The Rite Stuff Loopwheel Pocket T-shirt is a new take on a classic style, taking the white t-shirt and elevating it to new heights.
The t-shirt dates back to the early-1900s, when they were issued as part of the US Navy uniform to be worn as undershirts. By the time of World War II, t-shirts were being worn by naval personnel as outer layers. After the war, this entirely new, way of dressing caught on back home and the casual look took off.
Using these early pieces as inspiration, The Rite Stuff enlisted John Lofgren & Co. to help them produce a t-shirt that was authentic not only in terms of appearance and fit, but also manufacturing process.
Made in Wakayama, Japan, The Rite Stuff t-shirts are produced using a knitting technique known as loopwheeling, which refers to the manufacturing process in which fabric is knitted around a cylinder. The only tension in the fabric during the knitting process is the fabric itself, so the result is a low tension weave that retains the natural characteristics of the fabric used. Whilst the resulting fabric is the very best available, the process is labour intensive as a separate loopwheeling machine has to be set up for each size variation required. Loopwheel knitting is slow too, with only around a square meter of fabric being produced by each machine per hour.
The Loopwheel Pocket T-shirt is finished with a pocket inspired by those found on workshirts made by Reliance Mfg. Co. in Chicago from the 1910s onwards.
Key Features of The Rite Stuff Loopwheel Pocket T-shirt
- 100% cotton, loopwheel fabric
- Mid-to-heavy weight, knitted in Wakayama, Japan
- Tubular construction – no side seams
- Washed once, expect no shrinkage
- Pocket inspired by Reliance Mfg. Co. workshirts
- Cotton brand tag, printed in Japan
- Limited numbers, only 50 of each colour available worldwide
