An original icon

We had a lovely piece written about us today by Mens Style Blogger Matthew Pike from Buckets & Spades. 

"I wear a plain white t-shirt most days, usually under a shirt or sweatshirt, but lately I've branched out to the idea of wearing one on its own. I've tried out many brands and it's hard to find the perfect fit - loose necks, baggy arms, short bodies or not washing well. I was recently gifted a piece by a company that concentrates on doing one thing + one thing well, The White T-Shirt Co. I opted for the Short Sleeve Relaxed Fit Crew, which is perfect to wear under a jacket or shirt as it, being medium weight fabric. I've been impressed by reinforced seams + hem, bounded neckline and the fact they only use sustainable fabrics. They're also totally open to where every detail of their product is sourced, even the packaging."

How many days this week have you worn a t-shirt?

The chances are you've worn a t-shirt of some description almost daily and considering that one £35 t-shirt worn once a fortnight over 5 years works out at 27p per wear (14p over 10 years!), that's no bad thing.

Did you know that last year marked the 100th anniversary of the t-shirt? And the great thing is that this iconic classic continues on. A quality t-shirt effortlessly rocks sustainable values; timeless, versatile and hard wearing.

The humble t-shirt evolved from undergarments used in the 19th century, (think ‘Long Johns’). Adopted by miners during the late 19th century and then later issued by the U.S. Navy, this iconic item became the tradional bottom layer of clothing for workers in various industries: they were easily fitted, easily cleaned, and inexpensive. By the year 1920, the word "t-shirt" became an official American-English word in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Practical and hardworking the t-shirt began its journey as a largely functional item but from the 1960s onwards it started to embody self-expression; a blank canvas on which to convey protest messages, brand allegiance and cultural identity...cheap, disposable and definatly not made to last!

A good t-shirt though is affectionately named ‘The Wardrobe Warhorse, it's too comfortable and classic to ever be out of fashion. What other item has such utility, longevity and makes a such sound financial investment? Jenny Baugmgatter, the author of “You are what you wear” assisted CustomInk with some research which showed that 87% of survey respondents had a t-shirt which they would not throw out “It actually does become a part of peoples’ identity, so throwing away the shirt would be like throwing away a part of them.”

With proud origins in utilitarian work wear, worn day-in and day-out for generations, the t-shirt has the potential to become a sustainability superhero once again.

When you think of your next t-shirt purchase, follow Matt's example, don’t settle for anything less than great fabrics, beautifully made, organic, fair-trade – one that will go the distance, and become a future vintage favourite that you can’t ever bear to be parted from.

We're always curious about how our t-shirts continue their journey once they leave us - please feel free to tweet, facebook or intagram any pictures to show us how you wear yours!

Matt is wearing - Farah Vintage Jacket | T-Shirt c/o The White T-Shirt Co. | Dickies Shorts | Converse Star Player | Atlanta Braves Cap