Sometimes, communicating apparel details can have your tongue tied in knots. We’ve assembled a handful of terms that will help you choose the right garment when browsing options for your next project.

Ring-spun cotton

These shirts are made from smoother and longer yarn compared to open-end yarn. It also goes through a spinning process that softens and straightens each fiber, creating cotton that is softer and more durable.

Combed and ring-spun cotton

Refers to a two-step process that occurs when turning cotton into yarn. First, the staples are combed to remove impurities or inconsistencies in the yarn, creating a softer touch. Next, in the ring-spun process, the yarn is made by continuously twisting and thinning the strands, creating a very fine rope of cotton fibers.

Carded open-end*

This is a cheaper way of turning cotton into yarn in which the fibers are bonded by a wrapped fiber that runs perpendicular to the fiber bundle. In ring-spun cotton, all of the fibers are aligned in the same direction. Up close you can see that carded open end fiber is bulky, fuzzy and creates an uneven knit. These are the hardest to get a quality print on but, we have tips for printing on lower quality cotton.

*A historical side note: The industry standard used to be a carded open-end tee but, as we move into an era where purchase decisions are driven by quality and not just price there has been more demand for combed and ring-spun tees in wholesale space.

Side Seams

These create the tailored structure a tee needs to fit correctly. Although more expensive to make, these are the only type of tees you’ll find in a retail store.

Tubular Tees

Cheaper to construct because they require less sewing. They are made of tubular bodies and don’t really fit right on people—they’re exactly the same on the front and the back, the only difference is the neck drop.

Single

A term that refers to the diameter of a yarn, determined by the number of times you twist the fiber. The smaller the number, the thicker the yarn, and the higher the number the softer the yarn. Think about it the same way you think about sheets—the higher the thread count, the softer the sheets! Most cheap shirts are made from 18 or 20 singles. For a super-soft garment, aim for a single count of 30 or higher.

Weight

When referring to fabric, it is the number of ounces per square yard. Lighter fabrics tend to be made from combed and ring-spun cotton and are typically much softer than the heavyweight, open-end alternatives.

Staple

Another term for a cotton fiber. The fluffy piece of cotton (often called a “boll”) is plucked off the plant, contains about 250 “staples.” The high-quality thread is typically made from longer staples which are easier to spin into a fine piece of thread.

Hand

A Term used to describe how a garment feels. Combed and ring-spun tees have a soft hand, meaning they are super soft to the touch.