Custom T-shirts and What Kind to Purchase
Source: Flickr
Deciding on what kind of shirts to print on is sometimes the most important part of getting custom t-shirts done correctly. However most people are the least informed on this part of the process. So I thought I would try to educate people about this part of the decision making process.
There are many different bands, fabrics, weights, finishes, styles to consider. T-shirts are as ubiquitous as any advertising forum available today. Brand loyalty is great but from my experience most people can’t really tell the difference if two similar shirts are juxtaposed.
I will try to inform you the factors that you should consider. When choosing a shirt I would ask the following questions. What kind of apparel do I want to get printed? 100% cotton, 50/50 blend, ringer tee, raglan tees, jerseys style, tank top, sweatshirts etc. Next is what color of garment? Not all colors are available to you depending on the style of shirts you pick, so be flexible. When deciding on color you are faced with pigment-dyed, tie dyed, whites, lights, & darks. As a rule of thumb whites are the cheapest, then lights, darks, and finally the especially colors get more expensive.
This is just the beginning. Now here is a list of options to which ever type you have chosen. Sleeve length, ¼, ½, ¾ or long sleeve. Color style: regular color, scope neck, v-neck. Tank tops: spegheggeti strap or regular tanks. Also inquire as to the size of the arm holes. They vary significantly from brand to brand. Consider your audience when deciding on the cut. You can choose between classic which most of fit into this category but also available are fitted and youth cut for children. Even more you can find most regular cut t-shirts up to 6xl but not in all colors. Lastly tall’s are also available to you. The more you deviate from the norm the higher the prices become. This is basic supply and demand. Most every manufacturer makes a white 100% cotton t-shirt so they fight harder for your business with price. If you choose 3xl, navy, tall, long sleeve with pocket the number of manufacturers making this product is reduced so the prices are higher. Simple economics 101!
Now if you have selected sweatshirts to print. Here some extra choices to make. Hooded or crewneck, heavy weight or light weight, ¼ zip, full zip just to mention a few.
All this being said remember my earlier comment about not being able to see much a difference when two like products are juxtaposed. Brand loyalty is great but for my money if I need buy a large quantity of t-shirts to print. I go with the brand that has the best price. Don’t substitute a 50/50 5.6 ounce for a 100% cotton heavy weight to save a nickel but if you are purchasing 100 shirts and you can get brand “A” for 1.99 and Brand “B” is 2.49, buy wisely. Lastly if you really don’t know what to pick look in your own closest and find the t-shirt that has been the best for you and chances are you can order the same brand. Good luck on all your custom apparel purchases.