Velva Sheen

In the 1970s, Velva Sheen emerged as a key figure in the burgeoning graphic t-shirt scene, gaining fame primarily as a Disney merchandise provider. These vintage pieces are highly sought after by collectors today. Additionally, Velva Sheen produced t-shirts featuring Warner Brothers' Looney Tunes characters. Unfortunately, the golden age of American-made souvenir t-shirts concluded in the late 1980s as the industry shifted production to Asia, leading to financial difficulties for Velva Sheen and its closure in the mid-1990s.

In 2009, two decades after its closure, the Velva Sheen brand was acquired and revived by Topwin, a Japanese-owned apparel company located in Torrance, California. With a specialization in knitwear and led by vintage enthusiasts, Topwin was perfectly suited to rejuvenate Velva Sheen, meticulously preserving the brand's traditional manufacturing techniques. Presently, Velva Sheen t-shirts are produced using vintage tubular knitting machines that craft the shirt in one piece, eliminating side seams. This approach enhances durability and comfort but restricts production scalability, as each machine is limited to a single t-shirt size. Beyond the quality of the garments, Topwin has also meticulously recreated Velva Sheen's original labels and packaging, making today's purchases nearly identical to those from half a century ago in terms of product authenticity.