The blank T-shirt underneath your print matters almost as much as the print itself. A thin, budget blank might look fine on the shelf but falls apart after ten washes. A premium heavyweight organic shirt feels great but might price you out of the market.
Here is how we guide customers through the choice of blank garment at our Putney shop, grouped by use case.
The three questions we ask first
Before picking a specific brand, we ask:
- Who is going to wear this? A promotional giveaway has different needs to a premium brand tee.
- What is the budget per unit?
- What printing method will you use? Cotton for DTG, polyester or blends for DTF, any for embroidery.
With those three answers we can usually narrow the options down to two or three realistic blanks.
Budget category: Gildan Heavy Cotton and Fruit of the Loom Valueweight
These are the blanks you use when you need 50 to 500 T-shirts, printed with a bold design, for an event or promotion. The fabric is 180 to 200 gsm cotton, which is thicker than most supermarket T-shirts but still affordable.
- Gildan Heavy Cotton (5000): classic, thick, wide fit. Great for slogan tees and merchandise.
- Fruit of the Loom Valueweight: slightly softer, slimmer cut, widely available in many colours.
Typical wholesale price: £2 to £4 per shirt depending on quantity.
Mid range: Stedman, B&C, AWDis Just Ts
If your brand sits above budget merch but you do not need premium, the mid range gives you a better cut, softer cotton, and more modern fits. Expect ringspun cotton (smoother yarn) around 180 gsm.
- Stedman Classic-T: ringspun, good colour range
- B&C Exact 190: slightly slimmer, holds prints well
- AWDis Just Ts: modern cut, popular with gym and streetwear brands
Typical wholesale price: £3.50 to £6 per shirt.
Premium: Stanley/Stella, Continental Clothing, Anthem
Premium blanks are for brands selling T-shirts as the product, not a giveaway. These are usually organic cotton, GOTS certified, with a fit and hand-feel closer to fashion brands.
- Stanley/Stella Creator: GOTS organic, 180 gsm, wide colour range, ethical supply chain
- Continental Clothing N03: organic, Fairwear Foundation
- Anthem Heavyweight: 220 gsm, boxy fashion fit
Typical wholesale price: £6 to £12 per shirt.
Sports and performance: polyester blanks
For teams, running groups, and workwear, you need moisture-wicking polyester. Cotton holds sweat and weighs the wearer down.
- AWDis Cool-T: lightweight polyester, breathable
- Tridri performance range: gym and running cut
Use DTF printing on polyester; DTG does not bond well to synthetic fibres.
Weight and feel guide
| Weight (gsm) | Feel | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 140 to 160 | Thin, summery | Fashion tees, festival giveaways |
| 170 to 190 | Standard | Most merch, brand tees |
| 200 to 220 | Heavyweight | Premium brand, streetwear |
| 230+ | Very heavy | Luxury drops, oversized fits |
Colour availability
Not every blank comes in every colour. If your brand colour is a specific pastel or neon, check availability first. Gildan and Fruit of the Loom carry 40+ colours; smaller premium brands may only offer 8 to 10.
For custom colour matching, dye-to-order is possible from Stanley/Stella on large orders (500 plus units), but lead times run to 4 to 6 weeks.
Can I supply my own?
Yes. We print on customer-supplied garments regularly. A few things to be aware of:
- Test print first if possible, especially on unfamiliar brands
- We are not liable for print defects caused by the garment (poor fabric, prior washes, coatings)
- Bring at least one spare per 10 units ordered, for test prints and setup
More on this in our wholesale T-shirt printing for London brands post.
Getting it right on your first order
Order a sample. Most brands charge £5 to £15 for a single blank plus a small test print. This is how we recommend starting any serious project; you see the fit, feel, weight, and print quality before committing to 100 units.
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