The Top 5 Quality T Shirts For Printing

The Top 5 Quality T Shirts For Printing

The Best High Quality T Shirts to Print On – Blank T Shirts.
If you are starting a high end t-shirt line or just looking for great quality blank t shirts that retain their color are durable for years and have fabrics that wont pill or shrink.

Consider these 5 Quality Blank t shirts as some of the best shirts to use when printing a custom t shirt line.

Our reviews are based on durability, comfort, softness, quality and t shirt fit1. Keeping these important elements in mind you can can create an apparel brand that people trust and want to wear.

By printing on high quality goods you provide your clients / buyers / customers and raving fans with quality apparel that’s worth telling people about.

We’ve done the research for you and gone through thousands of blank t-shirts printed for our clients and have found the Top 5 Quality t shirts that are the best in the premium quality t shirt category.

We have also considered and reviewed these t shirts based on what our past and current clients are saying, as well as our own personal measure in quality as a consumer.

FYI these t-shirts reviewed are Uni-Sex sizes and Men’s sizes. Unisex will fit larger on a women’s body since these Uni-sex t shirts like the Bella 3001 where made and built for a slightly larger men’s frame.

For our Premium Women’s T Shirt Review, Check this Post Out.

For the Top 4 Women’s Premium T shirts We recommend the Bella Canvas Favorite Tee 6004 / Next Level Perfect Tee 3300L / Women’s Anvil 379 / Alternative Women’s Crew 1072

Grant Cardone is wearing the super soft Bella + Canvas – Unisex Cotton/Polyester Tee – 3650

1. American Apparel – Updated
   Quality Blank t -shirt

Update: 10/11/2017 American Apparel has been bought out by Gildan a Canadian Apparel manufacture.

We now know the American Apparel brand will be continued by Gildan and have recently released the American Apparel Fine Jersey Tee 2001W in various colors.

American Apparel is a popular brand that is well-known in Los Angeles and across the world for its progressive American made business model, pro gay rights, pro immigration reform and highly sexualized marketing, however being the most popular doesn’t always guarantee the best customer fit.

Lets get to it.. The Fine Jersey Crew Neck 2001W tee is 100% cotton and is the standard American Apparel shirt printed in most print shops in the U.S. although American Apparel carries a wide variety of 50/50 blends, Tri blends and Poly Cottons, we will use and focus on the 100% cotton Fine Jersey Crew as our main example.

The Fine Jersey crew is used as merchandise by bands like Van Halen, Vampire Weekend, Death Cab for Cutie and online companies like Threadless and Teespring.

The quality of this blank t-shirt is durable and the softness is definitely felt, the stitching is well done and the variety of colors is enough to get your clothing brand started. However some of the reasons why the American Apparel brand shirt is at #5 is because of our clients feedback when printing on and using American Apparel shirts.

The first major concern when looking to buy American Apparel shirt is the high cost per shirt, since it’s made in the U.S expect to pay premium prices, depending of dark or light-colored garments at wholesale you’re looking at around $5.40 to $10.56 for sizes 3XL for small orders of 50 or less, with any shirt brand the higher amount of shirts you buy the better your price will be.

Another common complaint is that the shirt tends to be a bit on the thin and slouchy side, in my personal experience wearing American Apparel I feel that I find the material a bit too thin for my preference, unless you or your buyers prefer a thinner sheer material shirt that’s relaxed fitting, American Apparel could be right choice for you.

However there is always different taste in what we wear and how it fits on us and how it makes us feel. If this shirt was music I’d classify it under rock n roll & grunge for cool laid back hipsters that want aesthetics played down for a natural relaxed feel.

Main Takeaways • Lightweight / Sheer / Relaxed / Loose Fit / Soft Touch

American Apparel Product Specs.

100% Fine Jersey cotton construction (Heather Grey has 10% Polyester)
Durable rib neckband
Fabric weight 4.3 oz/yd² (146 g/m²)
Superior screen printing results
Made of 100% fine ring-spun combed cotton, this lightweight fine jersey is exceptionally smooth and tight-knit, making it a perfect surface for screen printing.

1. Anvil Lightweight Fashion Tee
   Quality-Blank-T Shirt-Printing-Anvil-980-
   Click To Order – Anvil 980 T Shirt
   Anvil’s Lightweight Fashion 980 Short Sleeve T Shirt 100% pre-shrunk ringspun cotton. The Anvil 980 t-shirt1 makes for a great relaxed athletic fit.

The Anvil 980 comes with an easy tear away label, this feature helps in the printing of custom size tags without leaving tiny cotton pieces behind where the non tear away tag was sewn into the shirt.

When the size tags are sewn in the fabric and in most cases the collar can come undone when removing the tag by tearing or ripping the label.

A tag sewn directly into the shirt takes longer to remove and can damage the shirt if not properly detached.

In order to remove it properly the printer has to cut the threads that hold the tag in place very carefully.

The good thing about the Anvil 980 and most of the blank t shirts being produced now is that the tear away label is becoming the standard for easy size relabeling so that you can fully brand your clothing line from inside out.

After The Wash Update.

The Anvil 980 shrunk a bit after washing, although when new the length is a bit longer than your standard shirt this is something to keep in mind when looking at the Anvil 980.

The quality and color remained pretty much the same as when we first reviewed the Anvil 980 so this is why we placed the 980 at 4th place in the Premium or High Quality t shirts.

When comparing the Anvil 980 to lesser quality tees, the Anvil keeps its color, shape and form better than most t shirts at a lower price point.

The Anvil 980 Lightweight is a soft ringspun cotton that is tightly woven together and long-lasting, this shirt is nicely stitched and looks well on an athletic body type.

Fitted but not too tight this shirt is a comfortable blend between relaxed and form-fitting, a bit denser feeling in the weaving compared to the American Apparel shirt. Anvil is perfect for screen printing inks because of its soft touch material.

The only t-shirt without any side seams the Anvil 980 is perfect for custom printed t-shirts with big side prints. One of the major disadvantage of having a side seam or printing on top of seams, is the gaps in the ink when the press is passed through the garment for printing.

These gaps are caused by an uneven surface area, the side seam that bonds your t-shirt together has double the fabric and that extra fabric lifts the surrounding area causing the ink to hit only the flat surface of the t-shirt thus leaving gaps of missing ink or clots behind.

No bueno.

If you are looking to print on the side of your t-shirt then you’re in luck because the Anvil 980 is a one piece fabric that can produce flush side prints perfectly.

Anvil also carries a fashionable line for men and women in a variety of bright colors and heather’s as well as tank top cuts that keep up with today’s trends and fashion.

Main Takeaways • Lightweight / Soft Touch / Relaxed / Fitted / Skate/ Street Wear / Cross fit T-shirt

T-Shirts Comparable to: Diamond Supply Co – Billabong

Anvil Product Specs.

4.5 oz., pre-shrunk 100% combed ringspun cotton, 30 singles
Heather Grey is 90/10 cotton/polyester alternate Heather colors are 40/60 cotton/polyester
Neons are 65/35 polyester/combed ringspun cotton
Shoulder-to-shoulder taping
Double-needle stitched sleeves and bottom hem
TearAway™ label for easy relabelling

1. Next Level Premium Fitted Sueded
   Vintage Quality T shirt for Printing
   Click To Order – Next Level 6410 T Shirt
   This shirt by far is a personal favorite, if you were looking for super soft t-shirts the Next Level 6410 is the softest tee we’ve felt.

This is the t shirt your girlfriend will want you to wear all the time to rest her head on your chest and snuggle close to you, it’s that soft and comforting.

The Next Level Fitted Sueded is a Fabric laundered 60/40 combed cotton/poly sueded jersey which means a super soft touch almost a fine velvet feel but sportier and way cooler looking than regular velvet.

Next Level is known for producing quality blank t shirts along with trend setting fits and cuts for men and women.

Since Next Level 6410 is higher end in the T Shirt chain so is the price, compared to an Anvil and Canvas Bella Tee they range from $6.25 and up, but your buyers and fans will surely love the way they feel and fit if unique quality is what you’re looking for.

The print on theses shirts is also pretty cool looking if you do a single pass of ink on them, this gives you a vintage worn in type of look, think Led Zepplin or new Heavy Metal type of prints that are trending right now.

After The Wash Update.

The Next Level 6410 Premium Sueded after washing still feels soft and the color is still bright. Although this shirt had normal shrinkage after the wash the quality makes up for it because we haven’t found another t shirt that feels this way.

This is a shirt that becomes your favorite after washing because it has a vintage look and feel for a brand new shirt.

The fit on the Next Level 6410 shirt is athletic and tends to shrink just a bit after washing but nothing too drastic. Don’t worry about having to toss it out to replace it with a larger size, its a small shrink and true to their size but run a bit short on length for my personal taste.

I prefer a longer length t shirt but I still love the way the sueded texture feels on the Next Level 6410.

Next Level Apparel carries a wide selection of solid colors, specialty burnout tank tops for women and modern cuts that are on the trendier side with a bigger selection for women but you have to try the Next Level Premium Fitted Suede shirt for a unique type of feel.

Main Takeaways • Super Soft Touch / Fitted / Comfort

T-shirts Comparable to: Unique One of a kind T-shirt.

Next Level Premium Fitted Sueded Product Specs.

Fabric laundered, 4.3 oz., 60/40 combed cotton/poly sueded jersey
1×1 sueded baby rib set-in collar
Satin label

1. Alternative Short Sleeve T-Shirt
   Quality t -shirt
   Click To Order – Alternative Apparel 1070 T Shirt
   Alternative is the Mercedes S500 in the t shirt world as far as pricing. The look the feel and the quality is something else when you compare Alternative 1070 shirts to the rest of the aforementioned brands.

Were not saying that the rest of the shirts are poor quality but the Alternative brand specifically focuses on providing high end apparel.

If you’re looking for weightier and softer shirt compared to American Apparel or Next Level shirt then Alternative might be for you.

Alternative also has a large selection of shirts, tank tops, styles and cuts that are unique and fashionable however the less expensive men’s blank t-shirt can range from $6.31 and up to $10 for larger sizes and colors.

After The Wash Update.

The Alternative 1070 Crew pretty much remained the same after the first couple of washes. The color reviewed (Apple Red) remained vibrant and the cloth handled the washer and dryer just fine with minimal shrinkage.

I would categorize this shirt in the rock and roll section of t-shirts type because it’s not super form fitting but kind of loose and relaxed at the bottom half.

You’ll mainly find this high end t-shirt brand in boutique stores like Rodeo Drive or Melrose Ave in Hollywood where a single shirt can go for $60 up to $200 if you have the customer base and the outlet to get to these buyers willing to pay these premium prices than you might want to check out the Alternative shirts.

Main Takeaways • Super Soft Touch / Fitted / Comfort / Relaxed Fit / Yoga Style T-shirt / Hipster / Modern / Loose Fit

T-shirts Comparable to: RVCA – Stussy.

Alternative Short Sleeve Product Specs.

4.1 oz., 100% combed ringspun cotton, 30 singles
Heather Grey is 67/33 cotton/polyester
Piece dyed and washed

1. Bella Canvas Unisex Jersey T-Shirt
   Quality T Shirts
   Click To Order – Bella Canvas 3001 T Shirt
   So you have your designs ready for print and you’re looking to find the best shirt for your brand, you’ve looked at several shirts but you still haven’t come to a conclusion on which one to purchases.

The quality of shirts are good but the price and fit may not quite match what you’re looking for… well..

I believe Bella Canvas has found the right combination between quality, price, comfort and fit.

The Bella Canvas Unisex short sleeve jersey is 100% combed ringspun cotton, this soft shirt is a perfect blend between weight, softness and fit and with 57 different colors to choose from, you’ll have plenty of blank canvases to express your creativity.

After The Wash Update.

The Bella Canvas 3001 is by far our favorite shirt. This is the shirt that you like better after washing because it’s more comfortable after i’ts broken into like your favorite pair of jeans.

The colors remain vibrant and the length of this particular shirt remains the same which is a huge plus in my book of comfortable and stylish clothes . Overall a solid clean looking t shirt that feels great and wears great as well.

The unique custom tailored design of the Bella Canvas 3001 is form-fitting and comfortable to wear anywhere with a nice sports coat or perfect for when you want to spend a day at the beach. The Heather style tee from Bella Canvas has that soft vintage t-shirt look that feels lightweight but durable.

My suggestion when looking for wholesale quality blank t shirts is to buy a 12 pack and order the different brands we offer to find the one that best fits for you. Overall, the shirts mentioned in this post are of the highest quality we have found and printed on in the U.S.

It’s just a matter of finding the right type and style of t-shirt that appeals the most to your target market and how they’ll respond to your creative design or branding.

Main Takeaways • Soft Touch / Fitted / Comfort / Casual / Street Wear/ Cross fit T-shirt/ Vintage Style

T-shirts Comparable to: Stussy – RVCA .

Bella Canvas Unisex Jersey T-shirt Product Specs.

4.2 oz., 100% combed ringspun cotton, 30 singles
Athletic Heather is 90/10 cotton/polyester alternate Heather colors are 52/48 cotton/polyester
Ash is 99/1 cotton/polyester
Shoulder to shoulder taping
Coverstitched collar and hemmed sleeves

Placing Your Order
If you would like to place an order, our minimum order quantity is 12 Blank T-shirts. You can buy to test out these t- shirts before placing a larger order in the future.

This gives you the opportunity to try out 12 different colors, sizes, styles and brands before printing and committing to that final t shirt that you love.

Not looking at and testing out multiple shirts before printing is like marrying the first girl or guy you go on a date with. Try different brands out to find the right fit for your customers and the people that will love to wear your shirt.

Our minimum for printed t-shirts starts at 24 pieces if you have any questions about our printing services feel free to email us at [email protected] and we will reply within 24 hrs.

If you would like to place an order of any of these quality t shirts , you can do so by clicking on the shirt links. Please fill out size, color and quantities and provide the address you want your samples shipped to.

Email us your shipping address when you finish with your order.

We’ll get back to you within 24 hours to get your samples processed and shipped out fast.

Minimum shirt order is 12.

Standard delivery in the US is 3-5 business days / international 7-10 business days.