[Rehaan]

What makes a Team-BHP T-Shirt special?

It's easy to buy a ready-made T-Shirt and slap a brand label & print design on it.

Needless to say, that's not how Team-BHP does it.

We've put in an exceptional amount of attention to detail every step of the way; picking the right yarn, choosing fabric knit specifications, individually fine-tuning each size, maximizing the quality of the print, and of course - adding the special Team-BHP touches.



A few highlights:

• 100% cotton makes them super breathable in our Indian climate.

• High yarn-count fabrics used. Lighter, more durable and premium feel.

• Fit is incredibly important. Our sizing is tailored specifically to the average Indian build.

• V12s and W16s need not worry, as our 2XLs & 3XLs are B-I-G. No corners have been cut here.

• Finer detailing like the concealed red stitching, anthracite moon-patch and Team-BHP labels make them feel special.

• Shipping out immediately from the Team-BHP Store.

UPDATE: Personalized Tees have been launched

• See this post on page 10 for more details.

[Rehaan]

The T-Shirts

An anthracite moon-patch provides a nice contrast and serves as a sweet background for the Team-BHP label:


Yes, we have the full range of engines available, ranging from the Small Inline-4 to the 3XL W16


On the underside of the hems is a concealed line of red stitching:


A closer look at the red-line:


All tees get this Team-BHP sleeve label on the left shoulder:


Flip the edge of the sleeve over, and the label has something more to say (notice the red stitching here too):


The white tees get a slightly lighter coloured moon-patch, better suited to the white fabric:


As well as all the other touches, like the sleeve label...


...and the concealed red-line stitching:

Link to Team-BHP Store

[Rehaan]

The Designs

We're starting off with this set of tees for you to choose from.

Team-BHP : v3 Style (Black)




Team-BHP : v3 Style (White)




Live To Drive : Lines




Live To Ride : Mountains




The Minimalist




Just Black & Just White


Personalized Plate


Personalized Silhouette


We'll continue to add more t-shirt colours & print designs periodically.

Link to Team-BHP Store

[Rehaan]

Size Chart:

• T-shirt and v3 Hoodie sizes are in sync. If you're happy with your v3 Hoodie size, buy the same t-shirt size. If your v3 Hoodie was a very loose fit, you can drop a size (note: v1 & v2 hoodies were differently sized).

• Actual garment dimensions for your reference. For best results: measure a t-shirt that you like, and choose the size of the Team-BHP T-Shirt with the closest dimensions.



Size Matrix:

• This is based on feedback from BHPians who have tried on the tees.

• Where there are 2 sizes, think of it like a slim-fit versus a relaxed-fit. If still in doubt, choose the size based on which end of the weight-range you belong to (for that cell).

• There are clearly some anomalies (due to wearer preferences), but we'll continue to update this until it gets more accurate and covers all heights & weights.

Height vs Weight (Kgs)


• Still not sure? Check out the pictures shared by BHPians in this post.

Link to Team-BHP Store

[Rehaan]

A closer look at what our tees are all about, as well as some interesting titbits we learned along the way:

Fabric

• Our tees are 100% combed cotton. Soft, breathable and ideal for Indian climatic conditions.
• GSM (grams/sq m) is an incomplete way to gauge fabric quality, as it's based purely on weight. It's like judging a car based on kerb weight alone . We've ignored GSM and instead focused on all the individual parameters that make a great fabric.
• Yarn count is pretty damn important. The higher the number, the finer the yarn. Cheap tees are made of coarse 20s yarn, while 24s yarn is used in your average tee. Our coloured tees are made from super-fine 30s yarn...you can feel the difference.
• Our white tees are made from 26s, and that's because when we saw the 30s white, it was slightly see-through. So, we chose a little thicker 26s for the white instead.
• The thinner the yarn, the tighter it has to be knit. This higher knitting gauge helps the fabric hold its shape for longer too.
• The black fabric is a bit stretchier than the white. Some people even assume it has Lycra blended in, but nope - it's pure cotton!
• The fabric used is 'open panna' (non-looped panels). Meaning, it comes to the factory like a sheet, rather than a tube. This type of knit means the fabric is more resistant to torqueing. Ever have a tee where the seams that are supposed to be on the sides start to spiral around your torso after a few washes? That's torqueing.
• Trivia: When buying knit fabric for mass production, it isn't measured in meters... it's measured in tons! You get about 4,200 T-shirts per ton.


Dyeing

• Every colour can be made using several different 'dye recipes' (which are usually trade secrets). Even when dealing with a colour like black, there are multiple types (e.g. reddish & bluish blacks - each with their own characteristics). We chose between very similar looking swatches to get the richest, longest-lasting black.
• Interesting fact 1: Since white fabric requires less processes and time at the dyeing stage, it is cheaper to produce than coloured fabric.
• Interesting fact 2: If you use the exact same fabric to make white & coloured tees, the white tee will actually weigh lesser! This difference is due to the weight of the dye that attaches to the fabric.
• We've put our fabric through specialized garment lab tests to ensure it meets the standards for shrinkage and colour fastness, although if you're particular - it doesn't hurt to wash them separately the first time.


Fit & Sizing

• There is no standardized reference for sizing, resulting in a huge difference between brands and different parts of the world.
• Fit is incredibly important, and we've customized ours specifically to the Indian frame. Read on...
• Usually, a 'fit' is perfected for a middle-size (e.g. Large) and then, simple additions/subtractions are made to the individual dimensions to create the other sizes. This formulaic approach is called 'grading', and it's rather lazy & inaccurate. People don't increase in all dimensions proportionally! Instead of doing it this way, we've fine-tuned the fit of each size individually, based on feedback from several people who tried our samples.
• Manufacturers typically make just 1 pre-production set. Much to our manufacturer's chagrin, we went through FIVE pre-production sets, making very minor adjustments until everything was absolutely perfect.
• We worked in centimeters (not inches). This gives a greater resolution, and also makes the workers be more accurate when cutting & stitching.
• My personal pet peeve is when t-shirt sleeves stick out with pointy tips - like they've been starched flat in 2D. We've adjusted measurements and tweaked cut patterns to prevent this from happening.
• There's a mentality in the garment industry of not making 2XL & 3XL too big, since the fabric saved there can be used to make additional smaller pieces (manufacturers get paid per piece). We've not cut corners here, and our 3XL is B-I-G!


Construction

• Fabric is stretched when it is knitted, rolled & packed, so it tends to contract when opened up. We made sure to unravel and 'relax' the fabric for a whole 24 hrs before cutting it, which lets it contract to its natural length (prevents dimensional changes later).
• There are several small tricks and construction processes that add to the longevity, comfort and fit of the tee. Our manufacturer had a handful of these, thanks to their years of experience, and they've all been applied to the Team-BHP Tees.
• Shoulder to shoulder tape adds to the structure, comfort & feel of the tee (a lot of tees don't have it, or have it just on the neck).
• Good production houses will cut all the pieces of a single garment from the same roll of fabric. This prevents colour variations on different parts of the garment. Think of it like painting a car! Two body panels that were not painted (dyed) at the same time will always have a slight colour difference. Now imagine that between the body and the sleeves of your tee.
• The anthracite grey "moon-patch" inside the collar serves the purpose of preventing the label stitching from showing on the rear of the tee. The contrast looks awesome too (the white tees get a lighter grey, to prevent it from showing through the white fabric).
• The Team-BHP labels are digitally woven (rather than printed or heat-transferred). This means they won't rub off or fade, even after several washes.
• The printing of the designs is done on a totally automated machine where the screens and squeegee move automatically. This guarantees screen alignment, and provides consistency.
• We tried to stay eco-friendly by avoiding unnecessary tags and packaging material. There's still some room for further optimization here, which we hope to do soon.

Link to Team-BHP Store

[Rehaan]

BHPians in our Tees

Mods & DBHPians got their hands on the Tees pre-release and have shared the following pics:

Photo credit: hemanth.anand

IronH4wk - 82kg - 5'9" - XL


arun_josie - 82kg - 5'11" - L


dhanushs - 91kg - 5'8" - 2XL


hemanth.anand - 70kg - 5'7" - M


hemanth.anand - 70kg - 5'7" - M


//M - 105kg - 6'2" - 2XL and libranof1987 - 70kg - 5'10" - L


RavenAvi - 84kg - 6ft - XL


IronH4wk - 82kg - 5'9" - XL


Rajeevraj - 77kg - 5'11" - L


Manson - 90kg - 5'7" - XL


Jaggu - 86kg - 5'10" - XL and Vid6639 - 75kg - 6' - L (but also wears XL)


libranof1987 - 70kg - 5'10" - L


Request: Let's NOT make this a T-Shirt spotting thread, in the interest of people's privacy .

Link to Team-BHP Store

[Rehaan]

(Link to Team-BHP Store)

[sukiwa]

Thanks a ton to all involved.
Was expecting an announcement on 14th Feb, but any day is better for a good deed.

[BoneCollector]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Size Matrix:

Height vs. Weight (Kgs)

.

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Size Chart:

.

Amazing attention to detail. This size chart will do wonders. Thanks a lot. Ordering ASAP.

[Flyer]

Looks awesome. For the price it’s been offered, looks like a good deal. Looks really good on DBHPns in the pics. Will get mine soon. Looking forward for more great products from Team BHP.

[GranvilleDsouza]

Excellent! This is one of the best reveals



Order for 2 done, the waiting starts!

[aravind.anand]

Awesome new unveil, and a good step in the right direction. Will pick up once we have more colour options available - I am sure the team would already be working on this.

Just wondering why the plain T-shirts are prices on par with the other designs though.

[ashis89]

Thanks for the t-shirts. I had been waiting for them since long. Ordered one and waiting now. Based on the fitting of this one, I will order a couple more.

Thanks again.

PS: Can we have Anthracite grey and blue color options please?

[SJM1214]

Wow. AN Excellent new addition to the list of Team-BHP Merchandises. Just Ordered mine. By the way, are we planning to introduce Team-BHP branded Polo t-shirts?

[DragonHawk]

Thanks Rehaan for this excellent addition!

This announcement has certainly came at a right time when my new ecosport is scheduled for delivery new week. Ordered 2 shirts and hope I get it before mid of next week.