Let’s face it: ordering cusotm t-shirts for the first time can be overwhelming.

If you’re not well versed in t-shirt brands, printing styles, or fabric types, it’s too easy to get lost in t-shirt jargon and default to ordering solely based on price-point, because, what’s the difference?

But this is exactly how you end up with boxy, ill-fitting t-shirts that get buried in the bottom of your drawer, never to see the light of day.

Contact us and one of our Printing Pros will help you every step in finding the perfect tee for you. We’ll cover everything from printing style and fabric types to t-shirt recommendations to money-saving tips so that you’re fully equipped to order the perfect custom t-shirts.

Contact us today and let's get started!

Fabric Type:

The fabric makeup of the t-shirt you choose is going to have a major effect on the look and feel of your t-shirt.

When printing with water-based inks, each ink reacts differently with each different fabric type, so it’s helpful to understand how this process works.
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When thinking of fabrics, there are three major categories:

- 100% Cotton
- Cotton / polyester blends
- Tri-blends

We can spend a lot of time digging into the details* of each of these three fabric types, but for right now, let's focus on the two most important factors: how each fabric type feels, and how it looks.

In terms of feel, you can generally think of them in this order:

Soft: 100% cotton

Softer: cotton/ poly bend

Softest: Tri-blend

Custom T-Shirt Money-Saving Tips

No matter what, t-shirts are going to be an investment, particularly if you’re looking for a t-shirt that your customers, prospects, or coworkers will actually enjoy wearing. That being said, there are a handful of money-saving tips that first-time t-shirt buyers might not be aware of.

Pick a value t-shirt

There are loads of different t-shirt manufacturers out there. Like we mentioned earlier, there are literally thousands of products available — some coming at heftier price points than others. Whether it be for special reasons like Made-in-the-USA or organic fabric, t-shirts that look and feel comparable can have sizable price differences.

Brands like Bella+Canvas and Next Level are great options for an affordable t-shirt that feels high-end.

Keep color count & print locations low

In screen printing, a new screen is created for each additional color or print location in a design, which requires additional materials and labor, increasing the price of your shirts. Keeping your color count and print locations low can end up saving you a good bit of money.

Use price breaks to your advantage

When buying t-shirts in bulk, you always want to be aware of the different price breaks and whether or not you’re close to one.

Say your company has 45 employees. You could order 45 t-shirts, but if you were to add on three more, you’d hit the 48 piece price break, which would actually end up making your order less expensive overall, and you’d have five extra shirts to give out to friends or customers.

Price breaks are at: 12, 24, 48, 72, 144, 288, 500, and 1000+

Avoid rush fees

Having your ducks in a row early on can save you a substantial amount. Avoiding rush charges by staying ahead of the game is probably the easiest way to ensure you don’t pay a premium for your t-shirts.

We know mistakes happen and sometimes your caught in a bind — that’s why we have our 3-day turnaround service, but on the whole, being prepared and getting your order in on time will save you loads of money.

At Merch Planet, our standard turnaround time is 7 to 10 business days plus transit time. And of course, when you are in a bind, we have a variety of rush options to make sure you get your t-shirts when you need them.

Getting Started

Getting a t-shirt order started at Merch Planet is incredibly easy! Our quick quote form helps us get started quickly and makes it easy to start your order.

And of course, our team would love to assist! From design advice to t-shirt recommendations, we're here to guide you through every step of the way.