A graphic tee is such a small thing to have an opinion about, until there's a strawberry or a ladybug on it that a child really wants to wear. We like that part of making these shirts. The drawing gets to matter, right alongside the cotton and the way the shirt fits.
If you're deciding whether an organic cotton tee is worth buying, we'd look at all of those things together. Where does the cotton come from? What is the print like? Can you picture it with the clothes already in the drawer? The organic label answers a material question, while those other details help you decide what this particular shirt is worth to your family.
Look at what you're buying, from the cotton onward
Our Strawberry Tee starts with an undyed organic cotton base, with cotton grown in the USA. We screen print the design in our San Francisco studio. The warm natural base is part of how the finished shirt looks, so include that background when you imagine it in an outfit.
The Heart Tee is 100% organic cotton, grown, milled and made in the USA. Each heart is block printed individually. Those are two parts of the story—the cloth and the printing—and our organic cotton label guide explains what the material language does and doesn't cover.
A shirt they can have a say in
A blueberry and a ladybug can do the same practical job in a wardrobe and still feel like very different choices to the person wearing them. If a child wants to take part, offer a few designs that work for the size and garment you need, and see what interests them.
Then put the chosen tee with two or three things you already own. Jeans, a familiar jogger, the shorts that are always ready to go. It's a simple way to find out whether you're adding a useful top or also signing up to find several other pieces for it.
We wouldn't expect a favorite graphic to remain a favorite forever. Growth and changing interests are part of buying kids clothes, and they're worth including when you think about price or estimate cost per wear.
The fit and the print deserve a closer look
Measure a shirt that fits well across the chest and down the body. If you want more room, decide how much extra length you want with it. Several Everyday Tees suggest sizing up for an oversized look; our tee sizing guide explains that choice, including the move between toddler and youth labels.
For the print, look at the small details in the photographs. The Heart Tee's individual block impressions vary a little in their lines and how the ink settles. Screen printing uses another way of putting the drawing on the shirt. Our printing guide shows why those differences can be part of the appeal.
Keep the care instructions with the garment, including when it goes to another child. A shirt's print, fabric and fit all need to work with the way it will be worn and washed.
And if there's a birthday coming up, the tee can have a special first outing and then settle into ordinary use. Our birthday-shirt piece talks about that idea. We'd like the drawing to be something you enjoy choosing, with enough attention to the rest of the shirt that it gets worn.
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