Look at this side-by-side photo of these two tees. Which is better? This one is $2.50
and this one is about $3.00. You might not see much of a difference so you go with
the cheaper one. The problem is when you unpack your order, you find big variances
in what should be the same size tee. What should be a box of mediums has some
tees that look more like smalls. So how does this happen?
Achieving consistency when making tees on a massive wholesale scale is not easy
but at Bella+Canvas we've invested in technology that has allowed us to get it
down to a science. We're going to show you all of the things that go into
making consistent fitting t-shirts and show you what separates us from them.
But before we get into it hit that subscribe button so you don't miss an
episode of this new series. You probably assume all tees are cut the same or even
more likely, you haven't given it much thought at all. As we mentioned in our
last video there are two types of construction: side seam and tubular. With
tubular construction there's not much cutting at all but with side seam
construction the precision of the cutting has everything to do with the
way the pieces fit together; think like a puzzle. It also determines the
consistency of garments across batches there are two types of cutting processes
you should know about: laser guided automated cutting which is what we do at
Bella+Canvas and hand cutting which is what all other manufacturers of side
seam tees in our industry do. Let's start with what we do at Bella+Canvas. This is
our Los Angeles cutting floor where we cut hundreds of millions of units a year.
These cutting machines are the most high-tech in the world and no one else
in our industry has these. First the fabric is spread by the automatic
spreaders then we create markers with proprietary software that allows us to
fit as many puzzle pieces possible into each cut, eliminating fabric waste. Marker
paper is set on top of the fabric stack and then the fabric is compressed and
vacuum sealed to make sure nothing moves even a millimeter. Finally the laser
guides this 10 inch blade across 150 layers of fabric cutting it like butter.
We also cut these tiny notches in every piece signaling to the sewers where the
piece is joined together and it's through this process we create
puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly every time. Okay so now on to
the other method. This is what a hand cutter looks like and this is what a
hand cutter looks like cutting. The first problem with this method is that every
operator is different, you might have someone who is left-handed and another
one who's right-handed, creating inconsistencies and how the fabric is
cut. Second there's nothing to secure the stack in place, it's just a piece of
paper placed on a stack of fabric. Sometimes the paper is even stuck on
with some spray glue. Now imagine cutting a ten layer cake with a big knife.
There's just no way the top piece is going to be the exact same at the bottom.
That's what hand cuttings like. This is why the highest tolerance, meaning the
degree of variance you can expect from garment garment for the hand cutters is
1/4 inch while ours is 1/64 inch. This might not seem like a big deal but
it's these little variances that create imperfect puzzle pieces that don't quite
fit together as well and this is why you're likely to find noticeable fit
differences across the exact same size and style of a garment with other brands.
So why doesn't everyone use automated cutters? Because they're freaking
expensive and labor is cheap when you cut your garments in Central America
which is the way most manufacturers keep their cost down.
It's a short-sighted plan that makes the assumption that you the consumer won't
notice a less than perfect shirt construction. At Bella+Canvas our
efficiencies lie in technology not in cheap labor. By investing in
top-of-the-line tech we're able to make better quality goods and keep all of our
cutting right here in Los Angeles. We are all about transparency and want to show
you how we make tees from start to finish so you can see what separates us from
them. Next week we're going to break down the different types of cotton. Don't
forget to subscribe to our channel so you don't miss an episode.