How T-Shirts Are Made In America | From The Ground Up

In this episode, we take you into a state of the art manufacturing facility that is headquartered in Los Angeles, California to show you how t-shirts are made in America. The clothing you wear is created by real people and today we share the inner workings of a global industry and how the purchases you make dictate how things are made.

👕Special thanks to Bella + Canvas for allowing us to share their operations with the world, learn more about them by subscribing to their YouTube channel and if you’re a business owner consider registering for a wholesale account.

#fromthegroundup #howitsmade #tshirtmanufacturing #apparel #fashion #factory #tshirts #ftgus1e1

0:00 Intro Into How T-shirts Are Made In America
0:56 Where and How Cotton Is Made
1:49 The Fabric Dying Process
2:11 Fabric Spreading Process
3:44 Fabric Cutting Process
4:57 Automating the T-shirt Production Process
6:54 Raw Fabric Logistics
7:47 Global Logistics and Impact in the Apparel Industry
9:40 Whats Its Like Inside a Sewing Factory
10:40 How Difficult Is It To Sew A T-shirt In A Sewing Facility
12:45 Sewing Production numbers and
13:44 Quality Control
15:01 Fulfillment Process
15:23 Designing a T-shirt From The Ground Up
20:08 The Reality of Garment Industry

[johnxsantos]

Let us know what videos you’d like us to make in 2021! 👇🏽

[svdbyjesus]

My grandmother had her own dress shop in Downey and made custom dresses for women. I learned to sew from her, and from my other grandmother I got my love of quilting. Sewing/quilting is a gift of love.

[RubyRim]

As someone who sews and makes custom design on garments, this was very educational, thank you.

[ainashburn]

I already suffered from neck and shoulder pain just by sewing 2-3 hours. These guys sewed for 10-15 years is beyond me

[hxmimlu]

Whoever designed the machines is a genius! Amazing!

[catgirl]

As a home sewer I appreciate this video so much. So much hard work and time go into a single garment.

[maryloufaucher]

I worked at Hancock Shirt factory Waterville, ME = sewing, 1st felling - which is sewing the seam in the sleeve only. Also I worked at a Saco ME shoe factory sewing Penny loafers. I worked at a luxury clothing store where a tailor taught me to fit men's suits and women's gowns. I am happy to have notices this video, brought back years of memories. I am now 72 and just used for the first time iron-on stabilizer to make myself an art bag to carry my art supplies to art classes and art shows. I enjoyed this video very much. I have worked at Joann Fabrics, So FRO Fabric stores and Affordable Fabrics. I wish I could open my own business as I am very busy making bags for wheelchairs and walkers and donate them to DAV and other places who have disabled veterans and others who have the need. I am also designing and making masks to donate. I live in a tiny 2.5 room elderly apartment and my bedroom is really an art/craft/sewing storage room. These YouTube videos have opened up many new projects and necessities/accessories to keep me busy during the COVID shut down. Not many elderly have the knowledge of the computer and while working at sewing, I also worked in Emhart Industries and Konica Business Machines which allowed me to know a lot about the computer as I started working using the first computers DOS, I went back to school at 60 and learned photography and Photoshop and am going to combine the photography/graphic design with my sewing and arts. I am so glad I had to work so hard when I was young, it allowed me to have plenty to accomplish in my old age instead of playing bingo and doing puzzles. In my living room I have a sewing machine, embroidery machine, serger, press, 2 computers, 2 printers, one prints out 13 x 19 inch photos. Of course I only donate and show my photos. The only thing I never did was a video. I love YouTube it opens up so much that I never would have thought of. Thank you all you brave people who show others such great videos.

[johnxsantos]

From the Ground Up Fam! 🔥 Be sure to set your reminder for this one! Drop your @ down below!

[stolas]

I’m only 57seconds in and already impressed by a fantastic uncut, perfectly timed, walk & talk.

[susanmazzanti]

I worked on the line in a sewing factory then moved into quality control where I reworked errors in production. Doing the rework was more interesting because I did many different procedures. Resewing stitching done on satin by a double needle machine was one of the most interesting. Each stitch had to exactly hit the spot where the original stitch had been.

[mamacat]

This was very interesting for me. At 72 years old now, 50 years ago I was working in a garment factory in the US. Watching this really took me back. Not much has changed except some of the processes are more automated now. The one thing I remember about the factory was how colorful it was. Lots of memories from those days.

[brittahubbard]

This is such a great video. Thank you! I will be using it with students in a 7/8th grade sewing class as we learn about how fabric and ultimately our clothing is made on our path to making our own hoodie sweatshirts. Also, please know I make my students look at their clothes at least once a week and say, "Thank you to all the people that brought this piece of clothing to me." It is so important to me that they understand that humans of many skills sets, ethnicities, and educational backgrounds are involved with their consumer purchases.

[ladypinkbagsetc.]

Absolutely awesome. As a small manufacturer this is exactly what we need in the USA. I am so happy to know that this is here. Love it! Great video and thank you for bringing this educational video. Now on the flip side, I would like to see american manufacturing of the products in the USA as well. That is why I started my business.

[olewetdog]

I work in a large pharmaceutical manufacturing plant and am also fascinated at all the automation we have and how it works just like the conveyor he gets excited about. The thought and engineering that goes into these machines is amazing.

[arnoldnavarro]

as someone whos actually worked in cutting material and fabric this brought back alot of memories

[likhangsubok]

i am an industrial engineer and love to work on process improvements. I loved it. When i was student i did eintern/practice on t-shirt making company as well and my first job after graduation was on textile company converting cottons/fabrics into texttile. I missed it 20 years ago. thanks for sharing bro.

[ryanr]

Looks like Bella Canvas is the new American Apparel without the drama. Awesome series and I love the name too, from the ground up

[malapanchoosingh]

Bless these workers. I worked in a leather factory making belts when I was 18 yrs old. I am now a SubAcute Nurse and very proud of Myself.

[Jorge-dvgc]

Thank you for shining light on how important it is to be or at least strive be ethical and sustainable! - Jorge

[willow]

I'm drooling over all that fabric!!! I'm a quilter and craft sewer....wow