STORE NEWS/PRODUCT REVIEW: Dave’s New York Sweatshirts

We’re excited to introduce our very own Dave’s New York sweatshirts!

Short story: We built hooded and crew neck sweatshirts from scratch and wanted to make sure they had a great fit, a great feel, and great quality.

Long story: We started with ring-spun cotton as the base for all of the sweatshirts for a number of reasons. It holds its shape well, doesn’t pill as easily other cottons do, and it is resistant to shrinking. We also wanted it to have a high cotton content so that it has a really soft hand and feel, and that the colors are more true. So we went with 70% ring-spun cotton.

We also wanted to make it in a weight that is comfortable for everyday use, especially in the Spring and Fall, and can be used as an interior layer in the Winter. We decided on a 9-ounce fabric weight. Because of the higher cotton content, the sweatshirt has a heavier luxe feel, without being too heavy.

The next thing that we wanted to do was make sure we got the details right. We looked at over 2 dozen specs to make sure they all went together well. We didn’t want it to fit too small or too big. We wanted the collars, cuffs, and waistbands to match the size and weight of the garment. We also wanted to add little details such as the jersey lining in the hood so that the fleece was not right against your head. This is something you usually find in much more expensive sweatshirts, and having the lining gives you a more comfortable feel when you have to put your hood up. For the hoodie we added metal tips to the drawstrings to make sure that they don’t wear out and metal grommets to the hood for added durability. We bar-tacked the kangaroo pocket and taped the interior neck seams for comfort. These are just a few of the many details that we worked on to ensure that we are presenting you with a good product.       

The Fit: This was probably the most important factor. As a workwear store, we are used to sweatshirts being cut really big. Other brands that we carry tend to oversize their sweatshirts. We wanted to give you a fit that was cut the same way a normal t-shirt fits. We didn’t want the neck to be too big or too tight so we tested several sizes to try to make sure we got it right. We asked our customers what is important to them and we got several requests for a better fit on the sleeve. So in our sweatshirts we cut the armholes slightly smaller so there was not a lot of excess fabric and we tapered the sleeves for a closer fit to the arms.

However, we didn’t make these items too small or too slim because we were not going for a “slim fit” sweatshirt. What we based our sizing on is that a medium should fit a 38 inch chest and a large should fit a 40-42 inch chest, and this includes after washing the garment. We also wanted to include people of all sizes so we make our items from X-Small up to 3XL. We always suggest you try stuff on, but we are confident that if you are a large in a Gildan tee, a Hanes tee, or a Ben Davis tee, then you will be a large in our sweatshirts.

Lastly we wanted to make sure that we were providing value in our products. We have built Dave’s on the idea that you have to start with a quality product and you have to present value to the consumer. We are confident that when you put on one of our sweatshirts, you will find that the mix of fabric, fit, and details are exactly what you would expect in a garment - and one that we are proud to put our name on. 

We would love to hear your feedback on our sweats, so let us know what you think of them!

Click here to check out the Dave's New York Sweatshirts

Adam, Dave’s New York