Temptation from our sponsors...
Temptation from our sponsors...
Now that I’ve purchased a replacement camera charger (those damn things simply get lost too easily!), I’m going to start doing photo reviews! The name is pretty self-explanatory: in these regular features, I will review a company or brand I’ve recently ordered from, and provide undoctored photographs of the physical, actual tees.
As promised in a previous post, first up is 410 BC, an independent brand providing “limited edition apparel for free thinkers & conscious consumers.” They sell t-shirts, jackets, sweaters, skateboards, hoodies, and other cut-and-sew pieces. I bought a bunch of tees from them during their 50% off sales this October.
At a Glance
410 BC’s website and tee designs have a modern-art aesthetic with a special hint of classic old-world flavor. Their antique map and starry sky motifs adorn the majority of their packaging and graphics. The visual styles and themes differ slightly between the seasonal lines, leaving you wondering what 410 BC will come up with next.
I’m especially fond of their Big Cartel store design, which was created by the masters at The Black Axe. It’s clean and easy to navigate. It’d be nice if the male and female size options for the same design were lumped together, though, as the large amount of products makes for a lot of scrolling.
The Shirts
410 BC prides itself on printing on sweatshop-free clothing, a phrase which has become ubiquitous with American Apparel. The shirts come with custom sewn tags. The prints are crisp and neat. I can’t really think of much else to say about these tees, other than they are of excellent quality.
I do, however, have to comment on the fact that some of the product photos are a tad misleading in the color of the tee, particularly for the Ritual tee. (The tee is no longer up for sale in the store.) This shirt is actually a vibrant baby blue color, as opposed to the white seen in the model photos. The Modern Knight and Black Hole shirts also appear white, but actually have a (very) light heather gray texture. Light blue simply doesn’t look that good on me, so I’ll probably be returning the Ritual tee, which is disappointing since I do like the design. Perhaps toning down the bloom/Photoshop next time would be advisable, especially since it seems the same thing is to blame for washing out the colors in most of these beautiful designs.
You can view photographs of all the shirts in the gallery at the bottom.
Shipping and Service
The shirts came packaged in a custom-printed mailing bag with 410 BC’s logo against an antique map graphic. Inside, the shirts were protected by a heavy-duty clear plastic bag, which also contained a promotional card for the brand, a few stickers, and a fun little goodie (a set of plastic vampire teeth). It perturbs me as to why it cost around $13 to ship my order, though, because from experience (I did a lot of eBaying this summer), I know it doesn’t cost that much to send four shirts in a mailing bag.
According to their website, 410 BC is all about having a good relationship with their customers, and it shows. They offer full refunds (including shipping) and reimburse you for the cost of shipping a return. The owners are friendly and personable, and interact with their customers via their constantly-updated blog and Twitter. When I emailed them about their order, I got a quick and helpful response. It would have been nice to receive a shipping notification and perhaps a tracking number, but that’s the only criticism I have.
Closing Thoughts
410 BC clothing costs a little more than usual, but you can be assured that you’re getting quality products and service from this indie brand.
Other great deals to checkout:
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fletchy
