What price are you willing to pay for sustainable dress shirt sourced with USA materials?
Hi WSO members,
I do see many dress shirt options for business professional, from the $30 shirt you can get online or the department store to the made in Italy shirt that cost a couple of hundreds. So, for business professional, we do have a wide range of options.
I'd love to hear your opinions about:
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Would you support sustainable materials when you buy a new dress shirt even if it is not the cheapest option?
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What price are you willing to pay for it if the materials are sourced in the U.S?
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What are your most important considerations in purchasing a new shirt for work (price, brand, materials, fit, made in, etc...)?
Thank you!
Hey there!
Sustainability is definitely a factor to consider when purchasing a new dress shirt. While it might not be the cheapest option, supporting sustainable practices can have long-term benefits for our environment.
As for the price, it can vary depending on the quality and brand of the shirt. However, if the materials are sourced in the U.S and the shirt is of high quality, I'd say anywhere between $60-95 could be a reasonable price.
When it comes to purchasing a new shirt for work, there are several factors to consider. Price and fit are certainly important, but the material and where it's made also play a role. A shirt made of breathable, real fabric like cotton can be a good choice. Also, a shirt that requires less maintenance (like non-iron shirts) can be a practical choice for a busy professional.
Remember, investing in a good quality shirt can save you money in the long run as they tend to last longer. So, don't shy away from spending a bit more upfront. Hope this helps!
Sounds like you’re looking to validate your idea to start a shirt company. I want 50% equity for my opinions 😉
The equity is zero at the moment. But your opinion still matters and it is greatly appreciated :)
Truthfully, sustainability doesn’t matter as much as the shirt fitting well. My single shirt from Charvet fits incredibly well and nowhere do I see them flying the sustainability flag as a main draw to their company. I think that companies pushing sustainability are compensating for a lackluster product. Personally, sustainability matters very little to me when picking a dress shirt… I want the fit. But that is my opinion.
Yes fit is definitely important! Thank you for your feedback.
Since you are workshopping an idea you have, some feedback and/or thoughts:
- I buy shirts on the following: fit, fabric (and performance so to speak), style, ease of ordering, and then price. I've had the hardest time finding a shirt that fits - MTM is the best option. I figure that there's a 20% premium (sometimes - depends on the place and the fabric you pick) over off the rack. It's worth it if you can't find something that fits from a brand you like.
- Sustainable is often a meaningless marketing term for the most part. I see it all over the place on tags, materials, headlines - and I gloss over it. I certainly wouldn't pay a premium for that in and of itself. Clearly define what it means and what differentiates you from anyone else saying that. To be fair, I fully believe that many brands/companies are making efforts or steps to be more sustainable. But if you put 100% organic sustainable cotton on your tag or something similar... please don't bother. Even many of the brands I see out there talking about it, are priced comparably to other quality brands. Allbirds is just one more shoe in that same category price/quality wise - I think that's who I'm thinking about where they talk about the sustainable materials, etc. in their shoes.
- The trick is to put all of this together into a brand that resonates with consumers. Jocko is an example - bringing manufacturing back to America, American made and grown cotton, etc. He has incredible branding - the story of the origin of jeans from seals in Vietnam, tying into his own experience, tying into the mission of the company. It makes me want to support him and buy a pair or two. That's hard to do. Really hard. And then, when I look at the pricing, it's comparable to similar types of jeans out there. My point being that just made in America might win you some points, but not enough for a premium without something else behind it. To your questions - I think there is a market for sustainably made, high quality, Made in America goods.
- As an example, I just searched for made in America dress shirts. Gitman Bros pops up - their stuff looks nice, made in the USA (although fabric appears to be from European mills - which makes sense), and the pricing looks generally in line with other shirts although a bit higher at $205 for an oxford. Custom gets pricier, but that's to be expected. What are the two things on their landing page? Fit and style --> Our Heritage (to tell the story). These are premium shirts, a bit more casual than business in most cases, but worth taking a look at. This looks like the stuff I've seen in Charleston, Savannah, and other southern states - probably intermixed among southern tide, proper cotton, vineyard vines, etc. knowing that these are a premium to those. I'm really rambling at this point, but I think that's an example you might study and take a look at. There's probably others, but might help you get started.
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