Hi ground-water,

Thanks for the file and the Google Cloud use; this is perfect.

Here is a little suggestion.
https://projectfiles.maxon.net/Cineversity_Forum_Support/2024_PROJECTS_DRS/20241213_CV4_2025_drs_24_SIbs_01c4d.zip
This file needs to be in your Project folder, unzipped.

Screenshot 2024-12-13 at 8.56.45 PM.jpg

The shirt was built with volume, which doesn't help, so I made a copy and took the inside out. The Cloth Surface will replace the thickness.
The mesh was rather dense, so I Remeshed it. Hence, the texture is off, but let us focus on the motion first. This is art direction, and I have no idea how you would like to have it.
The Puppet is a bad Collider, hence I smoothed it with the Volume workflow. Otherwise, the two shoulder "balls" shape the shirt. (or was that intentional?)

I have decreased the Gravity and the Mass of the shirt. With a Mass of 1, that shirt would be 1kg per 1000cc and normal Gravity. With the modeled initial double-sided. The typical air in the fabric is not acknowledged, etc.

Cache it first.

Let me know what you think about it.

Enjoy your weekend.