Sometimes simple things are most difficult to achieve. And philosophical quotes don’t usually come by when speaking of something as elementary as a t-shirt, unless they’re written on the shirt itself to signal inner hollowness, borrowed wit or a quarter-life crisis. Though here it rings so true. How many of us have really found the perfect plain tee of our choice?
March Tee kills a curious problem — not knowing where to look when all you want is just a really good basic t-shirt. Men and women both. They do plain t-shirts only, as plain as they come, but with this cool panache. No quirks, no pockets, no prints, no branding.
Supima cotton is used across the board, which is a certified high quality extra-long staple fibre accounting for only 1% of all global cotton. The March Tee wears really light and soft and continues to hit the spot even after a few washes.
Problem statement: I don’t have enough t-shirts
We aren’t all as lucky as Mark Zuckerberg to call the bluff on picking out clothes daily, what he calls ‘frivolous decisions’, and stick to wearing the same t-shirt every single day. He has a wardrobe full of the same grey t-shirt and they’re 300 dollars each. Well, we aren’t billionaires either!
Many of us are still searching for a trusty daily t-shirt we don’t find anything wrong with, that we could wear to work, while out to get a drink or to layer with other clothing. It doesn’t sound so difficult which is why I called it a curious problem.
T-shirts are the one article of clothing we guiltlessly fill our wardrobes with. You will never ever have enough of them and also know what kind or colour you want next.
At the same time, with very few exceptions, they hardly ever check all boxes. Length, fit, fabric quality, breathability, feel against skin, sleeve length, neck cut – there are many parameters that need to come together for a no-complaint situation, whether you consciously factor them or not.
I personally almost feel like half-satisfaction is the reason more and more of them are put into the wardrobe, as they’re not generally terribly expensive or difficult to get hold of.
So I got a grey one from Pune based March Tee and put it to test. I wanted to know if we were playing with a different animal here.
Really top execution and quality, up there with the best tees
Indeed, it was a different animal. My March Tee is part of my regular wear rotation and great for all times when I just need a pick-up-and-go without thinking too much. While I currently have just one and played safe with grey, their approach to colour, material, fit and detail is evident and inspires confidence.
On taking the tee out of the neat box they ship in, a few things apparent are really soft fabric, lightness and lustre of a kind that would generally only be found on high quality t-shirts.
I’m quite impressed and happy. Read the full review here.
Supima cotton — Only the best
The comfort and softness of the March Tee comes, in large part, from the high quality Supima cotton they use. Supima is licensed and trademarked extra long fibre cotton that grows in the USA (only in California, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico). The fibres have an average length of 1.5 inches, whereas usually cotton fibres typically have a length of about 1 inch. Long fibres give the fabric strength, softness as well as the ability to resist lint formation over time.
Apart from wearability, the biggest contribution of the quality of fibre and weave is that it doesn’t feel thin or flimsy, thereby permitting you to wear it in a smart setting where you’d want your t-shirt to look the part, without it coming across as carelessly casual.
A few years back, I was reading a book on cocktails. Now I don’t remember who wrote it, but a line that really stayed with me is that ‘a cocktail is as good as the lowest quality ingredient’. Seems pretty apt to describe elements that go into creating a look as well.
March Tee feels like the Apple of Indian t-shirts
Minimalism, simplicity and good design is why we love Apple. March Tee is its equivalent in the world of t-shirts, without forcing you to buy expensive accessories to get the job done.
In addition to their products, one look at the website tells you how fuss-free it all is. No clutter, less words, cheery vibes. There is no point in the exploration and purchase process that is anything less than happy.
They’re also quite open and transparent. Open and efficient in their communication, and transparent as evidenced by a few blog posts where they’ve gone on to talk about visitor and sales statistics, rejection rates and things like that. This stuff keeps trust and engagement levels high and kudos to March for that.
I just find it really heartening that a small indie brand from India solved this problem by catering to this very basic need.
Summing up
Who’s it for: The minimalist who wants to buy less but buy better, not bothered by no visible branding or embellishments.
Talking point: Finest materials, evident to the touch. Supima cotton makes up just 1% of all cotton grown across the world.
Cool little detail: Their sewing process is such that stitching around the arms and waist isn’t visible outside, adding to the absolute starkness.
Winning combination: Supima cotton + Refreshing colours + Smart fit
Pricing: Crew neck tees for men and women priced at ₹1,500. Hammos (half-sleeved sweatshirts) priced at ₹2,300.
Buying
T-shirts can be ordered from their website marchtee.com.
Range of products isn’t very vast and presumably, because of production constraints, release lots are small and are sold out quickly. I personally find limited options with a product like this appealing.
As of January 2019, the March Tee for men is available in 5 colours – Caramel Brown, Denim Blue, Heather Grey, Sporty Maroon and Classic Black. V neck in black is available as well. March Tee for women is available in 4 colours – Eden Rose, Forest Green, Coral Red and Pure White.
Stuff gets delivered really fast indeed. My shirt shipped the day after I placed the order (at times it is within a few hours the same day) and received the following day.
The box the tee comes in is an extension of the brand. Simple and no-nonsense but with definite focus on a refined aesthetic.
How did you hear about March Tee? Let us know in the comments below. And if you found this story interesting or useful, please spread the indie brand goodness by sharing it!
Photos Courtesy March Tee (marchtee.com)