Why do some shirts cost more than others – without necessarily being better?

Raw Cotton – A Dangerous Temptation

Cotton is a global commodity with highly varying quality when it comes to its fibers. A simple method to determine the quality of cotton is by measuring the length of the fibers. The longer the fibers - the stronger, softer, and more durable the fabric becomes. The highest quality of cotton is referred to as "ELS," an abbreviation for "Extra-Long Staple."

If your shirt is not made from ELS cotton, then you are not getting the best quality - now you know.

Since cotton accounts for the majority of the production costs of a quality shirt, it is tempting for some brands to cut costs here and compromise on quality.

All shirts look the same in stores... or do they?

However, it will quickly become apparent to you as a customer if your shirt is made from poor-quality cotton. The shirt will wear out faster and therefore have a shorter lifespan. This means that the initially cheap shirt ends up costing you more in the long run than the more expensive version would have.

At BARONS, we exclusively use 100% organic extra-long staple (ELS) Giza cotton for our business shirts. The cotton is certified, free from recycled plastic, and in the top 0.1% of the world's cotton fibers. And for the cotton enthusiasts out there, we can also tell you that the shirts are STeP certified.

Costly Middlemen Make a Difference

It's not up for debate. It's actually quite simple. The more costly middlemen, the higher the price the consumer has to pay.

When you step into one of the large, beautiful menswear stores or department stores, in the end, it's you who pays for the rent, the stock, the employees, etc. Additionally, there is often an agent or distributor who sells the products to the store.

Another costly middleman.

Most people understand the logic, but most of us also forget it from time to time. 

Understand us correctly - we also appreciate a beautiful, physical store with good service. That's also why we have our Flagship Store in the heart of Copenhagen. From here, we sell our own products. When you shop directly with us, we skip the expensive middlemen. No agents or distributors adding extra to the price.

With the store, we make it easier and more accessible for new customers to experience the quality firsthand and find their size.

It's all about creating real value for money. That's why we have eliminated the costly middlemen that define the traditional fashion industry. The result = we can focus 100% on creating the ultimate shirt instead.

The Devil is in the Detail – But It's Easier Said Than Done

Most seasoned shirt warriors know that over time, a shirt of poor quality will reveal itself. By being 100% specialized in classic shirts, we have learned to respect the art of producing fantastic shirts, on a large scale, mind you. When working with a fine and delicate material, even the smallest mistake can lead to a defective shirt.

It requires a serious and detail-oriented personality to control all the different parts of the production process. Fortunately, we are quite nerdy, so we enjoy diving into topics like raw cotton, yarn combinations, and textile treatment.

Focus on details increases the price slightly, but the details are also the key to creating the best shirt features. Low-quality shirts will usually lack proper quality interlining (inner fabric) for the ultra-sharp durable collar and cuff.

The backs of the buttons are often not fastened with a special thread using a patented machine to ensure the button stays on longer. It has fewer stitches to reduce production costs, at the expense of poorer and less elegant stitching. Socially responsible production and a shirt free from harmful chemicals are also not a given. This and much, much more…

The More Long-Winded – And Your Health, Of Course

OEKO-Tex 100. It doesn't sound very sexy, does it? But have you thought about how much of your life you actually spend in your shirt? Maybe you're even wearing one right now? If you're a hardcore shirt warrior, you spend more than 2,500 hours in the shirt a year.

Therefore, it actually matters whether your shirt is certified and free from chemicals. Be aware that if your current shirt brand doesn't tell you about this, then it is most likely not free from potentially harmful chemicals.

At BARONS, we work exclusively with textiles that are free from harmful chemicals to people and the environment, and we exclusively use the strict OEKO-TEX 100® standard.

Read more about the details behind a BARONS shirt here.