Here is a list of tips and terms used for identifying and dating vintage t shirts and sweatshirts from the 1970s, 80, and 90s. For more information about dating vintage clothing in general, click here.
50/50 blends
Fifty-fifty refers to shirts made of an equal blend of cotton and polyester, which was common beginning in the 1970s and especially in the 1980s-90s. In the 1990s, t shirts made of 100% cotton also gained popularity.
Iron-on graphics
Iron-on or heat transfer graphics were popular in the 1970s and 1980s.
Single stitch hems
T shirts with a single line of stitches at the hem were commonly seen in the 1970s-80s, while a double layer of stitches were more prevalent in the 90s.
Copyright dates
It isn't uncommon to find t shirts and sweatshirts from the 1970s-90s with copyright dates below their graphics. Though it’s not always foolproof, you can usually estimate that it was manufactured that year or a few years after. However, the same graphic could be printed on an item for many years without updating the copyright date, so it's also important to look at the tag and hem for more clues.
Brand tags
You can often identify the decade based on the brand and the design of the brand tag. There are many photo resources online showing different brand tags from the 1970s-90s.
70s-80s popular brands: Screen Stars, Hanes, Stedman, Sportswear
90s popular brands: Screen Stars Best, Fruit of the Loom, Jerzees, Oneita, Hanes, Giant