Keeping heavy cotton heavy.
Mequie pieces are made on dense, 240 GSM heavyweight cotton with waterbased prints and hand-finished seams — built to outlast trend cycles. Treated well, a limited edition tee will keep its shape, colour, and print for years, not a season. This guide covers how every piece is built, and how to wash, dry, store, and protect it so it stays heavy, crisp, and collectible.
Heavyweight cotton, 240 GSM
Every Mequie tee is cut from 240 GSM heavyweight cotton — a dense, structured fabric that sits clean on the body and softens without losing shape. Most fast-fashion tees run 150 GSM or lighter, which is why they go limp and twist after a few washes. Heavyweight cotton holds its drape, resists pilling, and carries a print without bleeding through to the skin side. The weight is the first thing you notice in hand: a piece that feels made, not stamped out.
How we print
Graphics are applied with waterbased plastisol inks cured into the fabric rather than sitting on top of it. The result is a print that moves with the cotton, breathes through it, and develops a subtle vintage crackle over years of wear instead of peeling off in sheets. Each colour is laid down on a manually registered screen, so editions carry the faint variations of a hand-pulled run. No two pieces are pixel-identical — that is the point of a limited edition.
Why limited editions
Drops are produced in small, numbered runs and never restocked once the count is reached. Limited production lets us hold a high material standard — heavy cotton, dense prints, hand-finished hems — without compromising to hit a volume target. It also means what you wear is not on everyone else. When an edition sells through, it closes; the next drop brings a new set of hand-held worlds. Collectibility is built into the model, not added as a label.
Cut, fit, and finishing
Tees are cut to a slightly boxy, true-to-size fit with a ribbed crew neck and double-needle stitching at every seam. Shoulders are set to sit clean without sagging, and the body is long enough to tuck without riding up. Hems are reinforced to resist curling after repeated washing. Fit is consistent across editions, so once you know your size in a Mequie tee, it holds for every drop that follows.
Washing heavyweight cotton
Our tees are pressed on heavy cotton built to hold its shape for years, not weeks. Wash pieces inside out in cold water (30°C / 86°F) on a gentle cycle. Cold water protects the print, prevents shrinkage, and keeps the fabric's dense weave intact. Avoid hot water — it weakens cotton fibres and fades pigment over time. Use a mild detergent without bleach or optical brighteners, which strip colour and damage waterbased inks.
Drying without distortion
Air dry flat or hang in shade whenever possible. Heat from a tumble dryer is the fastest way to shrink heavyweight cotton and crack prints. If you must use a machine, choose the lowest heat setting and remove the piece while still slightly damp. Never wring or twist wet fabric — it stretches the weave out of shape. Reshape the garment by hand while damp and let it dry naturally.
Protecting prints and graphics
Turn every piece inside out before washing, and iron printed areas inside out on a low temperature. Never iron directly over a print — direct heat bonds the ink to the iron and leaves a permanent mark. Store garments folded rather than on hangers when possible, since heavyweight cotton can stretch at the shoulders over time. Keep prints away from rough surfaces and abrasive friction that can scuff the surface.
Long-term storage
Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, which yellows white cotton and fades dyed fabric over months. Fold pieces with acid-free tissue between them for archival storage, and avoid plastic bags that trap moisture and encourage mildew. Heavyweight cotton breathes — give it room. A cedar block or lavender sachet deters moths without chemicals.
Every drop is pressed on heavy cotton and built to be worn hard, then kept. Browse the current collection and find your next piece.
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