Making premium products overseas is still cheap
Even the best material polos range from 65 to well over 100. Why?
I think a majority of people who think about cotton think about the charcoal polo.
100% Piqué Cotton short-staple: Scratchy on the skin, holds moisture, does not stretch, and will pill like crazy. (Most people don't wash their clothes the right way, adding all kinds of issues.)
The blue polo is 92% Peruvian Pima jersey Knit cotton, 8% spandex . Much softer against the skin, noticeably lighter. Retains its color longer, won't pill as easily. The extra-long staple fibers make this polo last years...
Super nerd info:
Being "Made in Peru" is important. Peru has a fully vertical production. They grow, pick, spin, dye, cut, and sew. You're getting real quality end to end. Peru: I don't believe it imports Supima cotton from the US; they don't need to. Their Peruvian Pima cotton is legit, and the certifications and regulations for handling Supima do not make any financial sense.
The other note with Supima: it's elite, but because of our lack of manufacturing, a lot of cut-and-sew Supima garments are imported from Asia, South America, etc., and must be strictly certified and licensed to handle the protected trademark. It's a gnarly process to ensure everything is protected and legit. But that Supima® note on a tag really stands for something.
Now obviously this comes at a cost. The charcoal polo is $45; the Navy Polo is $110.
There is so much more here; I have a whole series I'm building. The $100 polo is a thing, but why? I'm trying to really understand that process...