Gang-related clothing that can trigger clashes and even bloodshed isn’t limited to hats or T-shirts, police and other witnesses testified Thursday.

Gangs such as the Bloods, Crips, the Latin Kings and the Trinitarios (a Dominican gang) can use shoes, shoelaces and even underwear to identify themselves, they said.

Testifying at a City Council hearing on the dangers of gang paraphernalia, Joe Figueroa, a former Bloods member who is now with the Council for Unity, a Brooklyn-based anti-gang advocacy group, noted that Bloods are known to wear Calvin Klein merchandise because to them, the CK logo stands for “Crip Killer.”

And Crips prefer Ralph Lauren’s CHAPS line because it supposedly stands for Crips Hate All Piru Slobs, he said. Piru is a term associated with an early Bloods gang in Compton, Calif.

Deputy Police Chief Robert Boyce, commanding officer of the NYPD’s gang division, said identifying methods keep changing. But an example of what has been used is that Crips tuck their shirts in their pants on the left and Bloods on the right, he said. And the same applies if a bandana is tucked in the left or right shirt pocket.

Of underwear showing above their sagging pants, Boyce said, red and pink is “usually a sign” for Bloods, blue for Crips, yellow and black for Latin Kings and lime-green for Trinitarios.

Jerseys with the number 32 signify Latin Kings, because the numbers add up to five – the number of points on their crown symbol.

The hearing was called by Councilman Leroy Comrie (D-Queens), chairman of the Consumer Affairs Committee, who contends merchandisers, such as Buffalo-based New Era Cap Company, imitated gang styles to bolster profits.

Comrie said parents and youths should be wary of such merchandise. He cited several deadly incidents, including the fatal shooting of Bloods member Trevelle Belton, 19, on a subway train in June by a Crips member after a dispute “over their respective colors.”

Comrie criticized New Era, which is licensed by Major League Baseball, for having marketed hats bearing the Yankees logo in colors, or with headbands associated with the Crips or Bloods.

New Era said the styling was unintentional and issued a recall in August.

Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (D-Astoria), chairman of the Public Safety Committee, said New Era officials “were too chicken to come here and answer questions.”

A spokesman for New Era said officials familiar with retailing and marketing practices weren’t available “because of the holidays and the short scheduling notice.”

flombardi@nydailynews.com