, have taken some steps towards it, or already have a running company, we hope you found this post helpful.

If you haven’t yet, download our Guide to E-Commerce for tips on how to set up shop, and start browsing products to start designing your next retail-ready masterpiece.

If you’re currently selling online or looking to start, our fulfillment program can help. Leave the picking and packing to us while you focus on designing and selling your high quality custom merch.

How to Choose the Best T-Shirt Material for Your Design

It’s hard enough perfecting your custom t-shirt design—and now that you’ve finally got it all squared away, you still have to decide on which fabric shirt to print it on. It may feel a bit daunting at first (I mean, what the heck even is a tri-blend, and why should you care?!)—but in this guide, we’re going to break things down to the point where you’ll be able to identify the fabric makeup of a shirt in your sleep.

So read on to get up to speed on everything you need to know about choosing the right fabric for your custom t-shirt—and how different fabric blends can impact the look of your final product. Let’s get to it!

100% cotton t-shirt fabric

Cotton t-shirts have a lot going for them. They’re usually the most economic option and on top of that they show colors off really, really well. Your colors aren’t going to pop on any other fabric the way they will on an 100% cotton t-shirt.

Cotton t-shirts, however, are the least soft of the options, but still there’s no need for your 100% cotton shirt to be uncomfortable. At Real Thread, we don’t sell shirts that we don’t think you’ll like. But that being said, there’s always going to be a difference in comfort between 100% cotton and a tri-blend t-shirt.

Also, not all cotton shirts are the same. There really is a noticeable difference between one t-shirt company and the next. This shirt from Next Level has it all (just read the reviews), and if you’re looking for an economic option, it’s hard to compete with.

100% cotton t-shirts have been around for as long as there have been t-shirts, so I’m guessing that you know how it feels already. You probably already own a few, so let’s move on to polyester-cotton blends.

Polyester and cotton t-shirt blends

Coming in just a little softer than 100% cotton t-shirts are poly cotton blends. Polyester is produced through a chemical process, so you won’t find much polyester growing outside — at least not the type that will be woven into your t-shirt. Polyester is often more heat-resistant, water-resistant, and wrinkle- and tear-resistant than 100% cotton t-shirts. They also give the t-shirt a little more stretch, which feels pretty nice.

Polyesters are used in a wide range of everyday items like bottles, film, and tarpaulin. They’re also a major component of many wood finishes, especially for those found on guitars, pianos, and boats. Though plastic doesn’t sound like the most comfortable material, it’s a highly versatile material that’s used in a bunch of places you may not have thought to look.

If you haven’t tried on a t-shirt with polyester (it’s surprising how many t-shirts have some polyester in them), then it might be time to see how durable and comfortable they are. If you’re looking for a recommendation, American Apparel offers one of our most popular sellers for cotton-polyester blends, as does the Next Level 6210. They are going to cost slightly more than a cotton t-shirt, but if softness is what you’re going for, then it will be worth it.

Tri-blend t-shirt fabric

Hence the name, tri-blends are a blend of three materials: cotton, polyester, and rayon. Rayon is the real magic here. It’s a manufactured material, but it’s not considered synthetic because it’s made with an organic material, wood pulp. Through different manufacturing techniques, rayon can feel like silk, wool, linen, or cotton. It’s pretty amazing that you can do so much with some wood!

If you don’t currently have a tri-blend t-shirt, we’d highly recommend you discover how comfortable one of these shirts can be. This Next Level t-shirt really takes things to the next level. It’s hard to find a product anywhere that gets 4.9 stars. Just a heads up, tri-blends are usually the most expensive of the three options. But if you haven’t tried a tri-blend t-shirt and you want the comfiest t-shirt in the world, then it’s well worth the price.

Alternative t-shirt material options

You now know almost everything you need to know connected to the fabrics we offer at Real Thread. There are a couple more options if you’re looking for something a little out of the ordinary. Because these options are more limited than the first three choices, they are going to be a little more expensive. But they also offer some very unique benefits, especially if you’re heading somewhere cold or you need something to keep you cool during a tough workout.

Bamboo

Bamboo is becoming more popular as a material for t-shirts because of its anti-bacterial and moisture-wicking qualities. These t-shirts are a good choice for a workout or run. They can keep the temperature down and make a hot summer day a little easier to bear.

Viscose

Viscose is a type of rayon, so it’s produced from wood pulp. It has some of the same qualities as rayon, but it’s also similar to bamboo in being great for a workout because of its natural moisture-wicking qualities. We offer women’s tank tops from Bella+Canvas that are made out of poly-viscose blends if you’re looking to try on a viscose shirt.

Hemp

Hemp has been around for a long time, but hemp apparel is just beginning to take off –– and for good reason. Not only is hemp insanely comfortable to wear, but it’s also actively saving the planet by absorbing massive amounts of carbon dioxide. We recommend checking out this t-shirt from Royal Apparel if you’re looking to try a hemp t-shirt.

Print results

Another thing to know about cotton, cotton/poly, and tri-blend fabrics is that they all print differently. Assuming you want to throw a custom design on your shirt, the print results of the fabric is something to think about. We won’t get into it too much in this post, but our team would love to help guide your selection process based on the result you’re hoping to achieve.

Learn why Comfort Colors’ instantly recognizable fit & feel make them a custom tee standout.

The t-shirt has a long, storied history. What began as an undershirt issued by the US Navy is now an irreplaceable apparel piece loved and worn by all.

And in that history, few t-shirt manufacturers have made a t-shirt as recognizable, reliable, and widely worn as Comfort Colors. Makers of cool, casual, and of course, comfortable t-shirts and apparel, there’s a good chance you’ve worn one of their shirts before, even if you didn’t know it.

Let’s walk through what we like most about Comfort Colors’ style—and we’ll give you suggestions for some of our favorite Comfort Colors pieces for custom t-shirt orders.

What makes Comfort Colors great?

Founded almost 50 years ago, Comfort Colors specializes in, in their own words, “making a brand new shirt feel familiar.” Inspired by hues seen in nature, Comfort Colors is known and loved for creating natural, authentic t-shirts with a worn-in look and feel. 

You know that go-to t-shirt that you can’t wait to grab out of your drawer, that just seems to get better with time? That’s the look and feel Comfort Colors specializes in.

By perfecting the art of garment dye, a unique dyeing process in which garments are dyed for color after being stitched together as opposed to before, Comfort Colors gives their t-shirts a cool, vintage look and soft, worn-in feel from the first wear. If that’s the look you’re aiming for, these are the t-shirts for you.

Let’s take a look at some of our favorite Comfort Colors t-shirt options.

Best Comfort Colors t-shirts for custom orders

1. Comfort Colors 4017 | Adult Lightweight Tee

The 4017 from Comfort Colors is one of the most popular t-shirts out there for custom t-shirt orders. Made from 100% cotton, this t-shirt is soft, lightweight, and incredibly comfortable.

This shirt is going to have a classic fit — not slim, but not boxy either — making it a great choice for large orders that need to fit a wide variety of people.

2. Comfort Colors 1717 | Adult Heavyweight Tee

The Comfort Colors 1717 is one of our favorite heavyweight t-shirt options out there. The thicker, heavyweight t-shirt style has been growing in popularity recently, and there aren’t many that do it better than Comfort Colors.

There are plenty of reasons you might want to go with a heavyweight t-shirt — like the more structured fit or the durability — and if that’s your preference, this t-shirt will check all of your boxes.

Made from 100% cotton, this t-shirt will have a similar classic fit to its lightweight counterpart we just mentioned above, but with the thicker material, expect it to look just a little bit bulkier. 

3. Comfort Colors 6030 | Adult Heavyweight Pocket Tee

Though it’s hard to fact-check us on this one, we’re pretty sure it’s almost impossible to walk across any college campus — particularly in the Southeast — without bumping into someone wearing this t-shirt.

The 6030 is the pocket t-shirt version of the heavyweight t-shirt mentioned above, and it has been a staple in the world of fraternities, sororities, and summer camps for years. Though that was its niche early on, the Comfort Colors pocket t-shirt has become far more mainstream recently, and makes a great choice for anyone looking for a cool, relaxed, worn-in custom pocket t-shirt.

4. Comfort Colors 3333 | Ladies’ Midweight Tee

The 3333 is a women’s cut option from Comfort Color. Made from 100% cotton, this shirt falls just between the lightweight and heavyweight unisex options listed above.

This t-shirt, like most women’s cut t-shirts, has a tight fit, so if you choose this option, you might want to consider ordering up a size or two to make sure you get the right fit.

Keep it cool with Comfort Colors

Though they started manufacturing t-shirts almost 50 years ago, Comfort Colors is more popular now than ever. With their cool, faded style and comfortable, worn-in feel, these t-shirts will look and feel like your go-to favorite t-shirt right from the first wear.

Puff is making a comeback—here’s what you need to know about using this effect in your designs.

While we’re no Vogue or Vanity Fair, we try to keep a finger on the pulse of apparel/fashion trends—because we think incorporating current trends into your designs (for custom t-shirts and beyond) can make a huge impact for your brand. 

One thing we’ve been seeing a ton more of lately: puff, everywhere. From puff screen printing to puff embroidery, texture and dimension have seen monumental growth lately. We touched on it in a recent blog post on Winter fashion trends—but since publishing that piece, we’ve had multiple puff orders come in and felt that it may be worth diving into a little bit more. So with that: here’s everything you ever wanted to know about puff, and how to incorporate it into your next design. 

What is puff ink? 

Puff ink is a type of screen printing ink that has been mixed with a heat-activated foaming agent. The ink gets printed on flat, just like a standard print—but then, as the garment goes down the dryer, the ink expands and begins to puff upward. This puff method is especially effective on custom t-shirts, hoodies, and crewneck sweatshirts. 

How to use puff ink in your next design

Puff ink printing works pretty similarly to standard printing (and you can use it on most base garments/fabrics), up until the drying process. However, it presents some unique opportunities for customizing your design. Let’s say you have a 2-color design—perhaps you choose to print one color in standard water based ink, and the other color in puff for emphasis/impact. Contrasting your puff design with other flat elements can make the puff elements stand out even more! 

A good rule of thumb when it comes to puff ink is the bigger/thicker the better. Puff shines in larger applications—chunky text with heavy lines, larger design elements, etc. Smaller elements and thin lines may be more susceptible to warping, and won’t have as much 3D impact as a larger design. The rewards of printing puff on a fine-line design may not outweigh the risks. 

One additional (potential) challenge to note regarding puff ink: color-matching. The additive that makes your design puff up off of the fabric can also slightly alter the color of the ink—making it hard to create a perfect Pantone match in some cases (although it’s still really close).

What about puff embroidery? 

A puff embroidered look is accomplished through the use of a foam cut-out in the shape of your design, covered in a thick layer of embroidery using standard thread in the color of your choice. The thread weaves over and around the foam, covering it completely and creating a sleek 3D effect. This method is especially impactful on custom hats, polos, and zip-ups.  

How to use puff embroidery in your next design

The same advice that we give for puff ink usage applies here as well—the thicker the lines, the better. We also find that using puff embroidery in small doses tends to achieve the best results—think the front of a hat, the left/right chest of a shirt or sweater, etc.—although we’ve produced custom sweatshirts with full-front designs in puff (like the hoodie pictured above), as well! 

Why puff? 

• Bold & unique – In a world where competing to stand out is harder than ever, puff is perfect for statement pieces and for taking a simple design to the next level. 
• Minimum effort, maximum impact – The fact that simple designs thrive in puff ink applications is great news for you (and your design team). You’d be surprised at how much wow factor puff adds to even basic block text across the chest of a t-shirt or sweatshirt. Save yourself the stress of having to create a totally unique design, and instead let the puff take care of turning heads. 
• Get ahead of the wave – Puff in apparel has been around for a while but is growing in popularity currently—and that growth is only expected to continue. Incorporating puff into your design now will help you get ahead of the inevitable wave of puff that we’ll see in the next 6 months.   

Taking care of your puff design 

With all specialty customization methods, we recommend special care for puff designs—both printed and embroidered. 

To take care of your puff print and make it last as long as possible, we recommend washing it inside out in cold water. Applying any kind of high heat to the garment (standard tumble drying, ironing, direct steaming, etc.) could alter the puff effect, so drying on a cool setting or hang-drying will go a long way in increasing longevity. 

An age old debate: are you a hoodie or a sweatshirt person? We’re Switzerland.

Have you ever stood frozen in front of your closet, gridlocked in an intense inner-debate over what to wear? When the weather drops below 60 degrees and that slight nip in the air means your regular attire just won’t cut it, it always boils down to two timeless choices to top your outfit off: sweatshirt vs. hoodie. Each fluffy, warm option has its own voice in the world of style and can change an outfit from comfy or cool to a combination of the two, effortlessly. 

So what exactly is the difference between a hoodie and a sweatshirt? And on which side of the ever-fashionable aisle do your loyalties lie?‍

For starters, both sweater varieties are essentially pullovers made of cotton, wool, jersey, synthetic materials or a combination of those. The similarities between the two diverge from here but are each rooted in similar origins and their paths have run parallel in the countless years that have followed.. Let’s dive in!

Sweatshirts: Tale of a Quintessential Cool Kid 

The sweatshirt is a classic pullover with long sleeves that was invented in 1926 by Benjamin Russel Jr., a quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Prior to this creation, players were known to have worn itchy, uncomfortable wool sweaters in the winter months to practice. Just imagine that – running up and down a field, casually being tackled while wearing a wool sweater. Take note, Medieval torture devices. So naturally, Russel dreamed of a world where his football brothers were able to practice their sport, rain or shine, drear or fog—without believing that they were being punished. After all, football is supposed to be fun!

Good news: Russel’s father owned a clothing manufacturing company (but I bet they didn’t make custom t-shirts as soft as ours 😜 ), and the two set out to create a better practice jersey. With the addition of the famous triangle around the collar, a feature that helped prevent stretching with reinforced webbing material, they managed to create something that would stand the test of time. By 1930, Russell Athletic Mills was created with the sole purpose of producing the garments—which they still do to this day, nearly a hundred years later. 

Known best for: Its unabashed role as the Ugly Christmas Sweater in the back of your closet, with an honorable mention for the fall sweatshirts we both know you have too many of. 

Hoodies: The Understated Underdog 

Much like its predecessor, the hoodie was made to provide comfort and protection from harsh winter weather. If you’re looking for the definition of a hoodie, it could kind of be boiled down to “sweatshirt with a hood,” with a few minor design/style/fit differences.

The thoughtful addition of the hood was for the overall purpose of enclosing the skin around the head and face and was created for warehouse workers in upstate New York in 1930. This style was created by Champion, a known innovator of athletic wear, and has gone through several significant cultural revolutions since its birth. 

The 1970’s was arguably the most pivotal era for immortalizing the hoodie in societal fame. Between the rise of the hip-hop movement in the Bronx and Rocky’s famous “fist in the air” scene, the hoodie has been cemented as the underdog’s staple piece. This is carried on through the 1990’s, and soon the hoodie becomes relegated as the unique hybrid between an everyday item and an article of high fashion. In fact, very few articles of common clothing have had such a significant impact on modern fashion choices. Billionaires, grocery store clerks, teachers, lawyers, rappers, gardeners, the kids down the street at the park—everyone has a favorite hoodie in their closet. 

Known best for: the classic go-to when you don’t know what to wear or what you use to hide an outfit you hate. Or when you just want to be comfortable. Or when you’re going to the gym. Or when you’re going out. The hoodie really is a one-stop shop for all your outfit needs.

Hoodie vs. Sweatshirt: who’s really winning this race?

Both sweatshirts and hoodies span across time and several socioeconomic demographics. For every high-priced, artfully torn Yeezy sweatshirt, there is an equal but opposite gaggle of just-as-artfully-torn hoodies being worn by high school kids. Sweatshirts with college, brand, or city names written in athletic block print or simple printed or embroidered designs remain a crowd favorite when looking for something comfortable and long-lasting.

We will all at some point in our lives find ourselves deliberating over this age-old debate. But which do we choose? Which item speaks loudest to the world, shows everyone we may come into contact with exactly who we are? 

The answer is simple: It’s both, and it’s deeply personal.

When the cooler weather starts to hit and your eyes begin to wander through the possibilities of new fall ‘fit items to customize for your teams, customers, or brand, you’ll probably already have a vibe in mind.

You may be looking for something simple—an evergreen, staple sweatshirt printed with your logo or a saying that your people will all rally around—or, maybe you’ll gravitate to something more complex, a hoodie with custom embroidery on one of its many pockets, setting you apart from the crowd. Each of these choices, along with many others that also occupy their realm of orbit (I’m telling you, there really is an unlimited selection out there) is a valid one. Each of these garments is endlessly customizable and ready to be filled with all of the little bits and bobs of your personality. They’re designed to be dressed up or down, for any occasion.

At the end of the day, hoodies and sweatshirts are not opponents. They are playing on the same team and you’re the coach. Now throw one on, and get out there! 

Call it a stroke of genius—custom shirts will add color to your painting company.

At Real Thread, we are outspoken proponents of strong branding. Communicating what a business is all about while simultaneously distinguishing it from others is crucial in a competitive market, and solid branding can separate two otherwise identical businesses — thus creating a possibility for both to succeed. Businesses of all shapes and sizes, indiscriminate of industry, stand to benefit from a customer-facing brand; but that doesn’t have to mean renting space on a billboard. Instead, businesses can rely on one of the most practical branding devices in existence: custom t-shirts. 

Custom painter shirts, for example, have long served as an opportunity for largely similar painting businesses to stand out from competitors while also injecting some personality into uniforms. Painting t-shirts also serve as walking advertisements for the painting company, answering the question of “who is that doing such a fantastic job?” for everyone from passing cars to neighbors. The importance of branding in painter shirts cannot be overstated, and eye-catching (and informative) design is crucial when dreaming up custom shirts for painters. 

Below are some tips from the team at Real Thread on creating painter shirts designed to stand out, tell a story, and, above all, be worn by employees with pride. 

1. Think Practically

The first step in designing custom painter shirts — much like construction or lawn care uniforms — is to think practically and put yourself in the position of the individuals wearing them. As slick as black t-shirts look, painter t-shirts will most likely be worn in the sun and will undoubtedly see a splatter or two of light-colored paint. For this reason, a comfortable, durable, light-colored blank will make an ideal canvas for custom painter shirts while empowering painters to perform at their best. ‍

2. Find a Slogan That Sticks‍

Be they from national chains or hometown heroes, great slogans are everywhere. But what makes these slogans great? Sure, they’re catchy, but their job isn’t just to get the jingle stuck in your head. Rather, great slogans will rely on catchiness to ensure that a specific carpet cleaning business is the first one that pops into a customer’s head upon recognizing that their rug could use a wash. Uniform painter shirts are a prime opportunity to broadcast a winning slogan to the world (or at least the neighborhood,) and it turns out slogans that command a giggle or two perform the best. With limited space, a painter shirt slogan will have to be relatively brief: so get creative, and be sure to make the most of your small canvas. 

3. Make a Splash with Impressive Graphics‍

One of the three pillars of branding (along with brand names and slogans,) graphics and logos can make or break a brand. When it comes to graphics, there are a number of ways that businesses can go wrong. Over-complicating a design creates visual clutter, and while it might catch the eye of a customer, that customer might catch a headache as a result. On the other hand, overly abstract graphics create confusion — leaving a would-be client or customer with more questions than they began with. Painter shirt graphics and logos should toe this line carefully and be visually impressive (and maybe even a little funny!) without being too over-the-top. When in doubt, keep it clear and concise. 

4. Tell Your Story

‍The team at Real Thread believes that story is integral to a great brand, and painter shirts are a prime opportunity to tell yours. No, painter t-shirt designs don’t have to consist of walls of text detailing an elaborate origin story, but they should integrate that story into the painter t-shirt design in a creative way. A painting business started by two siblings could integrate two painters gleefully working in unison into the design, just as one in a wooded area could feature an eye-catching image of a painter working from a tree! The possibilities are virtually endless, and the story of your business is one that deserves to be heard. ‍

5. Partner with Real Thread‍

Just as those who need their house painted will call on your professional painting business, businesses looking for custom t-shirts rely on Real Thread. With a near-endless array of comfortable and durable fabrics, sustainable printing methods (say goodbye to scratchy, plastic inks), and 20-item order minimums. Real Thread is the go-to for businesses looking to stand out and strengthen their brand. Easy-to-use design tools also allow for real-time visualization of designs, so you can adjust your masterpiece to your liking. Plus, Real Thread’s selection of hoodies and long sleeves means that painters can work comfortably through any season, and your one-of-a-kind design can be seen year-round.

A fashion statement as timeless as Shakespeare, without the tragedy: bucket hats are THE move.

Looking for a fashion statement as timeless as Shakespeare, without any of the tragedy? Bucket hats are the accessory for you.

Bucket hats are (and always have been) a statement. Throughout history, bucket hats have been a functional option: worn mostly by workers to block them from the rain and sun. In the last few decades, the functionality of these hats has pushed its way into popular culture to create a look that is both practical and trendy. As fans of custom hats of all shapes and sizes, we had to do a deep dive on this popular variety.

Benefits of the Bucket Hat

It’s not a secret that bucket hats are just…better. Certainly better than any other hats, and maybe even better than any accessory. At their most basic, bucket hats are a perfect way to block out the sun and prevent your face (and neck) from burning. Where other hats only protect your face, bucket hats cover all the bases with a continuous rim. For the days when you forget to add sunscreen to your skincare, throw on your bucket hat for the extra security your skin needs. 

Bucket hats have also got your back on those days where your hair is just not cooperating. The amount of hair problems a bucket hat can hide will save you time while getting ready (and have you running to add more to your wardrobe). Replace the judgmental looks strangers give you for your day-five-without-washing hair with looks of fashion envy by popping on a trendy bucket hat before running out the door. You’ll get an effortlessly cool look that is actually effortless.

Bucket Hats on the Big Screen

As early as the 1960’s, the bucket hat solidified its place on-screen with the iconic sitcom Gilligan’s Island. The title character rocked a khaki bucket hat with his bright red shirt and light-wash jeans: an outfit that lives rent-free in my brain, from both watching the show and seeing the costume recreations every year on Halloween. 

 Since then, the prevalence of bucket hats in TV and movies has only grown. Within the last year, many of the most popular shows and movies have featured equally memorable bucket hat looks. In the examples below of some recent bucket hat appearances, it’s obvious that a great hat can really steal the show. 

 Booksmart (2019) featured a Kangol fur bucket hat in cream; the clothing brand’s embroidered logo can be seen on the front.

A bucket hat with the clothing brand Celine’s logo icon embroidered across the front can be spotted in an episode of Emily in Paris (2021). Emily herself appears to be a diehard fan of the bucket hat—rocking them in multiple episodes across multiple seasons.

An episode of Our Kind of People (2021) featured a tan embossed bucket hat from the designer brand Prada.

Making Your Bucket Hat Your Own

Adding a hat that is 80 percent rim can say a lot about the wearer, so it’s important that your hat says what you want it to. What better way to get your message across than by making a custom hat? Maybe you want a bucket hat for event swag, in which case you could customize bucket hats with embroidered images or phrases. If repping your company is more the goal, then design bucket hats to include the company logo and slogan. Whatever you want to tell the world, let custom bucket hats be your messenger.

With Real Thread, you can design custom hats online and bring your bucket hat dreams to life. Starting with the base, you can choose between different styles and colors of bucket hat to customize. Pictured below are two examples of bucket hats that can be sourced and personalized with Real Thread. Using our custom embroidery services, you can put your message front and center on your hats.