The Real Thread Wringer: ILTHY and the Gradient Tee
Inspiration
min read

The Real Thread Wringer: ILTHY and the Gradient Tee

iLTHY is based out of Cleveland, OH, but their true fan base exists online.

iLTHY is based out of Cleveland, OH, but their true fan base exists online. With over 39,000+ followers on Twitter, 14,000+ Likes on Facebook, and 9,000+ followers on Instagram, I think it’s safe to say that iLTHY are on track to becoming a significant player in the big leagues of streetwear. They’re not jumping on the bandwagon. They are the bandwagon.

This month I decided to review their Gradient Script tee in turquoise. Let’s dive right in, shall we?

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If there were ever a poster child t-shirt that embodied what it meant to celebrate color contrast, this would be it. The three vibrant colors that make up the Gradient Script tee contrast each other in such an iconic way. The Turquoise tee really helps give the print a pop that almost demands your attention.

The only drawback I see with this tee is the ink choice. Given that halftones were used to generate the gradients, a discharge or water based ink would’ve helped these colors blend together in a much more cohesive way. Since a soft-hand plastisol was used, you see a less natural-looking color progression, due to a more limited halftone dynamic range.

However, with most things in life, there’s a give and take. Sure, the ink choice may not have been the best, but iLTHY kills it with the rest of the tee. A custom manufactured sewn care label sets up shop in the inside neck area. A sewn hem tag even made its way onto the shirt, but in a rather unique location on the sleeve rather than the bottom hip area. Even some branded hang tags with the iLTHY story on them grace this shirt with their presence. All of these pieces together create a truly unique buyer experience and establish value in the product.

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Last, but not least, let’s look at packaging. Most brands often times just throw their products into customized polybags and ship them out on their merry way. iLTHY, in a continued effort to keep their brand experience fresh and unique, placed their shirt on a customized backboard enclosed in a clear polybag. Personally, I’d much rather this type of packaging because it keeps the shirt from bundling up when in transit.

All in all, I’d say this is a brand worth investing your hard earned dollars into. iLTHY is on it’s way to becoming a household name. You will undoubtedly hear more about them as the streetwear movement grows with each passing year.

Be sure to check out iLTHY’s full line at http://ilthy.bigcartel.com/products.

Until next time, threaders.

@andrwmck

Feel free to email me at andy@realthread.com if you have any questions or just want to talk shop!

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