Side seam vs tubular comes down to construction: a tubular t shirt body is knit as a seamless tube with no side seams, while a side seamed shirt is cut and sewn from separate front and back panels, which allows more shaping in the fit; twist after washing depends mostly on the fabric, so check the spec sheet and wash test a sample either way.

Rule: body construction is one line on the spec sheet, not a verdict on the whole shirt. Fabric, weight, cut and finishing decide most of how a blank fits, prints and washes, so compare construction alongside them.

Part of the business and pricing guides in the DAX Learning Hub. For sourcing basics, see Wholesale Blanks Buying.

Published by DAX (Decorated Apparel Expo) · Last updated: October 2026

Side Seam vs Tubular T Shirts Compared

How Tubular and Side Seam Shirts Are Made

A tubular body starts at the knitting mill. A circular knitting machine knits a seamless cylinder of fabric at a set diameter that matches a body width. After dyeing and finishing, the factory cuts the tube to length, cuts the armholes and neck and sews on the sleeves and collar. The "sides" are simply the folded edges of the flattened tube.

A side seamed body starts as open width fabric, either knit flat or slit from a tube. The factory cuts separate front and back panels, sleeves and collar from a graded pattern, then joins front and back with seams down both sides. That extra step gives the pattern maker control: panels can be tapered at the waist, shaped for a fitted cut or adjusted size by size.

Because a tubular body's width comes from the tube, each body width needs fabric knit in a matching tube size, and the size range a mill can offer depends on the tube widths available. Side seamed shirts are cut to size from a pattern. Most tees of either type are made from single jersey; see What Is Jersey Fabric.

Fit, Twist and Shape After Washing

A side seamed shirt can follow the body more closely, so fitted and retail style cuts are usually side seamed. A tubular body hangs straight, which can suit relaxed and boxy styles and many basics.

Twist after washing, often called spirality or torque, is when the body rotates so the sides drift toward the front or back. It comes mainly from the fabric: yarn twist, knit structure and how the fabric was relaxed and finished. On a tubular body the whole tube can rotate, which can pull a centered print off axis. On a side seamed body the cutting room can align panels before sewing, which can help manage moderate twist, though side seams alone do not stop it and panels cut off grain can make it worse. Industry guides agree on the practical step: wash test the actual blank and measure it before you approve a program.

Printing and Pressing Each Type

Printers genuinely disagree on which is easier. Some use the side seams as a quick reference for squaring the shirt on the platen, and report straighter placement with fewer crooked prints. Others load tubular blanks by the center fold or measured marks without trouble. Either way, a printed sample on the chosen blank settles it better than the construction label.

Raised side seams are a reason to keep artwork clear of the sides on side seamed shirts: printing across a stitched seam can cause uneven ink deposit and misprints. Designs that wrap around the body behave differently over a seam than over a seamless tube, so test wrap and side prints on the real blank. For heat transfers that cross a seam, a heat press pillow or pad lets the seam sink so the print area sits flat.

One terminology note: "tubular" on embroidery machine pages describes machines and frames that stitch tubular or already assembled items, such as sleeves, without taking them apart. It has nothing to do with this body construction. For stitching problems on knit tees, see Embroidery Puckering on Tees and Polos.

Reading the Spec Sheet

Many blank listings state the body construction, using phrases such as "side seamed" or "tubular body." If the listing does not say, ask the supplier to confirm the construction for the exact style, fabric and sizes you are quoting, since it can differ across a range.

To check a sample yourself, turn it inside out and look along each side from the underarm to the hem. A stitched seam means side seamed. Smooth, unbroken fabric means tubular; a faint fold or edge line from finishing is not a seam. While you have the sample, measure body width and length per size with How to Measure a T Shirt, then wash it and measure again to see how it twists and shrinks.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tubular and Side Seam T Shirts (FAQ)

What does tubular mean on a t shirt?

It means the body was knit as a seamless tube, so there are no seams down the sides. The shoulders, sleeves and collar are still sewn.

Side seam vs tubular: which is better?

Neither wins every job. Side seamed bodies allow shaped and fitted cuts; tubular bodies have fewer sewing steps and suit straight, relaxed styles. Choose by fit intent, fabric and a wash tested sample.

Do tubular shirts twist after washing?

They can, and twist on a tubular body shows as the whole body rotating. Twist comes mainly from the fabric, so side seamed shirts can twist too. Wash test the actual blank.

Do side seams affect printing?

Some printers use them as a loading guide. Keep artwork off the raised seam itself, and test any design that wraps around the side.

How do I tell if a shirt is side seamed?

Turn it inside out and check the sides from underarm to hem. A sewn seam means side seamed; smooth fabric with at most a fold line means tubular.

Supplier note: figures here are hedged starting points that vary by garment, film, ink, blank, machine and method; confirm every setting against the supplier or manufacturer spec sheet, the garment care label and your own tests. Construction for a given style can change by size or fabric; confirm with the supplier.

Browse more guides in the DAX Learning Hub, and check cities and dates on the DAX show schedule when you are ready to see blank tees and construction samples in person.