Trending in T-Shirts: Heather, Vintage and Retailed-Inspired

Everything old is new again – with a twist – as heathered, vintage looks dominate promotional products suppliers’ T-shirt offerings. Additionally, lightweight fabrics and performance features are trending in this ever-popular product category. T-shirts are universal – worn anywhere from the office to the gym – and everywhere in between. So many people, young and old, choose to make a statement when wearing their favorite T-shirts, whether it be a favorite place, saying or photo. T-shirts provide ample opportunity for customers to promote their brand message for thousands to see.

Promotional products suppliers are nearly unanimous in their assessment that heathered T-shirts are the top trend in 2016. Delta Apparel’s Mary Bostwick points out that colored heathers and lightweight fabrics are tops in the company’s T-shirt offerings, with a coral heather currently the hot ticket item. “It is super trendy and very popular in surf and beach shops,” she maintains. The company has experienced high demand for the colored heathers for the last couple of years, and this season is no different, Bostwick continues. “These colors are popular in both youth and adult products in several fabrications. Distributors want to offer their customers a trendy T – not just a basic T– elevating the perception.”

Heather CVC Ts are the biggest trend at BELLA+CANVAS, according to Summer Barry, who adds, “We have also seen a leap in poly/cotton blends due to their unique dimension and soft hand. We now have a total of 24 colors and each is popular with various segments in the market.” She adds that the company has seen a great response at tradeshows that has translated into sales. “Demand for heather CVC has almost doubled in the past year,” she emphasizes.

These vintage heathers and soft pastels make a strong visual impact, Greg Brown of KEYA USA asserts, which mirror retail trends. They have been a consistent request, he notes. Todd Proffit of Alstyle Apparel also reports the company has seen a nice increase in its heather color T-shirts across the board, and demand has been solid.

“The demand for on-trend, retail-inspired, and fashion-forward polyester T-shirts, as well as blended T-shirts (blended with cotton/polyester/rayon), have been on the rise within the T-shirt market segment,” notes Sion Shaman at Expert Brand. “Part of that has been due to an increased loyalty amongst individuals to maintain an active, fit, and healthy lifestyle.” In terms of colors, the company has been noticing a heightened demand for heathers and bright shades, such as true kelly and orange. Shaman adds that demand has been growing primarily for performance shirts and TriBlends in the T-shirt segment.

At Next Level Apparel, Mark Seymour says that the company’s raglan baseball Ts are “super” hot. “We added a TriBlend unisex three-quarter baseball T in 18 colors and they are flying off the shelves,” he enthuses. “We also added a youth version in our original CVC 60/40 cotton/poly blend that is just as popular. They come in a lot of fun color combinations and are easy to decorate. They work great for team building events, schools and awards events.

“Across all styles this has been the hottest start to a year ever,” Seymour continues. “Business is up in every category. The demand for soft fabrics in comfortable styles has blown up. The new trend in retail-inspired blanks has sparked limitless opportunity to decorate and sell in every application.”

Pocket T’s are still very popular, asserts Charlie McGuinness at MV Sport. “One of our best sellers in the promotional products market is our custom pocket T,” he elaborates. “As a supplier and decorator we have the unique ability to customize a pocket on a variety of T-shirt styles. Using a full color print technique for customization, the pocket is sewn on the garment. It adds value and brings fashion to a basic garment. It’s a great way for a client to gain brand exposure. Pocket T’s are trending in the retail market and we have added a creative way to use it in the promotional market.” 

 McGuinness adds that demand has been steady. “We just sent an e-blast to our customer base and it resonated immediately,” he comments. “Our customers and their clients are always looking for something new and different. The custom pocket T has that ‘retail’ look and offers more than a basic screen-printed T.”

The active lifestyle trend also continues to dominate at retail, notes John Spivey at Hanes, which translates into the elevation of the T-shirt. “Consumers are looking for lifestyle apparel with performance features,” he affirms. “They expect more and more from their apparel and that includes T-shirts. For example, they want clothes that wick or cool, or provide sun protection and odor control.”

T-shirt manufacturer and suppliers have added an array of styles to their 2016 lines – in a multitude of colors. BELLA+CANVAS has added three new styles to its line. Barry notes that the long body T has been “insanely popular!” 

KEYA USA has been concentrating on its core basics, Brown says, and expanding the color offerings in long sleeves, which he points out has been a strong addition for the company. “Best sellers are long sleeves,” he states. “Sales are up over 50 percent from last year, with solid growth in the color assortments.”

TriBlend is hot at Alstyle Apparel and Expert Brand. Shaman states that that Expert Brand’s performance polyester shirts are definitely best sellers in this segment, like the Women’s TriTec™ (Performance TriBlend) Deep V-neck T, Men’s Heather Performance T and Women’s TriTec™ (Performance TriBlend) Long Sleeve Scoop Neck T. Alstyle Apparel’s Proffit adds that the company’s TriBlends are gaining momentum and trending well.

Two TriBlend T-shirts for men have also been added to MV’s Sport’s offeringsboth with a positive response, McGuinness says. Both styles are 3.8-ounce, 50 percent polyester, 38 percent cotton and 12 percent rayon. One is a contrast raglan three-quarter sleeve and the other one is a short-sleeve crew. “The ‘TriBlend trend’ certainly follows from its popularity in department stores and specialty retail,” he notes.

To address the growing popularity of pastel hues, Hanes has unveiled the Hanes Coastal Colors collection. According to Spivey, these colors are not only driving retail sales, but also new opportunities within the decorated apparel market. “Retail brands such as Guy Harvey, Vineyard Vines and Southern Tide have fueled the popularity of this coastal-inspired look,” he elaborates. “The new eight-color collection provides suppliers with a comprehensive offering to help capitalize on these growing opportunities.” He adds that these new colors are very popular with college students, including sororities and fraternities, as well as brands and designs aligned with fashion. These pastel hues are also strong in resort and golf wear. The collection is available in select styles across the Hanes® Beefy-T®, Hanes® Tagless® and Hanes® X-Temp® collections.

Another bestseller is the Hanes® X-Temp® T-shirt, which Spivey explains wicks moisture to keep one cool by adapting to temperature, environment and activity for maximum comfort. “The fabric is lightweight, has an incredibly soft hand and comes in a great selection of colors, including fun heathered neons,” he comments.

Capitalizing on the popularity of retro looks, Hanes looks to its Champion® Ringer T-shirt, which Spivey describes as “an all-star performer with a retro, athletic flair. The 5.2-ounce, 100 percent cotton Champion® Ringer T-shirt features contrast trim on the neck and sleeves. The styling and easy fit make it a go-to choice for event shirts, clubs, uniforms and spiritwear.”

Several new styles have also been debuted from Delta Apparel, including a racer back tank and two new snow heather fleece items. “Our new colors – pool, lime and coral heather – have been in high demand, and we have increased our forecast significantly,” Bostwick says.

T-shirts are a wonderful, visual item that your customers can see and feel. Alstyle Apparel’s Proffit emphasizes that this is a perfect way for distributors to get these items in front of customers. Shaman of Expert Brand expands on these sentiments, adding, “Take advantage of the growth in the active lifestyle market, where demand for such products have skyrocketed and are projected to grow even further! Show your clients how performance fabrics have evolved and the on-trend items wearers are looking for, by presenting samples and having them ‘try before they buy.’”

Displaying the shirts is another way to make the most of all they have to offer. Spivey at Hanes says the company’s Coastal Collection can be easily merchandised to resemble a display from a high-end boutique. “Whether with a display in your store or with imagery on your website, it’s a great way to show your customers that you offer the stylish, quality apparel that they want,” he enthuses. Delta Apparel’s Bostwick adds that the company has been introducing new items at industry trade shows, customer meet and greets and through email blasts and print media.

MV Sport’s McGuinness adds to Barry’s thoughts. “From a decorator perspective, we have a great team of creative artists on staff,” he states. “The graphics that they come up with on a daily basis can literally sell the T-shirt. The graphics and decoration on a basic T-shirt can transform the garment into a work of art!”  

Final words of inspiration are offered from Seymour at Next Level Apparel. “Let your imagination drive you and use the new soft hand decoration techniques to match the equality of the garments,” he offers. “Sell the fact that these shirts will be loved and worn over and over, making them a great value and setting up resell opportunities.”