The Economic Impact Of T-shirts In America

Filed Under Fashion |

by Rick London

In my life, for many years, nothing could be so benign and innocent as a -shirt. All that has changed.

Nine-one percent of Americans claim they own a “favorite T-Shirt”.

But I have a favorite pair of jeans too. So what’s the big deal?

T-shirts are a different breed of clothing which you will soon discover.

The first promotional t-shirt was for the movie, Wizard Of Oz. Both the movie and the tees (and promotional posters) all fed into each other, making it the biggest movie of its time. Many movies since have associated with licensing partners to produce t-shirts, games, and so many other items. But it all started with t-shirts.

T-Shirts account for important American economics. Cotton is still a huge industry in this country, particularly in the southern states. It takes six miles of yarn to make one T-shirt. An acre of cotton is enough to produce 1200 tees.

But do t-shirts sell? Not just in America but around the world? Statistics show about two billion per year.

Even the Salvation Army has gotten into the act and sells them to third world countries by the pound.

The first printed t-shirt was political; and said “Dew-It With Dewey”. It hangs in the Smithsonian.

Brando was the first in film to benefit from fitted tees and jeans. The producers did so for “A Streetcar Named Desire” to make the movie “sexier”

However, the word T-shirt did not been become an official word until the 1920’s when it was included in Webster’s Dictionary.

In 1977 more than 8 million dollars worth of Farrah Fawcett T-Shirts were sold when she appeared on Charlie’s Angels.

The wet t-shirt craze started after Jacqueline Bisset’s appearance in the film “The Deep” in which she is swimming underwater, then surfacing, wearing a white T-Shirt and topless bikini.

The most popular form of designer tees today are silk-screened. But digital reproductions are becoming very popular and blend into the fabric and, to me, have more of a “real” look than a decal ironed-on look, but of course, it is a matter of taste. I decided to manufacture both, as different folks like different looks.

Americans love our tee shirts. A survey done several years ago show that more than 62% of the U.S (all ages) own at least 10 tees and 18-24 demographic group owned over 10 T-shirts and 19% owned over 30 tees. So it doesn’t appear they are going out of style anytime soon.

About the Author:

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