Temptation from our sponsors...
Temptation from our sponsors...
The post title says it all! On the last day of the year*, I present to you five notable brands — brands or companies which have really grown, or exemplified something that others could take a cue from. I wish the best of luck to all indie t-shirt companies in the new year! I hope to see even better things in 2010. 
Please note that these are in no particular order.
1. Tilteed
The t-shirt contest site has become something of a cliche, though given the success Threadless has found, I can’t blame people for trying. A lot of these sites just don’t work out, whether it’s because of lack of interest, or crappy choice in designs, or even customer neglect. Tilteed isn’t a year old yet, and it has already shown itself to be a top contender in its crowded market. The designs are well-chosen and cover a variety of styles. The preorder price is cheap ($12), and the worldwide flat shipping rate of $2 is unheard of. They don’t bandy with blank quality — all shirts are on American Apparel, no questions asked. Customer service emails are prompt and friendly. All in all, a top recommendation for any t-shirt enthusiast.
2. miles to go
I have a special fondness for miles to go, which has evolved quite a bit since its early days. Even so, this is one of the few indie brands where I can say that the old stuff is equal to the new stuff in design quality. Greg is truly dedicated to his business and shows it; every order is accompanied by a personally-written thank you email, a shipping notification, and a no-expiry, 20% off coupon. The gorgeous, intricate designs always look great and feel super-soft, thanks to the thin inks and discharge printing. I’ve had nothing but good experiences with miles to go, and do not hesitate to venture that it will become even better in the coming year.
3. 410 BC
410 BC has released a steady stream of new designs over the course of the past year, each design artful and elegant in its own way. It’s been great seeing them settle into their own unique style — compared to their early lines, their current releases are much more mature and interesting in their use of medieval/antique imagery. This is an example of a start-up indie brand that has evolved into something respected and well-known — I’ve seen nothing but good feedback, and with good reason. I can’t wait to see what 2010’s lines will look like!
4. Made With Awesome
Made With Awesome is the brainchild of two Threadless veterans, and all the great things about the Threadless customer experience are present in this fresh new company, which was launched in the August of this year. There’s an attractive layout, a comprehensive FAQ, detailed information about the shirts and sizing, and of course a spunky sense of humor. Of course, the designs are top-class as well, as is to be expected of designers who have both been printed multiple times at good ol’ Threadless. It’s clear that a lot of time and effort has been put into making Made With Awesome more than another start-up — I can see that it has all the potential to become a leading online t-shirt store.
5. Flying Mouse 365
Right beneath Made With Awesome is another line started up by a Threadless superstar, this time by Chow Hon Lam, better known as Flying Mouse. After winning numerous prints and awards at Threadless, including the “Most Printed Designer” award of 2007, he finally started up his own company. The designs, as expected, are among the best in the t-shirt world, and are printed on American Apparel. I love the rotation idea, which ensures that there’s a steady schedule for new designs, and allows for Flying Mouse’s enormous portfolio to be showcased in manageable amounts. Be sure to check back every Thursday to see what the site is offering up for the week!
6. Teextile
Sadly, not all of these companies will receive a positive endorsement — Teextile, which started up in March 09, had a lot of promise: they printed excellent designs, used American Apparel, and had reasonably low prices. However, they were unable to deliver products in a timely manner — many customers, especially those who purchased later in the year, didn’t receive their shirts at all — with wait times often lasting as long as two months. A lot of the more intricate or complicated prints came out looking terrible. The shirt brand was switched to Alstyle, which prompted even more complaints. That said, there is something good to report here: after this week’s sales, Teextile will be shutting down their business for two weeks to rectify their shipping times, return to American Apparel, and change their pricing structure so things run more smoothly. I’m really pleased that they have finally taken proper steps to earn back their customer’s trust, especially since this contest has a history of printing some of the most awesome designs around.
7. RIPT Apparel
RIPT Apparel is another daily shirt site which got its start this year. It has evolved noticeably since its start; RIPT now offers women’s shirts, which is always appreciated by us female buyers, and has hired a team of curators from well-known t-shirt fans who know how to pick out a good design. Since then, they’ve consistently printed excellent designs which far outdo those chosen at Teefury and Woot. I had some printing issues with a shirt I got from them in the past, but I’m willing to give them another chance once the right shirt comes along.
8. Paper Root Clothing
Paper Root has just outdone itself this year with its new winter line. The designs are super-classy and artistic, not to mention extremely affordable for streetwear. It has quickly risen to become one of my favorite indie brands, and as forum hype indicates, among others as well. I’m sure the Paper Root folks will have even better things for us in the coming year — am I too bold to hope for women’s sizes?
9. Cameesa
2009 was the year Cameesa saw a lot of change. Their novel “crowdfunding” idea, and their pricing structure, proved to be in need of some work, as it was difficult to stir up interest in supporting designs. (Click here for info.) They also tried to change blanks from American Apparel to Tultex in order to keep costs down, which stirred up a lot of anger amongst the community. Eventually, they settled on raising the prices of tees and supports in order to change back to AA. This company is notable in that it’s a really great example of how its maintainers molded their business model several times to find something that worked for them and their customers. The active responses to customer complaints is something to be admired.
*Yes, this post is a day late, but I’m sure you can forgive me for being occupied with friends and family on New Year’s Eve. 
Other great deals to checkout:
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Kathryn
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coren
