Searching for smaller sizes, please help if you can. FIRST POST :)

2014 Views 9 Replies 3 Participants Last post by Jasonda, Oct 4, 2006

proteanaccord

Discussion Starter · Oct 4, 2006

Hi,

First of all, this is my first post, so hi everyone. This looks like a great resource, and I'm thrilled to have found you all

I'm starting a screenprinting business, and I'm at the stage of trying to decide which shirts I want to use. I'm leaning towards the higher end, but I haven't ordered any samples yet-- just looking right now.

The problem that I'm having is that I would like to make mens shirts available in smaller sizes than the norm. For example, the small would be around 22" by 17.5" (center front length, by a.p. to a.p. width) and go up front there.

I'm aware that Hanes and FotL might have youth sizes available that are close to this, but often the quality is second-rate and the color selection Always is 2nd rate.

**So my question is if anyone is aware of a higher end manufacturer like American Apparel or Next Level or B&B or Article.1, (etc...) that has XS or XXS sizes in their regular stock.**

Also, I've looked into bespoke (custom) services, and I'm just starting too small for this to be possible right now.

Please Help! All suggestions are warmly accepted, thanks!

John

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Solmu

· #2 · Oct 4, 2006

American Apparel's small is a 17-18, and their standard size range is XS-3XL (their size chart also covers an XXS, but since that's not offered standard in their 2001 style, I don't know where it would be).

American Apparel pretty much embody "smaller sizes than the norm".

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proteanaccord

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 4, 2006

I appreciate your response. Unfortunately these sizes really only work for Tall and Skinny people. The proportions are off big time. The small is an 18" width by 28.5" length. That's WAY long on someone who is Actually 'small'.

The XXS length is 26.5" (still a good 4-5" too long) and the width is 15". This is Tall & Skinny, not for an average 'small' human being (somewhere around 5'5" - 5'7" / 115 - 125lbs or so)

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proteanaccord

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 4, 2006

Man, I sure do wish those would work for what I have in mind though. The AA color selection is really outstanding. Maybe if I can't find something else I'll just have to adapt the shirts to my specs until I can afford my own line.

Anyways, any other ideas?

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Solmu

· #5 · Oct 4, 2006

Sorry, I didn't think about the length measurement (it's something I tend to take for granted - it's often not ideal, but rarely downright problematic).

A girl's large would be closer, but still too long and cut for women. You could try crop tops, but again the cut is likely to be overly feminine.

proteanaccord said:
Unfortunately these sizes really only work for Tall and Skinny people. [...] That's WAY long on someone who is Actually 'small'. [...] This is Tall & Skinny, not for an average 'small' human being (somewhere around 5'5" - 5'7" / 115 - 125lbs or so)

Personally I don't know any males that short under the age of fifty or so. I have a couple of friends who are a classic size XS/S (i.e. average for the size) and it works fine for them. Obviously there's a correlation between being small and being short, but I think there are plenty of people of normal height (say 5'8" - 6') who just happen to be skinny, and that's who the t-shirt manufacturers are catering for.

Sizing is empirically based so as to maximise profits (i.e. you don't want three quarters of the market complaining something is too long/short/tight/loose so you size to please the majority). So sizing reflects what is average for a small human being.

That said, there are tall tees for people with taller torsos, so there might be short tees for people with shorter torsos (can't say I've ever heard of such a thing, but they might be out there).

proteanaccord said:
Maybe if I can't find something else I'll just have to adapt the shirts to my specs until I can afford my own line.

Like tailor them? Because you might as well have blanks made to spec from scratch at that point.

proteanaccord said:
Anyways, any other ideas?

I think American Apparel might be a little longer than, say, Fruit of the Loom - so you might have better luck with another company, but I'm talking about an inch or less, so I doubt it.

About the best I can come up with is to either live with it, or have something custom made. So hopefully someone else will come up with something better than that, as I realise that's pretty much useless...

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Solmu

· #6 · Oct 4, 2006

Duh, I just thought of something I should have thought of earlier: check out youth tees.

Some companies use them for the adult market (to give an extra small option to males, and a slightly better option for females [still no substitute for proper women's shirts]).

Obviously you'll have no problem getting the right width there. I have no idea what their length/width ratio is like, but it's certainly worth checking as it could be more suitable.

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Solmu

· #7 · Oct 4, 2006

Gildan youth medium is 18 x 23.5, so that's getting a lot closer (and Gildan aren't known for small sizing in their adult market, so I assume the same would be true of their youth shirts).

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Solmu

· #8 · Oct 4, 2006

...and American Apparel do a youth tee (style 2201), size 12 (Youth Large I think) of which is 17.5" x 23.25". Colour range is a lot more limited than their adult range, but the basics are covered.

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proteanaccord

Discussion Starter · #9 · Oct 4, 2006

Hey Solmu, thanks for all your help and input. That's really considerate of you to contribute so much.

Yeah, youth Ts seems to be the best compromise at the moment. It's unfortunate that so much quality and color selection is lost making the switch from adult sizes to youth sizes, but that's just the way it goes it seems...

I was wanting to go with a company like waffo or next level (something softer and more of an investment than, say, gilden or FotL, or even americanapparel). So I guess the next thing I'd ask you (or anyone else for that matter) is, do you know if there is a company like next level or waffo that has a more advanced youth line of tees? It seems like district threads might have better options, but their size information is so vague at their <.com>. I'll have to write them an email about it..

So any input on this? Companies with a better than average (or even excellent) youth line? Anyone?

THANKS!

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Jasonda

· #10 · Oct 4, 2006

Solmu said:
That said, there are tall tees for people with taller torsos, so there might be short tees for people with shorter torsos (can't say I've ever heard of such a thing, but they might be out there).

Such a thing does exist, but just for women (as far as I know). It's called Petites, and it's sized for 5'5" and under.

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