SanMar recently partnered with Hanes to launch “A T-Shirt Story” highlighting all the steps that go into creating a t-shirt. From a cotton field to the soccer field, it’s a long journey that creates opportunities while building connections.

We sat down with SanMar’s Senior Videographer Corbin Gross to talk about his experiences, including a trip to a Hanes facility in the Dominican Republic, to film this touching video.

Q: What was your favorite thing about filming in the Dominican Republic?

A: Everybody everywhere I went was just so nice. From buying a soda to getting a cab ride, people were so friendly.

Q: Did anything surprise you about the Hanes facility there?

A: The size of it. The Hanes facility was immense with thousands of people working two shifts. It was a beautiful facility that was well run and comfortable, full of happy people doing their jobs. The cafeteria was great, with hot, fresh food.

Q: Do you have a funny story about filming in the Dominican Republic?

A: I show up on the first day and am greeted by the head of security and the plant manager. We talk about what I need to shoot and what I’m there to do. Everyone was super excited but there was one problem. I was in shorts. Turns out you can’t wear shorts into the factory! They were super apologetic, I felt silly for not bringing any pants. So a quick trip out to a nearby mall and we were ready to start!

Q: How do you feel about the initial reception to the video? 

A: My biggest concern about filming was this that I wouldn’t get good footage. But I set up the first shot and instantly captured two beautiful clips of workers. In fact, we used my first shot, out of the dozens of hours of footage, in the final video. I imagined a video like this would take a lot more work to make it look right, but I didn’t have to really tell people what to do. It’s great that people seem to really like the video and the message.

Q: What is your favorite part of the video? 

A: I had a blast visiting the screenprinting shop and showing the technical piece of decorating t-shirts. It’s a very detailed process and I had to get creative to show that. I also loved the assembly part of manufacturing in the Dominican Republic. I can still hear the music that played over the talking and laughter of the workers.