Author Topic: Why do shirts come by the dozen?  (Read 3628 times)

Offline jvanick

  • !!!
  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 2477
Why do shirts come by the dozen?
« on: November 24, 2014, 10:42:54 PM »
we were chitchatting today while boxing up some shirts, and trying to figure out why tshirts come by the dozen.

most of our customers order in multiples of 10... and it seems like it would be much easier to count in a factory by 10's...

so why is it?

Anybody have any insight?


Offline Frog

  • Administrator
  • Ludicrous Speed Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13980
  • Docendo discimus
Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2014, 10:51:50 PM »
No answer, but why stop at shirts? How about eggs or donuts as well?

Fortunately, most suppliers do not hold us to dozens, and of course, we can establish our own tiers for pricing if so inclined.

This subject often reminds me about how you young whippersnappers have never had to order by scale (or pay the penalty for ordering too many larges or XL's))
That rug really tied the room together, did it not?

Offline mimosatexas

  • !!!
  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 4221
  • contributor
Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
« Reply #2 on: November 25, 2014, 05:23:21 AM »
I pack by 10s for my customers.  I haven't had more than a handful order in dozens or understand that suppliers and manufacturers use that as the standard vs tens.

Offline Sbrem

  • Ludicrous Speed Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6055
Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2014, 07:52:18 AM »
We always pack in dozens, tradition I guess, and I have to say, I've never considered the question. We've also never been asked either, come to think of it...

Steve
I made a mistake once; I thought I was wrong about something; I wasn't

Offline bimmridder

  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 1886
Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2014, 07:58:08 AM »
I tried to get our shop to bundle by tens years ago. I figured with some of the geniuses I had coming through, it might be easier. You know, 1 times ten is ten, two times ten is twenty. Count the bundles and add a zero. Not too difficult. Just couldn't get the change through people's minds. So we went back to "all my fingers and thumbs and two toe taps is twelve". We literally have little "times tables" (you old guys like me might remember these from grade school) taped to the tables in the catching sorting areas.

I won't say it was all due to my employees and temps either. We had many customers call and say they were short on their orders, even though we stated "Now bundled in tens". I guess something so deeply engrained in people's minds is very difficult to change.
Barth Gimble

Printing  (not well) for 35 years. Strong in licensed sports apparel. Plastisol printer. Located in Cedar Rapids, IA

Offline mooseman

  • !!!
  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 2215
Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
« Reply #5 on: November 25, 2014, 08:31:38 AM »
here is your answer be sure to read it 12 times

http://www.dozenal.org/files/A1%20BRIEF%20INTRO.pdf

mooseman
DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES COMPLETELY WITHIN MY CONTROL YOU SHOULD GET YOUR OWN TEE SHIRT AND A SHARPIE MARKER BY NOON TOMORROW OR SIMPLY CALL SOMEONE WHO GIVES A SHIRT.

Offline whitewater

  • !!!
  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 1832
Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
« Reply #6 on: November 25, 2014, 08:35:43 AM »
we fold in 6.. easier for my employees to count...but also they fit soo nicely in a box..

Offline Gilligan

  • !!!
  • Ludicrous Speed Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 6853
Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
« Reply #7 on: November 25, 2014, 09:49:48 AM »
No answer, but why stop at shirts? How about eggs or donuts as well?


Funny, I literally thought about this just last night as I was explaining to my four year old what a dozen was. Using eggs as the example I went into thought, why do we have dozens of eggs anyway?  I was driving so my next thought was why are those two lights coming right at me and what is that annoying sound? CAR! ;)

I had a client order a dozen dozens... When he sent me the screen shot for his sizing break down I called him up and said "sir, you mentioned a gross of shirts but I'm only seeing 12 here.  He said, "those are dozens."  OH! 

But who does that?!

Offline jvanick

  • !!!
  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 2477
Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
« Reply #8 on: November 25, 2014, 10:56:36 AM »
Certainly not our 35k shirt customer...

EVERYTHING they did is in 10's

30 men's hoodies per case
40 women's hoodies per case
(ish), the chinese are REALLY bad at counting.. sometimes it's 29, sometimes it's 31.

all their orders are in 10's... 100 for size X to city Y... etc.

LOL.

Don't even get me started on sizing and/or quality... if this was a standard order that came in from Gildan, we'd probably be at a 40% MINIMUM reject rate...

- sizes packed in the wrong boxes in the wrong bags.
- sizes marked wrong (how the heck do you put a Women's 3XL label on a Women's S)
- sizes wrong in general (a woman's XL fits like a small, Literally)
- holes
- stains
- mis-sews
- a few cases they came in wet and moldy inside of the bags they packed them in.

Luckilly the last of them are outta here on wednesday morning!!!


Offline Command-Z

  • !!!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 956
Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
« Reply #9 on: November 25, 2014, 11:11:25 AM »

Because T-shirts are the donuts of clothing.
Design, Illustration and Color Separation for the Imprinted Apparel Industry for over 20 years. SeibelStudio.com
 Custom art not in the budget? Check out Bad Bonz Designs

Offline 3Deep

  • !!!
  • Ludicrous Speed Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 5330
Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
« Reply #10 on: November 25, 2014, 11:50:29 AM »
I like this question it let's give you my stupid answer LOL, but 12 has been a standard for measurement for many of years, example rulers, yards, a man's foot, feet etc.  12 is an even number and can be divided equal in 2,3,4, if you building a house your using 12 making cookies your using a measure of 12.  Next time you go to a store and buy bread look at what measure they use 6, 12, 24 ,48 it's just the STANDARD!!!! ;D  told you guys I got to get all my stupid out on this one  ::)

darryl
Life is like Kool-Aid, gotta add sugar/hardwork to make it sweet!!

Offline Prosperi-Tees

  • !!!
  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 4297
  • Common Sense - Get Some
Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
« Reply #11 on: November 25, 2014, 12:22:51 PM »
Small sticks of gum come in 5s.
Why are pants called a pair?
cigarettes come in 20s or cartons of 10

Offline 3Deep

  • !!!
  • Ludicrous Speed Member
  • *******
  • Posts: 5330
Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
« Reply #12 on: November 25, 2014, 12:42:32 PM »
Small sticks of gum come in 5s.
Why are pants called a pair?
cigarettes come in 20s or cartons of 10

Gum ...they can't count
Pants...you only have two legs? LOL
Cigarettes... got me on that one, I don't smoke

what else you got smart azz :P
Life is like Kool-Aid, gotta add sugar/hardwork to make it sweet!!

Offline Prosperi-Tees

  • !!!
  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 4297
  • Common Sense - Get Some
Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
« Reply #13 on: November 25, 2014, 01:19:21 PM »
Light bulbs were in 2 and 4 packs.
Cassette tapes came in 3 packs
KFC Chicken, 2,3,6,9,10,12,15,21 piece combos

Offline bimmridder

  • Gonzo Member
  • ******
  • Posts: 1886
Re: Why do shirts come by the dozen?
« Reply #14 on: November 25, 2014, 01:22:40 PM »
12 packs in twelves!!!
Barth Gimble

Printing  (not well) for 35 years. Strong in licensed sports apparel. Plastisol printer. Located in Cedar Rapids, IA