Navigating the Ladies Next Level Shirts

Trying to pick your Next Level shirt? Between navigating the names, the feel and what will work with what decoration will leave your head spinning. I will break down some of the items below:

The Ideal Tee, The Boyfriend Tee and the Perfect Tee

Next Level has many names for their tees, specifically the ladies’ tees. (They have several names for their girls tees as well that we could discuss later.) Besides the typical label of Crew Neck Tee, let’s take a look at the Ideal Tee, the Boyfriend Tee and the Perfect t-shirt. The Boyfriend Tee and the Perfect Tee are both 100% cotton. The Ladies Perfect tee has less weight at 4 oz. than the Boyfriend tee at 4.3 oz. The Ideal tee is a 60% cotton/ 40% polyester blend. The weight is the same as the Perfect tee, coming in at 4oz.

Let’s take a look at the dimensions of each.

Ideal Tee (Ladies cut, 60% cotton/ 40% poly, 4 oz.)

Boyfriend Tee  (Ladies, 100% cotton, 4.3oz)

Ladies Perfect T-shirt (Ladies cut, 100% cotton, 4 oz.)

By now, I am sure you have seen several listed as CVC tees so what is a CVC tee?

CVC is a cotton and polyester mix with the percentage leaning more towards cotton. It stands for Chief Value Cotton. While initially created and intended to lower duties and taxes, many people love the CVC mix because of the mix of the softness of the cotton and durability of the polyester.

Ladies CVC Tee (Ladies, 60 cotton/ 40 poly, 4.3 oz.)

Using the information provided above, the Ideal tee is very similar to the make-up of the CVC tee with the exception of weight. The CVC is a heavier weighted fabric.

Why is fabric weight important?

Fabric weight is important in decorating because it will dictate what will stand up on the fabric. For example, a large graphic on a 4 oz. tee will require a stretch HTV. Otherwise the fabric will pull, especially across the chest.

Besides cotton and polyester, often t-shirts will come in a tri-blend. So, what is a tri-blend?

Tri-Blend

A tri blend combines cotton, polyester and rayon. While the rayon gives a nice springy feel to the garment, it could burn easier under a heat press.

Side by Side Comparison

To compare, let’s look at a Medium sized side by side.

Some Fact, Mostly Opinion

I really like the Next Level Brand for their ladies’ tees because they have a wider neckline for their regular tees. They are very flattering for jewelry and not as confining as a traditional t-shirt. The stitching around the neckline is also a nice detail that adds value. The Ideal t-shirt works great for smaller décor and stretch HTV. Even if you decide to go with the Boyfriend or CVC, you might consider using the stretch HTV, especially if the décor would sit across the chest. If you would like to use a printed vinyl, a heavier shirt is recommended as the prints will not provide any stretch relief.