A t-shirt can cost eight dollars or eighty, and from a photo on a screen they look identical. That is one of the trickiest parts of buying clothes online now.
We have a lot of experience with the manufacturing chain these days, we've visited our manufacturers and been to international trade shows. The reality is quality is not cheap and if the end product is that cost got cut somewhere.
We design our pieces from scratch here in Newcastle, Australia, so we are hardly neutral here, but the things we look at when judging a garment are the same things anyone can look at, so here they are.
Fabric weight is the fastest tell
Cotton is measured in GSM, grams per square metre. Lighter tees tend to sit around 140 to 160. A heavier one sits north of 200. Both have their place, they just wear differently over time. A lower quality cotton will definitely change shape and feel significantly worse after a few washes. (this is a whole other massive conversation)
Look at the seams
Turn a garment inside out. Look at the shoulder seam and the hem. Are the stitches tight and even? Is there tape across the shoulders? Does the stitching look straight and like it was made with care?
Quality adds cost and time, which is why these are the first things to go when a garment needs to hit a lower price.
Ask who made it
Brands that know their factory usually love talking about it. We have been to ours in Shenzhen, walked the floor and met the people making our clothes, we check independent audits before working with anyone. Thats our best way of ensuring the people we dont interact with are being paid and treated fairly.
It is a fair thing to ask anyone, us included.
What buying local actually changes
When you buy from a small local brand, the money stays close. It pays people in your area, it funds the next design, and it keeps someone like our dream alive for another season.
It also usually means smaller runs, and (ideally) more care put into every decision made in the process.
The honest caveat
Local does not automatically mean good. Plenty of local brands print on blanks, and plenty of large brands make excellent clothing. The questions above matter more than the postcode.
But if a brand designs its own garments, can tell you about its factory, and uses quality fabric, you are usually holding something that will last.
More on how we do it over on our streetwear page, or have a look at what we make.