Where to Buy Custom T-Shirts, Polos and Henleys

Are you looking for information on custom t-shirts and where to buy them? You’ve come to the right place! Read on to learn more.

T-shirts are such an essential part of everyone’s wardrobe, yet they are almost a one-size-fits-all item.

Yes, there is a range of sizes, usually XS – XXL, but this hardly takes into account the actual range of sizes and shapes that people come in. No other clothing item, besides socks, ties, and beanies comes in such a small size range.

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Sizing in Ready-To-Wear T-Shirts

It’s important to understand why you can’t necessarily walk into any store and walk out with a good t-shirt. It’s not you – it’s the fashion industry.

Most companies produce shirts in the 5 or 6 basic sizes XS – 2XL. There are some that may extend sizing to XXS and 3XL or tall, but that isn’t the norm. The sizing assumes that everyone can fit into one of these basic sizes.

Mott and Bow Classic Crew Driggs T Shirt — Mott and Bow Classic Crew Driggs T-Shirt

However, not everyone comes in the idealized size of 6’1”, 198 pounds. What happens if your chest, belly, or even biceps require you to go up a size. That means that the entire pattern increases an inch in every direction – including the length. Increased girth doesn’t equate to increased length in most people.

I’ve tried to make a study of what the average t-shirt size is. It’s an impossible task because every manufacturer has their own ideal customer and each size really fits a 1-3” range.

Comparing an industry size guide, manufacturers such as Gap, Ralph Lauren, and Patagonia, as well as 6 other manufacturers for mediums.

Chest dimensions range from 38-41”, sleeve length from 31-34”, and waist from 31-35”. Very obviously a medium in one brand may be a small or large in another.

One way to avoid this problem, and all other fit issues that may arise, is to buy custom t-shirts.

T-Shirt Construction

Fit issues are not uncommon with t-shirts. The basic pattern is a straight line from the bottom of the armhole to the hem. Many are made to be boxy which can lead to you looking dumpy.

Not only that, but as a shorter person you have to deal with a shirt that may be too long.

If you choose to wear them untucked, it will be obvious that it’s the wrong length and may make your legs look stumpy. If you want to tuck them in for a cleaner look you have too much bulk in your pants to get a smooth line.

Normally, the shoulders are the starting point of a proper fit. If you need to go up a size because you work out, your shoulders will fit, but the rest of the body may be tent-like. If you’re slender in the shoulders but have a bit of a belly, the top of your armhole seam may be half-way down your shoulder.

Even the neck opening may not fit properly – if you’ve gone up a size the neck may hang down too much for a clean fit. And no one wants a neck opening that cuts into their throat.

There are really only 2 elements to a t-shirt: the fit and the fabric. The fit can take a knock-around look of jeans or khakis and a t-shirt and elevate it to business casual, or weekend evenings out. Add a sportcoat and you have an elegant outfit that can go most places.

A perfectly fitted t-shirt can make an outfit, whether dressy or casual, look elegant while a sloppy t-shirt will make every outfit sloppy.

Ash and Erie v-neck t-shirt — Ash & Erie V-Neck Tee (XS)

You can buy t-shirts and polos that will fit you perfectly regardless of your height, weight, or body shape. With custom you get to choose a number of options, more with some than others. Choices include:

Type of neck opening: crew, v-neck, mock turtle/high crew, or turtle neck
Bottom hem: straight across, split at sides-equal length, split at sides with the back longer
Sleeve length: long or short
Sleeve hem: folded, banded or straight
Number of buttons
Placket color
Fabric choices
Monogramming
Design: colors, etc.

There aren’t as many choices as you find for custom suits, dress shirts, and jeans, but there is no reason why you should settle for t-shirts that aren’t exactly what you want.

They make-or-break an outfit as quickly as any other piece of clothing. Once you try custom you many never go back to ready-to-wear again.

A Quick Overview of Polo Shirts & Henleys

First, a quick refresher on some terms. Polo shirts have a knit collar, usually a knit cuff at the sleeve, and a placket with 2-3 buttons.

They can come in jersey (t-shirt material) or pique. Pique is a waffle like fabric that is heavier or thicker than jersey.

Ash and Erie polo front — Daily Polo (navy, XS)

The French tennis player, René Lacoste popularized what we consider polo shirts in the late 1920’s. He was one of the first athletes to capitalize on his popularity by launching a signature line of clothing.

He designed the shirt, while still competing, to be more breathable, cooler, and with improved range of motion from traditional tennis outfits. You may recognize the brand by their signature alligator logo.

A Henley is collarless with a round neckline. It also has a 3-5” placket with 2-5 buttons. Henley’s can be made in either jersey or pique.

Ash and Erie henley — Henley (charcoal, XS)

Originally, the pattern was used for nineteenth-century undergarments for men. They made the transition to sportswear as the preferred shirt for rowing.

They get their name from the western English town of Henley-on-the-Thames, host of the Royal Regatta. Part of the tradition there is that losers give their shirts to the winners at the end of the race. The buttons made this much easier.

Where To Buy Custom T-Shirts

Here are some solid places to find custom shirts…

Son of a Tailor

Son of a Tailor is a Danish company that makes t-shirts, polo/Henley, dress shirts, and “second layers” – cotton sweatshirts, merino wool pullovers and sweaters.

While they only feature men’s shirts, their pattern department is happy to work with women so they can receive their own custom tops. This is one of the most extensive collections of fabrics and styles.

Son of a tailor Pique Polo — Son of a Tailor Custom Pique Polo

Ulrika Luksevica, Content Manager for Son of a Tailor, explains that “Height is one of the top reasons customers come to us. Essentially, if you aren’t average height, you have to choose between a shirt fitting one part of your body or another in standard sizing.”

They use a sizing system that accommodates most people.

However, if you need a bit more tweaking to find your best fit, you can access the “Advanced” setting which lets you specify “Everything, from the length of the shirt to where your shoulder-seam sits and how wide your sleeves are, can always be adjusted.”

Of course, if you want more “human” input, their pattern team is happy to work with you.

Ulrika says: “Over the years we’ve received a lot of positive messages from people who are not only taller or shorter than the average, but also people with deformities that require specific sizing in their clothing.”

Price

From $68 with free shipping to the US.

Fabrics

Extra-long staple cotton, merino wool, pique cotton, 67% Tencel/33% cotton, light t-shirts of 67% Tencel/33% Supima cotton, and an invisible undershirt of 100% Tencel.

They use the highest quality cotton they can find for a stronger fabric that resists twisting and warping in the wash so that your t-shirt will keep its shape after multiple washes. Their cotton is grown in California, Supima certified, and knit in Portugal.

Their wool jersey, made in Denmark with construction in Portugal, is more flexible than cotton. It isn’t quite as durable, but the wool has a natural sheen and the shirts have a luxurious quality.

The wool elevates the t-shirt to something a bit more elegant that would be a great addition to a sportcoat or your business casual wardrobe.

Wool Knits are made with advanced knitting machines. These shirts are constructed as a single piece. This reduces production waste to less than 1%. The wool is constructed and supplied by Italy.

Tencel is sourced from PEFC forests and sustainably harvested. It is breathable, naturally anti-bacterial, moisture wicking, and drapes cleanly. There are currently 9 colors offered. They also offer a summer weight Tencel T-shirt (6 colors)

They make a cotton sweatshirt using cotton loopback fabric – called French Terry by some – and is a lighter weight sweatshirt material.

Son of a Tailor updates their products monthly, and each product’s color range is upgraded every 4 weeks. It appears that they keep the basic colors, and add others that are more seasonal.

Sonofatailor Shirts different colors — Source: Son of a Tailor

They produce each color only in limited quantities with the expectation that each will sell out.

Styles

T-shirts, polos, and Henley’s come in long and short sleeve versions. They have 4 choices for neck openings: O-neck crew, O-neck single stitch, V-neck crew, and V-neck single stitch. Sleeve hems are either classic or folded. You can have your initials embroidered on the lower left hem.

The Hi-Neck could also be called a mock-turtleneck. It has a 3 cm crew neckline that fits close and stops just below the Adam’s apple. This style comes with side slits and blind stitched hem for a minimal, clean and refined look.

They have just introduced an invisible undershirt which matches your skin tone. (They have 7 tones to choose from). It’s made from 100% Tencel. They offer it in loose, fitted, or tight versions and O- or V-neck.

Sonofatailor invisible undershirt — Son of a tailor Invisible Undershirt

Your measurements for your undershirt may be different than your t-shirts.

Fit

They use 4 questions to help create your custom size starting with your height, weight, age, and shoe size. Body type is either slim, rectangle, round, or athletic; then you choose from tight, fitted, or loose to create your size.

Polos & Henleys

Short and long sleeve versions are available in pique.

Returns

They offer a free remake guarantee. If your first order doesn’t fit like you think it should, they’ll make you a new one free of charge.

Sustainability

They are pursuing a zero-waste policy. In part, this is because they only make what they sell, but they also follow other ethical and sustainable practices such as laser cutting for optimal precision.

Their fabric suppliers are listed and each fabric is described in detail. Their fabrics are OEKO-TEX Certified, tested for allergy inducing elements and harmful substances. They are Certified Carbon Neutral.

Citizen Wolf

Citizen Wolf wants to re-engineer fashion to save the planet by custom making men’s and women’s t-shirts and zero-waste accessories. Eric, the founder and owner says: “I’m pretty short so it’s always been a constant struggle to find clothes that fit me properly.

It seemed crazy that the only garments you could get tailor fitted were suits and business shirts, instead of the clothes we wear 99% of the time.

The more Zoltan and I discussed it, the more we thought that somebody should solve this problem. And we were crazy enough to decide that we were the ones to solve it!”