Apparel

What is the best Garment for me?

Determining what type of garment to select can be overwhelming with so many different options to choose from. This guide is here to help point you in the right direction.


If you are looking for the most cost effective shirt that has several fabric options and a standard fit then Gildan® is your answer.

When looking for something like company polo shirts, Jerzees® and Gildan® have multiple options that are good quality and affordable. They also have many high visibility options for most garments.

For performance wear we suggest going with All Sport® because they specialize in quality 100% polyester garments at affordable costs.

A lot of fraternities and sororities we have worked with like to use Comfort Colors® for their wide selection of colors and quality in long sleeve shirts & crewneck sweatshirts. However your options are open.

Clothing brands all have their own styles so it is completely up to you. Keep in mind though you may want to use clothing brands/options that have tearaway labels for relabeling. Brands like Alternative®, Next Level®, and Bella + Canvas® have retail quality garment options.


What kind of Fabric is most suitable for your needs?

100% Cotton

Used in most standard shirts, these are generally good for events, promotional shirts, or team shirts because of their low cost and durability. Cotton shirts, although often preshrunk, are still known to shrink in the wash some, so keep this in mind when choosing sizes.

Pros

  • Easy Printing
  • Comfort
  • Low Cost

Cons

  • Shrinking in Wash
  • Wrinkles Easily
  • Absorbency (fabric holds onto sweat and moisture)

100% Ringspun Cotton

Ringspun Cotton is softer and thinner than standard 100% cotton. It is also more durable and does not shrink as much as the 100% cotton. There are very affordable options for these shirts if you are looking for a softer better quality shirt.

Pros

  • Easy Printing
  • Supreme Comfort
  • Low Cost

Cons

  • Slight Shrinking in Wash
  • Wrinkles
  • Absorbency (fabric holds onto sweat and moisture)

100% Polyester

Polyester is used most often in sports performance shirts because it keeps us cool and has moisture wicking properties. The fabric itself is stretchy and durable. These performance-type shirts however tend to be more expensive than the cotton shirt options.

Pros

  • Athletic Performance
  • Strength & Durability
  • Wrinkle Resistance

Cons

  • Low Breathability
  • Some Printing Limitations

Cotton/Poly Blends

These garments are created using varying amounts of cotton/polyester usually around 50/50 to take advantage of the best qualities of each fiber. It is both breathable and tear-resistant and keeps the shirt from shrinking, a common problem with cotton shirts. There are affordable options in dry blend shirts comparable to ringspun cotton.

Pros

  • Best of Both Fabrics
  • Soft
  • Strength & Durability

Cons

  • Not as Breathable as 100% Cotton

Tri-blend

Tri-blends are created using a blend of ringspun cotton, polyester, and rayon. These shirts are super soft and a little stretchy which have made them increasingly popular. They generally have a heathered look because of the blend of fibers. Tri-blends tend to be more expensive than the 50/50 blends or 100% Cotton.

Pros

  • Super Soft
  • Strength & Durability
  • Moisture Wicking Properties

Cons

  • Not as Wrinkle Resistant as 100% Polyester
  • Higher Cost
  • Limited Color Options

Brand Breakdown

There are so many wholesale clothing brands out there it’s hard to decide what is right for you. Here’s what you need to know.

All Sport custom printed products
  • Sport Performance garments
  • High Quality
  • Reasonably Priced
Alpine Fleece custom printed products
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Alternative brand custom printed products
  • High Quality
  • Expensive
  • Large selection with a wide variety of styles, fabrics and colors
  • Styles that are on trend with today’s fashions
  • Unique style and color options
  • Tags are not tear away – not good for relabeling with custom printed neck tags
American Apparel custom printed products
  • High Quality (Retail Quality)
  • Fairly Expensive
  • Decent selection with a variety of styles, fabrics and colors
  • Styles that are on trend with today’s fashions
  • Garments fit well
  • Tags are not tear away – not good for relabeling with custom printed neck tags
  • The 2001W is their classic 100% ring-spun cotton t-shirt
Anvil custom printed products
  • Good Quality
  • Reasonably Priced
  • Not a huge selection (t-shirts, tank tops and hats)
  • Tear Away tags – good for relabeling with custom printed neck tags
Bella-Canvas custom printed products
  • High Quality
  • Reasonably Priced
  • Large selection with a wide variety of styles, fabrics and colors
  • Styles that are on trend with today’s fashions
  • Tear Away tags – good for relabeling with custom printed neck tags
  • Garments fit well
  • The 3001 is their classic 100% ring-spun cotton t-shirt
Boxercraft brand custom printed products
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Burnside brand custom printed products
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Champion brand custom printed products
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Comfort Colors custom printed products
  • High Quality, heavyweight, pigment dyed clothing.
  • Tons of color options
  • Fairly expensive but for a good reason
  • Tags are not tear away – not good for relabeling with custom printed neck tags
  • Average selection with a variety of styles and colors
Dyenomite custom printed products
  • Tie-Dye garments
  • Good Quality
  • Reasonably Priced
Flexfit custom printed products
  • Headwear — primarily baseball caps, dad hats and snapbacks
  • Good Quality
  • Reasonably priced
Gildan custom printed products
  • The most well-known wholesale clothing brand
  • Standard Quality
  • Low Prices
  • Standard, average products, good for promotional purposes, etc.
  • Many products are available in tons of color options
  • Large selection with a wide variety of styles (short sleeve t-shirts, long sleeve t-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, shorts, polo shirts)
  • The 5000 is their standard 100% cotton t-shirt
Independent Trading Co custom printed products
  • Only Sweatshirts and Jackets
  • Good Quality
  • Reasonably Priced
  • Garments fit well
  • Tear Away tags – good for relabeling with custom printed neck tags
  • The SS4500 is their standard hooded sweatshirt
J. America custom printed products
  • Wide variety of sweatshirt styles
  • Unique sweatshirt styles
  • Good Quality
  • Reasonably Priced
Jerzees custom printed products
  • Very similar to Gildan
  • Standard Quality
  • Low Prices
  • Standard, average products good for promotional purposes, etc.
  • Many products are available in tons of color options, including many high-visibility options
  • Average selection with a variety of styles and colors (short sleeve t-shirts, long sleeve t-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, polo shirts)
LAT Apparel custom printed products
  • Good for Women and Youth
  • Not a huge selection (mainly t-shirts)
  • Good Quality
  • Reasonably Priced
  • Matching adult, women, youth, toddler and infant clothing options (Rabbit Skins is it’s toddler and infant line)
Liberty Bags custom printed products
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Mega Cap custom printed products
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MV Sport custom printed products
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Next Level custom printed products
  • Good Quality
  • Reasonably Priced
  • Selection is somewhat limited
  • Garments fit well
  • Tear Away tags – good for relabeling with custom printed neck tags
Rabbit Skins custom printed products
  • LAT Apparel’s toddler and infant clothing line
  • Good for Toddlers and Infants
  • Good Quality
  • Reasonably Priced
Richardson custom printed products
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Sportsman custom printed products
  • Headwear — primarily winter hats and beanies
  • Low Prices
  • Good Quality
Valucap custom printed products
  • Headwear — primarily baseball caps and dad hats
  • Low prices
  • Good Quality
Weatherproof custom printed products
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Yupoong custom printed products
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