The Problem with Streetwear...

[homi]

The problem with streetwear right now, is that companies rely more on the designs than the quality of the garments. I think for the prices that companies are charging , more stuff should be Cut/Sew, especially with higher end goods such as hoodies/sweaters.


I mean just look at BAPE, the quality ive heard has been declining even though prices stayed the same .I wouldn't feel bad droppin 3bills if i knew it was top quality materials/construction like NDG(for example) or even Supreme.

Also with smaller brands like the Hundreds, who i love. Ive been buying their tees for a minute, but i saw the hoodies in person, and they're WAY too thin esp for cold CAnadian winters. They were selling for $100 at ransom, and i think thats way too much for just a screenprinted hoody.

So lets put some pressure on these guys to step up their game, i love supporting independent companies, just wish their stuff was a little higher quality in the details

[pwnzj00]

Some hoodys are thin, others are thick. Just gotta do your research. I will say i was a bit disappointed in the quality of my Icecream tee i got...but my Supreme tee is super nice. It just all depends on who makes it, where it comes from, etc. Ask people before you buy would be my best suggestion...

[Azz]

true about some hoodies being thick and others being thin

[homi]

well its not just the thickness
but little details

like the drawstring, the kangeroo pocket, metal zips etc

[andrew3sixteen]

its not that easy dude....

for indie companies starting out, its just not possible to do cut n' sew. yes, LRG sells shirts for $24 retail and so do smaller companies, but the reason LRG can do it is because they have crazy high quantities and their tshirts end up costing about $1-$2 max even with custom cuts, tool tape, and advanced application techniques (flocking, gel prints, numerous colors). when you're making 100-500 of a particular design, your shirts end up costing a whole lot more per unit and you still have to price yourself within what the market expects (i.e. $20-$30 retail). people generally get pretty miffed when they realize that it only costs about $5-$8 to silkscreen and tag a blank tee and it sells in a store for $25.... they think the company is laughing all the way to the bank. it's not that simple though. take that, add in advertising and trade shows (without some sort of marketing, its hard to even get the word out on your brand... the market is so oversaturated that you need to get your product/brand in front of consumers and buyers somehow).... and companies are just barely getting by. ask indie streetwear companies - we all are either just squeaking by or have a side hustle to put food on the table; sometimes both.

also keep in mind that just because ransom is selling the hundreds hoody for $100, that doesnt mean that the hundreds are charging $50 wholesale for it. ransom can charge whatever they like and if they are selling it at that price, why not. the hundreds arent exactly responsible for that.

i do agree that companies should carefully select their blanks and try to offer their consumers the best quality product possible, but believe me homi - its not possible for small lines to put together cut and sew items. it takes several years of building up funds (or investment money) and certain quantities to make it happen. the end result is this.... you are paying for the originality and quality of the design (exactly what you mentioned). sure you could pay the same amount for a cut n' sew sean john hoody, but you wont.

its a tough businesss.

[homi]

I appreciate the long and well thought out reply.

I understand many of the issues that independent brands face, and I will so go through and meet the same issues, when im starting up my own brand..

I understand the difficulty and expense of doing cut & sew. But my main point is that even with printed/screened items, the base blank should be given more thought. Theres brands out there who do provide decent quality blanks at a reasonable price, and thus i dont see why more indie labels dont seek out those type of materials.

I believe that if a cheaper hoody/t-shirt blank is used, the cost should reflect that and not hinge entirely on the design/"brand" popularity.

Sure with cases like the hundreds, they might not have the resources to put out the higheset quality materials into a hoody. But certainly with BAPE , they should make no cuts in material/quality, like i've heard some BAPEheads complain about

[andrew3sixteen]

homi-

agreed, a lot of people dont really think too hard about what they are offering their customer. i wish more labels would. things like nicer tags and embellishments make blanks a bit nicer, even if they arent 100% custom. now, a lot of cats wont even notice that a company is using blanks, but to the more discerning customer certainly will. i cant tell you how many times i check out a shirt and the original tag is hacked off poorly, with threads hanging all over the place. that sucks.... brands should have better quality control and quit putting out cheap and halfhearted efforts. not all consumers will notice, but many will.

as for brands like bape cutting corners, i agree that's really weak. especially for the money thats being charged, there's no reason to not offer more for the money.

[hollywood starzz]

Im not the one to jump into peoples business but this topic was so good I had to jump in.Andrew3sixteen and homi you both are absoluetly right about the indie and big companies.I myself have a clothing line on the rise for this year and I agree with what you said about the thin/thick hoody issues.But when buying this stuff you wanna know what kind of quality your getting first hand.I have asked a couple of people where to get good quality hoodies and sweaters but most have told me to order online.If finding this stuff is a problem then what are we to do???

[homi]

its true, it definitely is hard finding good quality suppliers

but for that u gotta do more work/research, in the end, the clothing industry like any other is controlled by connections, and in that regard, u gotta have a name/reputation b4 u get connections. Which is kind of a paradox...

but i would start by looking around at different brands, seeing what they use, or just looking at blanks. Try to keep an open eye out and try out as many brands as possible and map shit out before u get too deep into creating ur own clothing

[Fresh King Of M.I.A]

what is cut and sewn exactly like whats so great about it

[carlos]

My beef with companies, big or small, is that some can't tell the difference between simplicity in design and poor craftsmanship. A well-place scribble on a tee can make a brand (just ask Shawn Stussy) but a poorly hacked tag replaced with a "Name" can leave you feeling cheated (as, until recently, I've often felt when I've bought some UNDFTD tees over the years that were essentially shoddy tags hastily sewn over xacto slices on a Hanes Beefy T).

What's more, not all hoody's were designed with Canadian weather in mind...and not all consumers want an ultra thin hoody. Choices, on both the supply and demand ends, are what make the marketplace.

[yuljo]

Originally Posted by Fresh King Of M.I.A

what is cut and sewn exactly like whats so great about it

Cut and sew is the process of cutting the fabric and sewing it to the clients specifications but generally the minimums are high and is a higher risk. Small brands often will just buy blanks (premade garments) and just screenprint them or embellish them slightly.

[bnj]

would you rather have a so/so t' or hoodie knowing its a custom pattern, or a good cut knowing it was a blank from american apparel or AAA or something?

[tomxkaws]

try living in england

ud be on the street protesting about prices instead of posting in this topic

[homi]

Originally Posted by bnj

would you rather have a so/so t' or hoodie knowing its a custom pattern, or a good cut knowing it was a blank from american apparel or AAA or something?

Cut & Sew is generally higher quality, or AT least has the potential to be

having said that, i have no problem with AAA tees

the problem lies with more complicated items such as hoodies, and such