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Because It’s Not American Apparel

By Sarah Nicole Prickett

1215330304_shared.jpg
The perfect t-shirt. Everyone wants it. Everyone wants to believe it exists, somewhere, either after weeks of shopping or years of wear (all so easily undone with one mistake in the wash). So few actually have it.
Toronto’s Shared claims to be among those precious. The local label’s “extra-long staple cotton,” soft as new kitten, is precision-cut and sewn into polos, v-necks, and boyfriend tees (for girls, of course). Prices flit around $40, but don’t gulp just yet: the higher tag is easier to swallow when you learn that half (yes, 50 per cent) of all profits go to charity. Founder Carlo Colacci and designer Joyce Lo aim to change the world “one perfect t-shirt at a time.”
And if their wares fall short of that eternally sought-after t-shirt perfection? Well, at least they’ll still be doing good—as will you. So head down to the Shared Shoppe at 1142 Queen Street West (just a couple storefronts east of The Drake), and hurry! Because nothing good lasts forever, the pop-up shop will only be around until the end of August.
(Psst—their opening party is this Wednesday, July 9, from 6 to 9 pm. It’s sponsored by one Jose Cuervo. Tequila-driven impulse buys, anyone?)
Photo courtesy of Shared.

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Comments

  • Carrie M

    Shared shirts are awesome. I was given a few last year and they are by far the most comfortable t-shirts I own. Perfect length, perfect thickness of material…highly recommended.

  • atomeyes99

    the perfect shirt does not exist. a white shirt always seems to show nipplage when men wear it. and $40 for a shirt is steep, considering that i end up staining it with food when i’m cooking.
    the perfect shirt also has a perfect price tag. $25 for a shirt, and i would buy 3. $40? i only buy 1 if i feel rich that week.

  • Mathew Kumar

    $40 is really high. I wonder how much profit they make on each shirt, because while 50% of all profit sounds great, they could be making a lot of easy profit for all I know. after all, their site doesn’t have a lot of information on their workers, where they get their cotton, etc. I know you say “because it’s not American Apparel” but an organic shirt there costs about $20 and are high quality and (as far as I know) guilt free, so…

  • paigesix

    @Matthew Kumar: Yeah, because it would be a shame if a designer could actually make a living from selling their clothing… $20 profit divided between two people hand-making shirts (raw materials cost subtracted) prob equals a lot less than minimum wage per hour.

  • Mathew Kumar

    What?
    Unless they’re not using the actual meaning of the world “profit” $20 is a lot. As profit is the amount you make after subtracting raw materials and man hours and everything else. It’s literally profit.
    Do you see?

  • Patrick Metzger

    Profit normally means after overheads and salaries, so as an owner you could drive your profit (and corresponding charitable contribution) down to 0 by raising the amount of your own paycheque.
    Not that I have any reason to think that’s what’s going on here, just saying that without more knowledge of the financials the claim doesn’t mean much.

  • ked

    I kinda agree with Mathew and Patrick – The only real selling point here is the claim that the shirts are the best fitting shirts around. Their website says nothing about where the cotton is grown and how it is woven. I think going on what I’ve read I’d feel better buying an American Apparel organic shirt that fits me very well and then give $20 to a charity of my choice.