Vintage T-Shirt Forum & Community Authentication Appraisals

I know us sellers like keep our secrets, but I'm going to ask anyway. As a small seller without a good consistent vintage connection, I'm always on the hustle for fresh vintage items to fill my inventory. Between thrift stores, estate sales, and flea markets I get by. I enjoy the variety of merchandise I find at my various sources, but am looking to expand, in both quality and scale. I know of a few wholesalers around my area, and I'm seriously considering bulk purchases to save on leg work. I'm considering scouting new locations outside Southern California as well.

So what are your favorite and most successful methods of sourcing your inventory?

Thanks!
-JR

Well, I'm a wholsaler so I'm actually looking for customers

What would be best for you is to find a local used clothing grading operation that would let you pick up stuff on a piece by piece basis. They usually grade 25,000 lbs per day in a factory, minimum.

There's an association that most of us are part of called SMART (Secondhand Materials and Recycled Textiles) they have a directory that would show you people in your area.

Conversely,if you're interested in picking up a container (25,000-50,000lbs)then you have alot more power to shop around/ name your price.

Well too bad you are located in Toronto Bubba, because I'd be interesting in browsing your wares. How much of whats contained in a 25,000 pound container actually sellable vintage as opposed to plain old rags? I know there is a grading process and would be interested in learning more about it.

I looked at SMART's website and unfortunately the member directory is for members only.

Thanks for the tips!
-JR

opening up a 25000 pound container stuffed with vintage t-shirts would probably cause me to have a heart attack! That's probably about 40000 shirts, no?

anyone want to go halfsies?

Basically we buy in bulk from savers, salvation army, goodwill, etc and sort out the clothing by function (T-shirts, pants, dresses, etc) and quality (A, B, C, and wiping cloth).

When people look to buy vintage in quantity what happens is this:
You come down to the factory. Tell us what you want and how to identify it. We dedicate a person to pick the stuff out and train the people who work in the specific sections (t-shirts, jackets, etc) the generalities so that they can put stuff aside for the vintage checker.

It's actually pretty good. Because, in a way the customer actually makes the grade. Otherwise have no way of knowing what's hot right now unless we keep up with sites like Defunk'd

If you're actually interested we could talk more about it by email. I don't want to hijack the board.

Hijack away sir! That's what this forum is for! You can even email each other directly through the board - give it a try and let me know if it works...still testing this thing.

Also - you're in Toronto? have we met?

I live in Toronto but work in Central America. So no, we haven't met.

Probably the one best guide for your graders (for t-shirts anyway) would be the brands guide here on defunkd!

Actually i just found out about a warehouse not too far from where I am and will be checking it out soon. Will let you know how that goes.

Bubba you do business with warehouses in new york? I'm there a few weeks in the spring and fall, maybe summer, and would like to check out some spots if you know of any. Never had much luck in new york with vintage clothes. Really LA is the vintage clothes capital of the world if you ask me!

-JR

pssh... I definitely have a few places in mind. Let me check to see if they're open to the idea of more pickers coming by and I'll get back to you with their contacts.

Thanks Bubba! Who doesn't want more cash-paying customers in this economy!?

-JR

Hermosa, dude if you are in the new york area there is a warehouse that'll let you pick, but you gotta be willing to spend some dough. Row Clothing is what I have known them as, and you may find out through the game that they are spread out all over. Different ports mainly. I know they have spots in Miami, they had a spot in Dallas, New Jersey, Baltimore, and maybe New York now. They are one whole co-op ran through Whitehouse & Schapiro I believe, doesn't really matter to me, but A lot of the Japanese buyers fly in to Baltimore every week and make a fucking fortune. If you can get in with the right people they will hook you up. Obviously it's always tough because a lot of graders don't have time for cherry pickers, but I'd look into it. If you do, do tell us of your experience.

Chase, you just blew my mind. About 30% of our mixed rags come from Shapiro-Row

It seems like everyone, world over, knows them.

Crazy Bubba. I hope I blew your mind in a good way. Did you know Direct TV hates puppies. Sorry, that was random. But yeah man, I've done my due diligence I think. That's why this forum is insane. Truly insane. It's going to allow every one of us to share and tap into new markets. We take what we know and allows us to learn more because when it comes down to it, nobody knows everything. I feel by sharing this kind of information it'll help us all in the end. I mean, there are endless amounts of t-shirts in this world so why would anyone ever try to hide this information. Granted it doesn't go outside of a forum like this because the only reason we are here is because we live and breath the shit, but really t-shirts will still be produced in 3009. In the end, nothing is a secret if you do your work. It's all right in front of us, ya dig?

Thanks for the tips chasemac. I'll be in Miami for the holidays this year so I will see if can go check out there operation over there.

If that's the case check out DIS Vintage as well. Probably $1,000 minimum, but they got some goodies. Anything out you're way my man?

DIS vintage. I'll call them up see if there still around, looks like they forgot to pay their hosting bill on their website. Are you located in Miami Chasemac?

I am in Kansas City, the heart of America, which could be a curse or a blessing in the vintage world, but I try to keep a positive spin on everything.

Did you guys call any of those places?
I wish we could all chip in and buy in larger bulk to save money. If we combined our buying power, we cld have more agency in setting our own prices, comrades.

someday we need to have a nerd convention and meet somewhere. It's super cheap to fly in to Vegas or Phoenix. The surrounding thrift stores won't stand a chance.

I am down for combining forces. Or better yet we brand our vintage t shirt passion and have runway shows with HOT models wearing vintage tees. We can have auctions and set the price that way. Lets treat tees as works of arts. Anyone down for exploring these possibities with me? Lets get a lockdown on all factories in US. Lets keep the Japanese out!!!! What are your thoughts?
Mike
VintagePimps

Seems to be vintage clothes is the only thing we, the USA, export to Asia!

Supposedly the Japanese vintage craze has already passed its peak a few years ago, at least thats what a lot of the guys at the flea markets tell me. But still they come to LA on a monthly basis, buy in bulk, and pay inflated prices to export. A lot of the Mexican "ropa usada" warehouse/mill pickers cater specifically to Japanese clientele, and I imagine they still make a killing on them. It's all cash. I guess they have their own vintage economy out there, since as far as I can tell the Japanese are not big buyers on eBay. Anyway it will be a tall order to keep Japanese out because they pay top-cash-dollar and buy in bulk.

I'm down for exploring the possibilities! There is only so much one small seller can do to expand.

Man, you guys are really getting crazy with this shit. I have been straight up cold calling suppliers the last couple days, just gettin after it. It might be a slow market right now, but it's also a slow economy. The t-shirt will never die. I repeat the t-shirt will never die.

It appears a lot of mills and such are super low on vintage stock and several have shutdown their vintage lines, which means they are mixing everything together. This might be sad, but there could be something else here. We just gotta be smarter and better. The man to be talking to right now is Crazy Bubba. If you guys wanna pitch in on a container we can do this. Can you help us CB?

By the way Jimmy J, this forum is long overdue.

chasemac wrote: The man to be talking to right now is Crazy Bubba. If you guys wanna pitch in on a container we can do this. Can you help us CB?

HECK YES. I have NO outside pickers and totally need local customers to help get the vintage thing going here. Right now we ship our vintage halfway across the world and get paid by the piece, which is not an ideal situation. The grade would shape itself to what you guys want, although I would hope that you could take everything (military, dresses, tees, jackets, denim etc)

I just picked up 2 burberry coats and one dior coat from a bale going to Karachi, and pair of vintage levi's from a central america bale :S We're seriously loosing out on alot becuase our emphasis has always been more on grading than vintage. I'm flexible on price.

Where are you in Central America and when can i come down?

Seriously, let's get this rolling. I'm totally small time and money is always tight, but i'll contribute in any way i can and buy in any size i can afford.

Hey once they get that military coup thing sussed out I'm the next guy on a plane to Tegucigalpa. I f'cking love Honduran cigars, and will export some of those too.

But seriously It only makes sense to buy in bulk if you have a market and an infrastructure to move it on. Currently I have neither!