Loop-wheeled t-shirts
Are they really better ?
You are looking for the best t-shirt, and you're willing to spend $50-$100 on a t-shirt. Why would you ? Or better, why should you ? Cut and sew is available, and it is an established method that produces long-lasting t-shirts, too. Let’s dive into it.
The method
Tubular tube knitting machines hang from the factory ceiling and knit the yarn in a circular motion, which is intended to maintain the fabric’s integrity and knit the fabric with far lower tension. The process is also significantly slower than today’s methods.
While this method produces a fluffier, bouncier fabric that is under less tension, it’s not all roses and rainbows in t-shirt country.
Loopwheel tees can be tricky, not only because the fabric is more irregular but also because the lack of side seams can lead to unexpected shrinkage of the entire shirt or cause bodies to twist over time due to the lack of the aforementioned side seams.
Using extra-long staple cotton and pre-shrinking the shirts can eliminate these issues without compromising the loop-wheeled fabric’s characteristics.
The shrinkage is supposedly smaller on loop-wheeled garments because the yarn is spun in one go, as opposed to different panels being sewn together. The whole idea is that the movement of the fabric is subsequently reduced because no loose ends and sewing lines are holding the garment together, at least in the body part.
1940s relaxed fit 5.5oz loopwheel t-shirt - 1920s classic fit 5.5oz loopwheel t-shirt
Slubbiness
Slubby weaves (uneven) give the yarn more flexibility to move around within the weave; it is not all about tension and density but a certain springiness and reduced rigidity.
Knitted shirts
If you want soft, supple yet heavy t-shirts, why not choose a knitted t-shirt instead ? They are frequently blended with linen or cashmere, and due to being knitted provide a much richer texture and visual depth.
Suvin Gold
You have heard me talk about staple length, if you want the cream of the crop cotton, Suvin Gold, Ramayana is a “mainstream“ t-shirt in this cotton.
3rd party review
Here is a long-term review of several loop-wheeled t-shirts by content creator Cameron O.
Fabricateurialist’s TLDR
It is a great production method that very few companies still have the machines for, but it does not automatically lead to better t-shirts. If the cotton is of low quality or if the garments are not pre-shrunk, no amount of loopwheel production will enhance the lifespan of these garments. It is almost more of an aesthetic choice that you are making versus one of longevity because if you watched the video review above, some of these famed loop-wheeled t-shirts haven’t held up well and, I would argue, look even worse than traditional cut-and-sew t-shirts.
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