Walk into any streetwear shop and pick up a $80 tee. Then a $20 one. The difference isn't branding — it's the fabric. Specifically, the weight, the construction, and the cotton itself.
We've been supplying knit fabric to LA-based brands for 40+ years. Here's everything you need to know to spec a tee that actually feels like the heavy hitters.
Weight is the first decision
Tee weight is measured in oz/yd² (oz per square yard). Industry standard ranges:
- 4–5oz — Standard fast-fashion tee. Thin, see-through, cheap.
- 6–7oz — Mid-weight. The "premium basic" zone. Most American Apparel/Bella Canvas territory.
- 8–10oz — Heavyweight. The streetwear sweet spot. Holds shape, structured shoulders, real drop.
- 12oz+ — Super heavyweight. Boxy fits, almost sweatshirt-feeling. Think Cole Buxton, Lady White Co., the heavier Aimé Leon Dore drops.
Most brands launching now go 8oz or 10oz because that's what people associate with quality. Browse our jersey collection — we carry every weight in the range.
Then: ringspun vs. open-end cotton
Ringspun cotton is twisted tighter, which makes the yarn smoother and the finished fabric softer. Open-end is faster and cheaper to produce but feels rougher.
Every premium streetwear tee is ringspun. If a fabric supplier doesn't tell you which one it is, assume open-end and walk away.
Combed vs. carded
Combed cotton has the short fibers literally combed out, leaving only long staples. Result: smoother surface, less pilling, longer life. Costs more but it's the difference between a tee that lasts 50 washes and one that pills after 5.
For premium tees, you want ringspun + combed cotton. Anything less and your customer will notice in 3 months.
Construction: tubular vs. side-seam
Tubular tees are knit as a continuous tube — no side seams. Cheaper to make but the fabric grain twists after washing. You've seen those tees where the side seam wraps around to the front. That's tubular.
Side-seam construction uses flat-knit fabric cut into pattern pieces and sewn together. More work, no twisting, cleaner silhouette. Required for any tee priced above $40.
Pre-shrunk matters
Cotton shrinks. If your fabric isn't pre-shrunk (sometimes labeled "compacted" or "sanforized"), your tee will lose 5–8% length the first wash. A perfectly fitted size L becomes a too-short M.
Always ask your supplier if the fabric is pre-shrunk. We pre-shrink ours.
Ribbing for collars
The collar is what separates a real tee from a sloppy one. You want matching ribbed neckband — usually a 1x1 or 2x2 rib in the same fiber and color as the body. Stretches, recovers, doesn't sag.
Check our ribbing collection — we stock matching rib for most of our jerseys.
What we'd actually recommend for a launch
If you're a brand spec'ing your first heavyweight tee, here's our default starting recipe:
- 10oz combed ringspun cotton jersey — heavyweight enough to feel premium, not so heavy it's hot to wear.
- Side-seam construction — cleaner silhouette, no twisting.
- Pre-shrunk — so the size your customer orders is the size they get after washing.
- Matching 2x2 ribbed neckband — for that retail-grade collar.
That spec is what most of the brands you're trying to compete with are using. Now you know.
Sourcing it
We supply heavy jersey and ribbing to brands all over LA — small-run startups and established labels both. Order swatches first (a few bucks), confirm the weight and hand-feel, then order yards. We do small runs (5+ yards) and large production runs.
Shop the jersey collection or visit us at 1732 Maple Ave in the LA Fashion District. Questions? contact@kbmfabrics.store.
— The KBM Fabrics team