2010 T-Shirts Overview : Fabric Perspectives

Over the past year, the t-shirt market as a whole saw the culmination of recent developments in "ultralight", "superlight" and "superfine" cotton t-shirts at the forefront of consumer demand.

Fabric densities in the order of 120-135gsm were previously thought of "throwaway" weight for t-shirt manufacturing - the cheapest t-shirts on the market, good for one-off promotional use only before being used to buff the silverware. But breakthroughs with fabric manufacturing delivered 100% cotton knits in superfine gsm that could cling, drape, handle screen printing and cope with the laundry cycle like never before. Brands like Diesel and Industrie printed their ultralight slim fit t-shirts with awesome results, so it's not just about the vintage print job and dimensional decorations, but the overall feel of softness and "vintage".

Super-Lightweight T-Shirt Fabric: A Breath Of Fresh Air?

Many fine examples of these gossamer-thin t-shirts for men and women came from Australia, "next best thing to being naked in the nightclub" said Blank Clothing Australia, for example, in their advertising for popular new lines Breeze and Ibiza, men's and women's models having been designed in France  and destined  to become popular as designer blank t-shirts. We're talking your everyday, rock-and-roll, modern tees made from 100% cotton knit so light and delicate as to carry care recommendations like you'd expect to see on luxury hosiery. Decorated and re-branded, these were everywhere all over the retail sector for 2010 - as designer-style tees with a luxury price tag, no less. With this super-ultra-lightweight breakthrough accepted by the market, it seemed like t-shirts could not get any flimsier, without disappearing completely.

American-Style Tees: It's An Enzyme Story

Slightly less whimsical but just as popular have been new t-shirt fashion releases like Luke and Lisa - still very light but with a little more substance than gossamer-thin. Luke and Lisa felt a little more substantial and proved beyond doubt  that they could handle the regular wash-wear cycle. Also called "American-Style" tees, the genuine softness of Luke and Lisa results from an enzyme wash treatment in the production stage - another real milestone in fabric technology that has enhanced the softness and smoothness of t-shirts men and women want to be seen in for the moment at least.

Organic Cotton: Acceptance But What About Demand?

Eco-friendly organic cotton t-shirts have been making marketing news increasingly in recent times . "Organically-grown" is earth-loving principal that's loved by everyone and promoted  by many, but we are still a great distance from getting consumer demand to any kind of fever-pitch. It's an imperative market solution in its infancy, but despite the notional support in favour of of organic cotton manufacturing, most buyers are still failing to agree on parting with that little bit extra needed to support GM and pesticide-free cotton farming. With cotton being one of the most demanding plants to grow on the planet when it comes to the need for water and pesticides, organically-grown cotton is an idea whose time has come for the planet - if not for the entire t-shirt market just yet. Not just a flight of eco-fancy, organic t-shirts are bound to become the new standard. It's an environmental imperative.

Pure Wool T-Shirts: Coming In From The Cold

Needless to say perhaps, Australians are leading the way in t-shirt designs with all-wool (pure Merino, of course), knitted superfine and ultralight into tshirts that many people on both sides of the equator want to live in. Once thought of as strictly fit for adventure-wear, t-shirts made exclusively from merino wool are now being seen on weekdays and weekends as wear-alone fashion for year-round comfort. It's actually obvious why anyone would want to get excited about woolen t-shirts as something to wear not just underneath clothing layers, but alone on the outside. More lightweight and "airy" than cotton, pure merino doesn't "itch", is machine-washable, and is naturally resistant to dirt and odour.