Brother

here are two primary types of yarn used to make T-shirts: open end and ring spun. The difference between the two comes from the yarn-spinning method. For a variety of reasons, ring-spun cotton is considered the better choice when it comes to digital printing. Factor 1 What kind of yarn is used to make the shirt? RING SPUN OPEN END T "It is an additional process where the fibers are twisted resulting in additional softness and a tighter knit, which benefits the printer and the wearer," says Mindy Anastos, Vice President, Production Planning for LAT Apparel in Ball Ground, GA. The more involved production for ring-spun yard creates the need for additional labor causing it to be more expensive than open-end options. "Open-end yarns tend to be coarser, more loosely bound and rougher thread," adds Ken White, vice president of sales, Cotton Heritage. "There are a lot of carded open-end products out there. The determining factor is price. Giveaway and promotional T-shirts are generally carded and open end." "Even with the appropriate amount of ink for a digital print, I have seen carded, open-end garments look like there wasn't enough coverage," says White. A third yard making process known as vortex spinning closely mimics the hand and performance of ring-spun yarns. But according to Gary Bell at Gildan, "It uses significantly less energy and creates less waste than ring-spun yard, therefore, it delivers better value to consumers."

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