“We will have succeeded the day you don't need to iron your shirt before work, and when you don't feel like changing into a t-shirt when you get home again."- Joachim Latocha, Founder
This has always been my vision for BARONS, and that's why we are constantly refining the details of our shirts. You don't need to know a lot about Cotton, stitching, and production processes to enjoy a Consultant or a CEO. If you're still interested in the process – then follow along here.
White shirts are indeed one of the most challenging clothing products to manufacture. Everything shows on a white shirt. Wrinkles, a crooked seam, or a stain. It all screams to the heavens on a white shirt, and if you – like us – wear a shirt every day, you know it well.
We spent two years flying around the world, talking to people in the industry, and developing the first BARONS shirt. It might sound crazy to spend two years developing a shirt in an industry known for changing colors and fits four times a year.
But, as you probably already know, we couldn't care less about fashion. We have a few classic shirts that you can buy year after year. Instead, we are constantly working on optimizing the small things that make the shirt a little better, stay even sharper, and easier to iron.
From the Cotton field to the shirt warrior
Even though we spent two years developing the first shirt, I still spend a large part of my time with fabric producers, sewing rooms, and finishing experts. For BARONS, it's all about making the shirt a little more perfect.
It all starts in the Cotton field. Cotton is not just Cotton, and there is a big difference in quality. At Barons, we only use American PIMA ELS Cotton. ELS means that the fibers in the Cotton are extra long. This results in a Cotton that is more durable and feels lighter. PIMA ELS represents the best 3% of the world's Cotton.
I simply can't imagine using anything other than the best Cotton for our shirts. It's the entire foundation. When you put on a shirt that feels terrible after an hour – it's because it's made from poor Cotton.
Cotton is the first step. The next is the fabric, and we have spent several years developing and adjusting the perfect fabric. We produce the shirts with our own signature fabric.
Comparing fabric in spreadsheets
I can still spend hours comparing fabric qualities to find small improvements. My time as a consultant at Deloitte is evident. I have hundreds of spreadsheets where I can analyze if a small change can make the fabric more durable or easier to iron. The advantage of not having to think about next year's color is that we can focus our energy on these considerations. Fortunately, our customers are also not interested in us spending time making a pink shirt with green elephants as a motif.
Overall, the starting point for further development of the shirts at BARONS is the people who wear their shirt every day.
Best regards,
Joachim Loatoca
Founder
