Description
It has a tell. The em dashes. The "in conclusion." The eerie confidence of a paragraph that has never once been to your class.
Quiet authority for the teacher who reads between the prompts.
Made for the teacher who has said it so often it slips out at dinner. A safe bet for teacher appreciation week, an end-of-year thank you, or a birthday you remembered this morning.
Made from 100% ring-spun Comfort Colors 1717 cotton — garment-dyed, heavyweight, and already broken-in soft, so it skips the stiff-new-shirt phase entirely. Built to survive a full school year and the laundry pile you've been ignoring since October.
Thick, buttery soft, and nothing like the three-pack blanks. Yes, a premium shirt costs a little more — and yes, it's absolutely worth it.
Preshrunk from the get-go, and it does not shrink in the dryer (we've tried, many times).
Size guide
Relaxed, true-to-size unisex fit. Want it fitted? Size down. Want it roomy? Stay true.
| Size | Width (in) | Length (in) |
|---|---|---|
| S | 18.25 | 26.62 |
| M | 20.25 | 28.00 |
| L | 22.00 | 29.37 |
| XL | 24.00 | 30.75 |
| 2XL | 26.00 | 31.62 |
| 3XL | 27.75 | 32.50 |
Flat-lay measurements for the Comfort Colors 1717, in inches (±1.5 in tolerance). Preshrunk, so the size you measure is the size it stays.
How to not ruin your new favorite shirt
- Cold water only. Hot water is for overachievers.
- Turn it inside out first — protect the graphic you'll wear until it disintegrates.
- Gentle detergent. This garment-dyed cotton is chill; keep it that way.
- Wash it solo the first couple of times — garment-dyed colors bleed a little before they settle. Keep it away from your good whites.
- Tumble dry low or hang dry. Air-drying means more time for snacks.
- No bleach, no fabric softener. Both pick fights with garment-dyed cotton and the print.
- Ironing? Never straight on the design — flip it inside out or use a pressing cloth.
Shipping & returns
Good things take time (but not too long). Free shipping over $85 — a full cart earns it. Orders print and ship within about a week; once USPS takes over, figure 2–5 days. Track it obsessively or forget it exists — both are valid coping strategies.
If something's wrong, that's on us. Showed up damaged, defective, or just plain wrong? We'll make it right. Otherwise, send unworn, unwashed items back within 30 days for a refund (minus original shipping).
Real humans read every message — reach us through our contact page. We're teachers' people, not a faceless corporation.
For the record
Founded by an actual teacher.
Eight years of classrooms, grades 5–8, and very strong opinions about apple-clip-art apparel. Sarah made the shirts she couldn't buy.
Read the story →
Questions we frequently get.
Where are you located?
Red Pen Society is US-based, run out of Raleigh, North Carolina. Every shirt is printed and shipped here in the States, and we only ship within the US for now.
Will I get a tracking number?
Yes. A tracking email goes out the moment your order leaves the print shop. No account to log into, no ticket number, no hold music.
What size should I get?
Relaxed unisex fit, true to size. Want it fitted, size down. Want it roomy, stay true. Full measurements are in the size guide further up this page.
Between sizes and overthinking it? Email hello@redpensociety.com and a real person will tell you what they'd do.
What are the shirts made of?
Comfort Colors 1717: 100% ring-spun cotton, garment-dyed and heavyweight. One blank, every design, no mystery upgrade at checkout.
Who's actually behind this?
Sarah, who taught for eight years across New York, New Jersey, and, for a stretch, France. ESL, reading and writing, history, mostly grades 5 through 8.
She got tired of apple clip art and made the shirts she actually wanted to wear. Every word on this site was written by someone who has taken attendance. The longer version is here.
