DISCLOSURE
This is not a sponsored post. I bought the items with my own money. Although I am a fan of Markiplier, I do not believe it will sway my general review or opinion. I'm not a "big fan" but more or less a casual viewer. I want to do a thorough review with as little bias as possible. All dramas aside, I just want to talk about the clothes.
ABOUT CLOAK
Cloak is a clothing brand started by Youtubers Markiplier and JackSepticEye. The tag line, according to their branding card, states "This is Cloak. This is our clothing brand, but more importantly, this is your clothing brand". The clothes on the website appear minimalistic with the outfits more on the casual style.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
I originally wanted to buy their clothes at launch, but all of the clothes sold out within a couple hours of announcement. I then went back in November and bought the Spy Hoodie off of their website.
The box itself speaks for the brand. I believe in one of his videos Markiplier mentioned that the brand doesn't want to put their logo on absolutely everything. The goal was not to be "overtly branded" and just from the box you can see their mission. The outside of the box is plain with the logo in the center.
Once you open the box you will receive a couple of stickers and the brand's card with their tag line.
The hoodie feels super soft on the skin. The fabric isn't itchy and doesn't cling to your body. The hoodie had a bit of a smell to it. It wasn't a bad smell. I'm not sure if it came from the delivery truck or the manufacturer itself.
SIZE AND MATERIALS
For general size information, I am 5 feet 2 inches and I am wearing an XXL hoodie. I typically wear an XL in terms of hoodies, jackets, and shirts. The reason why I decided to size up was because I wanted to go for a more "baggy" style. I don't like it when my clothes cling too tightly. Would I recommend everyone to size up? No, only size up if you are trying to go for a more baggy style. Overall, the sweater fits true to size.
The hoodie has interesting hoodie string tips. I don't know what material it is, but it feels rubbery, kind of like vinyl. It's the same material used in the logo and the words "Cloak". I believe this extra rubber part was added so to prevent the hoodie strings from dislodging in the hood when you put it in the wash.
MATERIALS & MISCONCEPTIONS
According to the Cloak website, the Spy Hoodie is made out of 70% Cotton, 24% Polyester, and 6% Spandex. The hoodie I received also has the same information on the tag. For some reason online, some people have been posting comments that the hoodie is made completely out of Polyester or it's 100% Rayon. This is NOT true. There is Polyester in the hoodie, but it is not completely made out of it.
TRACKING AND SHIPPING
I purchased the hoodie on November 16 and I received it on November 27. After purchasing the hoodie, I was given a receipt along with a tracking number. I found the tracking number to be pretty accurate. When you click on the link for tracking, it tells you where your shipment was last. The estimated date of arrival was November 27 and I actually received it on that date.
Overall, I did not have a bad shipping experience. I do live within the US and I am assuming that the brand is US based. I don't know how shipping will be internationally.
OVERALL COST & GENERAL OUTRAGE
I anticipated that a lot of people will be upset about the price. I don't want to talk about how much I paid for this hoodie because the shipping will change how much each person will ultimately pay for their items. If I say that I paid X (AMOUNT) for the hoodie, it might not be the same for someone else. For more accurate information on pricing, you should check their website. However, in general I paid less than $100.
I can see why some people might be upset over the price.
1.) Fans may not be able to afford the product, but it was marketed as being "for them". Some people might feel like they've been deceived.
2.) Some people don't like the design and believe they can get something similar for cheaper
3.) Some people might think this is "merch" clothing instead of its own business entity. Therefore, most people will believe all the money will go directly to the face of the brand, the two Youtubers.
4.) Differences in the meaning of "ethically sourced"
I can only really think of a few reasons why the brand decided to price their items at this price range. Just remember that these are my assumptions. I don't work with the brand nor do I know their manufacturing practices.
1. HIGH QUALITY MATERIALS AND OVERALL PRODUCTION
Some people believe the designs are "plain" and that you can get this type of sweater at Walmart, Target, or Forever 21 for a lower price.
In terms of design, maybe you can purchase something of a similar design at a lower price. In terms of quality, this kind of quality you can not buy at Walmart, Target, or Forever 21 etc. You can tell just by the way the clothes look and the way they feel on the body. There's not a single seam or stitch out of place. Typically, when you buy clothes from H&M or Forever 21 there are a couple of fly away seams and loose threads. I would know because I often shop at those places. You wash their clothes one time and the clothes will inevitably shrink down one size. After a couple of washes and wears, the material thins out and you will have to go out and buy another one.
I'm not hating on those brands. I shop there often. That's just the kind of quality you expect when you shop there. You know what their quality is and you accept it for what it is. Manufactures can buy a large quantity of cheap materials, mass produce it, and sell it to the audience because they already know what to expect. That is why big brand clothes like H&M and F21 are so accessible and priced affordably.
In general, I would assume that Cloak is not that sort of brand. I can only really speak for the hoodie that I received, but it is not of a cheap quality. If you expect a high quality product, you need to pay high quality prices. Yes, you could be altruistic and sell high quality at low prices. However, that wouldn't be a very smart business plan. Once again, this is a brand and a business. This isn't "merch" clothing or screen printed t-shirts. The money generated doesn't just go directly to the Youtubers. This is a brand of clothing and a company. It is intended to be sold to a certain audience. The money generated from the sales most likely will go to the employees of the brand, graphic designers, a cut to their manufacturers, and lastly the face of the brand, the two Youtubers themselves.
2. THE MATERIALS ARE ETHICALLY SOURCED
Like I mentioned above, the materials are of a high quality. The seams are all in the proper place and I had no loose threads. Someone had to make this hoodie. According to the tag, the hoodie was made in China. I can see why so many people might hear "Made in China" and freak out. Often times, we associated "Made in China" with sweatshop workers or child laborers.
While it is true that there are sweatshops and places with relaxed child labor laws. Not all factories in China are sweatshops. There are many factories in China. They have their own grading systems for working conditions. Factory working is a way of life out there. Western factory workers have different protocols and standards which may differ from the Chinese standard of factory working. Is one better than the other? That is debatable. Do I support child labor? No, I do not. Would viewers and buyers be more comfortable with a "Made in USA" tag on their shirts? Perhaps they would. However, you can guarantee the price will be twice as expensive which will lead to more outrage.
Can I 100% say that the person who made my Cloak hoodie doesn't work under sweatshop conditions? No, I can not. Although on their website, Cloak mentions that their clothes are "ethically sourced". What that means to each individual may mean many different things. However, if you're going to get into the argument of ethically source, take note of all the clothes you bought from Walmart, H&M, Forever 21, Target, and anything else with the tag "Made in China". Chances are there are a lot of items that fit this description. You can not guarantee that everything you own was made ethically. Does that make it right or okay? That is up to you to decide.
Honestly, it is really difficult to please absolutely everyone. I just wanted to post a general review of a hoodie that I bought and enjoyed. However, I ended up writing this long explanation full of analysis and different view points. Inevitably, someone is going to get their feelings hurt.
Just know that I intended to write my review from a neutral stand point. I'm not a super fan. I don't feel too strongly or negatively about the brand's creators. I just saw a cool hoodie and wanted to get it. Fortunately, I was in a place where I could afford to buy it. I do acknowledge that the clothing is not cheap and not everyone will be able to afford it. Do I feel bad? No, not really. I still think this hoodie is pretty great. Would I buy again from this brand in the future? Yes, their materials and quality is great!
WHO ARE YOU?
Remember how I said that certain Youtubers clothes are marketed towards a certain audience? I'm typically that audience. I'm a curious person and sometimes I write review on things from Youtubers that I like. I'm curious to know what their clothes are like, the materials, and if the costs match up.
In the past, I have bought clothes from Youtubers such as Jenn Im from clothesencounters. I wrote a blogpost about it, although it's not really a review. I've also bought clothes from Go For Broke, a company that was originally started by Youtubers David So, Bart Kwan, and Joe Jitsukawa. (I do not believe this company exists anymore because they sold it.)
Anyways, thanks for taking the time to read this review. I might do more reviews in the future. If you have any suggestions, let me know!
