You can easily tell the age of a vintage T-shirt by the stitching!

Vintage T-shirt freaks often check sleeve and hem stitches to determine the rough age of a T-shirt. One of the most famous methods is to determine the age by the difference between ” single stitch ” and ” double stitch “. Although there are exceptions to this rule, if you know it, it will come in handy when you purchase vintage T-shirts.

Vintage T-shirts from the early 90’s and earlier were ” single-stitched

The ” single stitch ” is used for T-shirts made up to the early 90s. It is characterized by the appearance of a single row of stitches on the sleeves and hem. In Japan, this stitching is also called tenchibiki, and it requires a special sewing machine and the skill of a skilled craftsman who can handle it. Some buyers say that they give priority to old and rare single-stitch T-shirts in order to make efficient purchases from among a large number of T-shirts. In addition, it is not uncommon to find T-shirts of brands produced by designers who are known as collectors of vintage clothing that dare to use single-stitched T-shirts.

Double-stitched” T-shirts from the late 90’s gradually became the mainstream

In 1994 and onward, the “double-stitch” T-shirt specification was introduced as a result of the development of new sewing machines that emphasized production efficiency. As the name suggests, it is characterized by the appearance of two stitches running together. It is said that this type of machine became popular because it is not only easier and faster to handle than single-stitch machines, but also because the two stitches can be expected to increase the fastness of the garment.

T-shirts from the 90’s have single-stitched sleeves and double-stitched hems!

Among the T-shirts of the 1990s that shifted from single-stitching to double-stitching, there are some with mixed specifications, with single-stitched sleeves and double-stitched hems. One of the best parts of vintage T-shirts is that you can find such rare specifications, which are unthinkable with current models.

As mentioned above, the age of vintage T-shirts can be determined to some extent by the stitching, but the exact age should be determined by comprehensively checking the tag, print design, condition, and other factors. It is recommended to use the stitches as a rough guide to determine the age of the T-shirt.

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