Hey—big news today!

Our Blank Tees just got a seasonal refresh with brand-new colors. But here’s the thing: these shades wouldn’t exist if we hadn’t first solved a bigger problem—making a blank tee that actually lived up to our standards. So, let’s take you behind the seams of how we went from “good enough” to our perfect fit.

The problem

If you’ve been around for a while, you might’ve known that lttstore.com started as a destination  for the hottest Linus Tech Tips t-shirts. But as our business grew, so did our selection – and with it, the standards we set for ourselves. That’s where we started running into issues with the American Apparel blanks we were using for our prints. 

Firstly, the fit and quality were sometimes inconsistent. This is an issue that companies can encounter when outsourcing their blanks to another manufacturer because of a change in mill or supplier. Second, they didn’t offer a size larger than 2XL… and their 2XL was already a little tighter than we’d like.

So that’s when we made the big decision: let’s make our own blank t-shirt! That way, we could have complete control over any changes to the t-shirt, as well as being able to get really particular about fit and feel which is something we care very deeply about.

Finding the right fabric & fit

Linus’ goal at this point was to improve upon the fit and feel of the American Apparel tees, while keeping it familiar. At this point, this was only the second time we’d ever sourced fabric ourselves (the first time being the original WAN hoodie)... and it turned into quite a long process to say the least. Why?

Because Linus had a very specific definition of good:

• Lightweight, with a soft hand feel.

• Drapes properly on the body.

• Doesn’t shrink or fade.

• Labels and stitching you can’t feel.

Bridget (who had just joined the team) tapped her contacts at two different manufacturers to send over some samples. Most retail brands would compromise after a couple of rounds of sending samples back and forth. However, we went through six. In fact, we came very close to choosing one… until the second company sent something even better very shortly after. That was the winner.

Once the fabric was set, we turned to fit. With the help of a brand-new fit tech who had also just joined the team, we designed sizing from S–3XL. Instead of just scaling up the smaller sizes (which many other companies do), we actually adjusted proportions to fit real bodies. This is especially important at the larger sizes.

Now came the most exciting part: deciding on colors. Bridget walked into Linus’ office carrying a massive book of swatches with hundreds of options. Instead of playing it safe, Linus went bold. After being limited to black blanks with American Apparel, he finally had the freedom to bring in bright, eye-catching colors that would stand out both in person and in YouTube thumbnails. Since then, we’ve dialed back the colors to be a little more wearable from day-to-day, but it certainly set the foundation for the bright color palettes we explore in many of our products.

After receiving some final samples after a few rounds of testing, we were pretty confident in ourselves. We felt like our blanks’ fit was more thoughtful, more wearable, and just plain better.

However, we don’t just source once and call it a day. We regularly put every shipment through rigorous testing, including color fastness against washing, UV exposure, and crocking. Essentially, we make sure the tees keep their color wear after wear. We also look at dimensional stability (so they don’t shrink in the wash), and pilling resistance (so the fabric doesn’t get those annoying little fuzz balls after a few wears).

And because we hate waste, our production ethos is simple: if a shirt has a small stitch issue you’d never notice when wearing it, we sew it over and save it instead of throwing it out.

What’s next?

We’re not stopping here. As you might know, we recently added tall sizing and long sleeve versions of our blanks. Additionally, more seasonal colors are coming! And these ones are not just “good for thumbnails” colors, but genuinely great-looking ones you’ll actually want in your closet.

The journey from inconsistent blanks to our own perfected tee wasn’t easy, but we think you’ll feel the difference every time you put one on.

Can't wait to see which colors end up in your closet!

Warmly,

The LTTStore Team