Doesn't really matter to me, but I've noticed it matters quite a bit to a few people around here. I just don't like my shirts to be real thin or cheap.

American Apparel shirts need a little more care than other shirts, so if people don't know to do things like wash them inside out or use cold water then there will be some issues. I prefer AA shirts because they are made in America by Americans. There have been some recent issues with the owner of the company that are bizarre, but I would still buy from them.

I think social responsibility is incredibly important, and so yes, I would buy the shirts if I knew they were printed on a local brand that doesn't use sweatshops. I actually haven't bought a men's shirt from Threadless in a while for that very reason. I try to do that with everything I buy. So when my flip-flops break I'm screwed because I can't find any that aren't manufactured in China.

what bizarre kind of shit? that he weaves his pubes into the products?

^ thats what im hearing

Doesn't matter to me.

And, from Mr.Domino's comment...I doubt I'd be able to handle washing them right and stuff like that.

That he's apparently the creepy uncle in the family with the bad comb-over that wears different shades of polyester suits. There's been some sexual harrasment lawsuits filed against him. I don't know if you are aware, but all the photo advertisements for the company, (i.e. all the half naked women in alluring poses) are photogrphed by the owner in one of the many "apartments" the company owns around the country.

Nothing official has happened from the suits yet, which is why for now I still support them.

I'm also contemplating selling my men's shirts printed on AA. I like the colors and the feel of the shirts, though I still have doubts about their durability (the few that I've had wore down pretty quickly).

I've actually gotten email from people who won't buy my women's shirts because they are AA and the various issues with the CEO, so I suppose it also depends on what you view as being socially responsible. Call me calloused, but unless the manufacturer is doing something completely horrific, I'll sell a specfic brand of tee if I like it.

Hmmm, lots of people seem to mention AA being thinner or needing more care but my wifa hasnt noticed anything odd about them. If there was a massive social difference behind the manufacturing process i would certainly go for the one with the best morals but i never know that stuff.

I don't think there's a huge social problem - the CEO is in court for sexual harassment, but it's 2 people getting bothered versus whole factory of little kids sewing shirts all day long for no pay...As a girl, I prefer AA because they're softer, less stiff, and fit well.

i say print it on what's comforatble and afforadble. if it's those two things i have no complaints.

Yea, I think the sex scandal stuff is pretty weak, but it's better than sweatshop labor policies.
I'm still not sure what people talk about when they say that AA shirts need more care. I throw my shirts in the laundry with my jeans and socks and everything else and they last just fine. I've never experienced any cracking or peeling of my prints and the shirts themselves hold up just as well if not better than the Gilden shirts I used to have.

i don't like the fit or feel of fruit of the loom...i don't hate it, but it's not my first choice.
however, i'll take what i can get. i won't complain as the only shirts i've bought were with credits....
oh wait, the was i <3 destroy that totally shrunk the fuck up. oh well.

mr.domino without sweat shop thousands of people would be put out of work, wont make any money and wont be able to feed their children, unless children are working there, so if u buy sweatshop material it helps the kids/parents in 3rd world countries. if everyone stopped purchasing sweat shop things like i said people would starve. its not fair the only thing u can do is complain to the companies that makes 70$ off one pair of shoes and pays who knows 5$ or less to get them made. life isnt fair

I have never personally owned an AA shirt, but I think FOTL is fine. I just wouldnt want the price to go up by more than 2 dollars if it was done on AA shirts instead.

The very reason that people are starving is BECAUSE of sweatshops. If a kid works in a sweatshop for the entirety of his or her life, that child never goes to school or learns a trade. Which means that the adult that grows from that child has no means to improve his or her situation or the situation of their children, which means that to feed that family the next generation of children work in sweatshops because no one knows any better. That perpetuatues the cycle of world poverty.

Ask yourself something, if you never learned the most rudimentary things, like reading and writing, what would YOU do in this country? Load trucks? Push carts? Where would you live on that salary? Would you understand the resposibility of having a family and not have children?

The countries we refer to as the "third world" operated without corporate outsourcing for a long time and still managed to feed their children. But sweatshops for our deceptively happy companies have perverted their natural culture into a life of dependence. Which all works out very well for the CEOs of said businesses.

Yes it's true that life isn't fair. Does that mean that we should just accept it when things go wrong? That seems like a very convenient stance to me: "I'd get up and help out, but life's not fair, get used to it." Logically then, should we just let killers run free? Sure it's an injustice, but life isn't fair. Did someone just steal all your belongings? That's too bad, but hey, life isn't fair.

alot of people have problems with aa shirts, and the fruit shirts that are currently being used.....

how about:
Gildan Activewear
Delta Proweight
Anvil

those are just a few.... i have a few of each, and they all hold up well, and i looked at some wholesale sites and they are pretty cheap. But threadless is going to buy the shirts that they want to buy, unless everyone stops buying the current shirts.... which would almost be impossable to do.

I heard they're making thier own soon, which excites me.

Yeah, apparently Threadless is waiting for their shipment of third world children to arrive to begin work on the new shirts.

Haha, you're a funny guy.

Shouldn't you be out feeding the starving kids?

I do what little I can, but you have to clean your own yard before to tell other people to pick up the trash in theirs.

To answer your original question - yes, I am more likely to buy a shirt if it is AA, because of the fit and quality. The men's small fits perfectly after a wash ... especially on girls who don't want to buy a women's large and look like the Hulk (due to the obscenely short sleeves and body).

MrDomino:

the poorest people in developing countries are NOT those working in sweatshops, but the VAST majority who work in subsistence agriculture.

i've read countless articles that quote mothers that say "my fondest dream is for my son to work in a sweatshop" etc

yes, it would be great if all companies had more corporate responsibility, etc, etc, etc. and i think it's good for people to buy fair-trade stuff (coffee, for example) as much as possible. However, if everyone stopped buying anything that with a tag that said "Made in ___insert developing country___" even less money would be pumped into those economies. ... most of the poorest countries today are those with closed economies (ie no sweatshops) while places like Korea which were completely "third world" 40 years ago have pulled themselves out of poverty on a wave of sweatshops. It's a cruel way to do it - inequality and all - but it's better than having everyone poor.

it seems the concensus here is (as with the rest of america) if it saves me two dollars and i don't have to see the consequences, then save me my two dollars, dammit! i live in the wealthiest country (with an economy supported by china and saudi arabia) and two dollars is too much to spare!

as i said...i heard that AA weaves in herpes ridden pubes into the collar elastic- pass it on....

Well Travis, lol, I'm going to assume that it's just a simple myth and hope that my customers don't end up with herpes from my T-Shirts.

I"m trying to figure up something here, and it's hard to do. The casual T-Shirt buyer won't spend over $20 for a T-Shirt, because they don't know what AA is and don't care. They just see a T-Shirt for over $20. And honestly you have to sell AA printed shirts for at LEAST $20 to cut a decent profit.

The T-Shirt conessiuers will like the idea of AA because it's Slim Fitted, sweatshop free, whatever you like about AA, and they'll probably pay the $20 or $30 for a T shirt if the design is good enough.

I've heard people say that the AA shirts get too thin and aren't good quality, but at the same time others say they LIVE by AA and will only wear that. I'm in a rough spot here. I'm going to do some preliminary tests on some AA shirts to see how they wash, and hold the print etc, but even if that goes good it's still a difficult decision to make...

Anyway, thought I would vent that.

Thanks for your input guys!

Also:

Quote by Mr. Domino: "I heard they're making thier own soon, which excites me. "

You can NEVER please everyone. I would imagine that even if they switch to the new custom cut Tee, that around half of the people will still find a way to complain about it. Mark my words on that.

True enough. But at least they have the means in that case to change the pattern. Really, there's nothing to stop them from just cutting the seams on the FTL tees they use now and just matching the cut.

I think AA is all over... Best quality :)

Ooo! Slim fitted? That I did not hear. That sells me, really. I love slim fit shirts.

AA is the shit. I swear by AA I will not wear anything else.

I prefer AA simply because they're softer, less stiff, an easier fit, and all around more comfortable. :) But I have to get the mens shirts...so no AA for me anymore.

erm, I was still on my girlfriends account by accident (sherpas) :o

um...but she feels the same way, so it's all good...

I prefer AA

Dov Charney is one of the founders of American Apparel and the owner as far as the media is concerned but he is really a co-owner. He outed himself as a kronic masturbator to a reporter from Jane magazine — while masturbating -- In front of her -- in several occasions. -- and got a BJ in front of her -- from an employee. Google masturbation and Dov Charney. Dude thinks he is John Holmes. He is a little guy with a little penis who ahppens to be rich. He needs his asssss kicked good and plenty ya-hear. Keep buying his cumrag shirts and keep supporting his version of porn in america. (softer, less stiff,haha)

American Apparel shirts are excellent. The fit is great, the cotton is soft and they print real well. I am happy that they are made in the US by employees who are both treated well and paid fairly.

But what really clinches it for me is when my girlfriend walks by and caresses me when I am wearing an American Apparel shirt while commenting on its softness.

I am so sold.

"I prefer AA shirts because they are made in America by Americans."

well, they're made in america at least.

I love American Apparel, and own a few things from there. I'd love threadless even more if they printed on it.

i buy only again shirts if they take AA.
i have always different sizes... thats not good!

so threadless - take AA!!!

cheerio from germany