Assorted Threads: Link Roundup

My, what a busy week. I hope everyone had fun on the 4th, stuffing themselves silly and blowing shit up. With the holiday now in our rear view mirror, there are lots of miscellaneous tee threads — some big, some small — to share with you, dear reader.

First up, the estimable tee and hoodie blog Hide Your Arms has compiled a massive and extensive list of t-shirts lists, including some that ran here in this very space. Andy, the post’s chief indexer, has provided an invaluable public service for the cottoned community by centralizing this trove of information-overload; I know that I’ll use it for research purposes going forward and I encourage everyone that’s interested to give it a look-see.

Next, there is word that American Apparel, one of the industry’s preeminent manufacturers, is the subject of a federal probe (editor’s note: we print the majority of shirts here at FIC on AA). The New York Times reported in the July 3rd edition that immigration officials suspect that nearly one-third of the company’s employees — some 1,800 out of 5,600 — are in the United States illegally and could lose their jobs and face deportation. At the same time, the paper notes the following:

The treatment of American Apparel…is the most prominent demonstration of a new strategy by the Obama administration to curb the employment of illegal immigrants by focusing on employers who hire them — and doing so in a less confrontational manner than in years past.

Unlike the approach of the Bush administration, which brought criminal charges in its final two years against many illegal immigrant workers, the new effort makes broader use of fines and other civil sanctions, federal officials said Thursday.

As it is, the probe is not expected to disrupt production, at least according to AA’s President.

In sadder news, Michael Jackson’s untimely passing has unleashed a wave of tribute tees. Our friend Coty has collected a gallery of his favorite designs. On a related topic, there is also a story from an L.A.-based TV station about entrepreneurs bootleggers looking to cash in on the Jackson phenomenon, here and now. The article conveniently glosses over some of the murkier issues it raises, but it’s a quick read and unintentionally funny at spots (“it’s an honest hustle”).

A group of New Orleans residents are attempting to draft Brad Pitt for Mayor — and they’re using t-shirts to spread awareness and build support.

File under fashion faux-pas: A man vacationing in Dubai was arrested for a revealing t-shirt that featured a strategically naked Posh Spice.

One of my favorite designs here at Found Item Clothing (.com) is the Death Before Disco sweatshirt worn in Stripes. The NYT examines the anti-disco backlash/zeitgeist that fed this sentiment, looking back on Disco Demolition Night, an infamous ballpark promotion that went rapidly awry in 1979.

Finally, Tee.MS had kind words for our newest slogan tee, “Don’t Hassle Me, I’m Local.”

Thanks, Micah!

The T stands for threads: travis@founditemclothing.com