I just stumbled across this blog:  Stuff White People Like 

Item number 84 of their list of things white people like was TEE SHIRTS!

I have to admit…I love my tee shirts too!  But being big and tall I have a little different perspective on what makes a tee shirt such a fundamental part of my wardrobe.  I don’t like the paper thin tees but I have been following AMERICAN APPAREL for the last few years and their top sellers are made from 30 singles cotton which is paper thin.  I have also kept close tabs on THREADLESS even though I really do not understand their artwork…and while I may not understand their artwork I do understand their business model.

I know success when I see it and no one can deny that these two companies have been very successful!  American Apparel has opened stores in Mexico and is opening three stores this year in China!  Threadless has opened their first store in Chicago….

Another company that I have been watching is right down the street from Turner Originals:  Blue Cotton

I realized when I decided to take over Turner Originals that I was going to have to change the basic concept of apparel sales and that I was going to have to do it in a market that is very resistant to change:  the big and tall retailer!

I have met with the folks at Blue Cotton numerous times now and rather than dragging on and on I decided to replicate their services for big and tall retailers with another company that can provide embroidery and screen printing services just as Blue Cotton provides but using TURNER ORIGINALS tees.

I also realize that pocket tees are so….middle age! So, the first two lines of screen printed tees I added to the line catered to the middle age big and tall guy:  Goin Coastal and Hey, Turner.

So I am working with American Apparel to come up with a cotton tee shirt much more appealing for younger big and tall males.  I know most retailers see TURNER ORIGINALS as a work wear commodity product. 

But, what I see is a name brand that can be developed to appeal to younger males…and that is exactly the market I plan on incubating for the next few years.  So, by July I will have artwork for younger guys and tee shirts without pockets.  Then on to long sleeve and who knows…maybe a line for the tall and thin guy….like I was in high school and I had so much extra shirt to tuck in to my pants….

I know that old, strongly held beliefs die hard…

But TURNER ORIGINALS won’t be just a pocket tee company for long.