Do you have an idea for printing something on a t-shirt but don’t know where to start?
Even if you’ve set your eyes on a specific t-shirt type, there are still hundreds of variants to consider. How is Stanley Stella STTU755 different from Gildan 2000 and other high-quality picks?
Fear not! We’re here with helpful information and a list of the best t-shirts for printing that will lead you straight to the best t-shirt brand.
How to pick a good quality t-shirt for printing
While you can easily create custom t-shirt designs, your visuals are not the only thing that gives these shirts a stamp of quality. It’s also the shirt’s fabric composition and the chosen printing method.
Learn how to get a high-quality design file with our Product Creator and expert advice.
DTG t-shirts
With the direct-to-garment (DTG) printing method, your designs are printed using pigmented water-based inks, which get absorbed by the product’s fibers to ensure vivid and long-lasting prints.
The best fabrics to use for DTG prints are cotton and cotton blends – 100% cotton will give you high opacity, while a cotton/polyester mix offers a more worn-out vintage look.
AOP t-shirts
The all-over print (AOP) printing method uses sublimation, where your designs are printed on fabric using high heat and pressure.
This process gives you vibrant and durable prints, and, most importantly, there are no print area limitations – your designs cover the entire t-shirt fabric.
Check out our list of the best shirts for sublimation printing to find the best blank t-shirts for your immersive designs!
DTF shirts
Another popular t-shirt printing method is direct-to-film (DTF), during which your designs are printed on a special PET film and transferred to a shirt using adhesive powder and white ink.
This results in textured and vibrant prints that can be printed on any part of the garment.
Learn more about the most popular t-shirt printing methods on our blog.
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What are the best quality t-shirts for printing?
Have most t-shirts let you down? Maybe the fabric composition or the DTG printing just wasn’t right?
You’re in luck because we offer a selection of shirts in multiple colors and some of the best quality t-shirt printing in the industry.
In our Product Catalog, you’ll find high-quality tees with short sleeves in various styles, and the top five even come with a tear-away label.
Now, let’s take a look at our best shirts for DTG printing.
1. Bella+Canvas 3001 Unisex Jersey Short Sleeve Tee
We’ll start the list with one of the most popular and best-quality t-shirts for print shops – the Bella+Canvas 3001.
It’s made from 100% Airlume cotton, weighing only 4.2 oz/yd² or 142 g/m², ensuring a lightweight feel with a soft touch. Available in various colors.
The fiber content of this shirt may vary between different colors, but solid colors like Yellow or Orange will be 100% cotton.
The Bella+Canvas 3001 runs true to size, so you shouldn’t expect to receive many complaints about the t-shirts not fitting right.
2. Gildan 5000 Unisex Heavy Cotton Tee
This t-shirt industry leader has a classic fit. Made from durable 100% cotton, it’s medium-weight (5.3 oz/yd² or 180 g/m²) and comes in a wide color selection.
The fiber content can vary for some, but solid colors will be 100% cotton.
The Gildan 5000 fits true to size, and to add extra comfort and reduce fabric waste, it comes without side seams.
3. Gildan 2000 Unisex Ultra Cotton Tee
Moving on to sustainably sourced apparel, these premium t-shirts have become a classic in everyone’s wardrobe.
Made from 100% cotton, it comes in a medium fabric weight (6.0 oz/yd² or 203 g/m²).
This high-quality t-shirt is available in many colors, but only solid colors are 100% cotton.
5. Stanley Stella STTU755 Organic Creator T-shirt – Unisex
Speaking of the best blank t-shirt brands, this organic shirt offers more than just a vivid print – it also comes in a comfortable and modern fit.
Made from 100% organic, combed cotton and lightweight fabric (5.3 oz/yd² or 180 g/m²), it’s available in various colors from Fresh Green to Lavender Dawn.
The main selling point for this combed cotton t-shirt is its fabric composition. It’s made from responsibly sourced organic cotton, grown without using hazardous materials.
The Stanley Stella STTU755 fits true to size and is an excellent eco-conscious choice.
More high-quality shirts for printing
Still, looking to expand your clothing brand’s selection even more? Here’s an additional batch of the best quality t-shirts for printing that you can consider adding to your clothing brand.
AS Color 5001 Men’s Staple Tee
This t-shirt is made from 100% combed, ring-spun cotton, comes in a regular fit and runs true to size.
This combed cotton t-shirt offers a sewn-in label.
Hanes 5180 Beefy-T® Short-Sleeve T-Shirt
Made from 100% cotton, it offers a relaxed fit and double-needle sleeve and bottom hems for increased durability.
This short-sleeve t-shirt comes with a black sewn-in label.
Comfort Colors® 1717 Unisex Garment-Dyed T-shirt
The t-shirt is made from 100% pre-shrunk US cotton, a soft-washed, garment-dyed fabric, and offers a relaxed fit.
On top of that, it also comes with a signature sewn-in twill label.
American Apparel 2001W Unisex Classic Crewneck T-Shirt
This t-shirt is made from 100% combed, ring-spun cotton, offers a classic fit and a double-needle sleeve and bottom hem.
Just like the top five high-quality blank t-shirts for printing, it comes with a tear-away label.
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The different types of cotton
The use of cotton in clothing dates back to prehistoric times, and it still remains one of the leading fabric types to wear.
Cotton is a soft and furry ball of fiber that grows inside a cotton plant’s seed pod. It’s primarily used to create textile materials and some of the best quality custom t-shirts for printing.
Cotton
It’s a soft, breathable, and durable fiber.
Regular cotton is used to make t-shirts, socks, towels, bedsheets, and even denim for jeans.
There are currently many commercially grown species of cotton. On top of that, we keep finding more and more ways to use this fiber and improve its quality to make our lives even more comfortable.
Cotton is one of the most popular fabric types in custom t-shirt printing because it offers exceptional print quality.
Ring-spun cotton
Ring-spinning is the process of spinning fibers into yarn. The spinning helps strengthen the material, and the number of spins determines the softness of the garment.
Ring-spun cotton is smooth, long, and super soft. It’s also considered to be more durable than average cotton.
The softness of quality t-shirts made from ring-spun cotton is all thanks to the alignment and the shortness of yarn fibers, which feel like a light layer of soft fuzziness.
Open-end cotton
Open-end cotton, a cost-effective and eco-friendly method, transforms raw cotton into yarn through spinning and twisting fibers.
Unlike ring-spun cotton, this approach creates a heavier and fuzzier texture due to individual wrapping rather than continuous spinning.
Combed ring-spun cotton
It undergoes an extra combing process, removing short fibers and impurities to ensure a smoother, finer, and more durable yarn.
Combed cotton stands out as a more refined choice when compared to open-end cotton, and they’re some of the best t-shirts for printing.
Airlume ring-spun cotton
It’s a higher quality combed ring-spun cotton. Before regular cotton is spun into yarn, it’s put through an intense combing process to remove all impurities. This ensures that Airlume ring-spun cotton is the highest quality cotton and provides an unmatched print quality.
Pre-shrunk cotton
Since this popular t-shirt fabric tends to shrink during the first wash cycle, the sizing of your shirt can get uncomfortable quickly.
Pre-shrunk cotton is exactly what it sounds like. It’s subjected to a pre-shrinking treatment that resembles the processes it would go through during the washing and drying cycle.
This process ensures sizing consistency; a pre-shrunk cotton t-shirt won’t shrink to a smaller size after additional washes.
Start custom t-shirt printing with Printify
Creating a t-shirt and putting it up for sale becomes much easier with the right tools at your disposal, despite initially seeming difficult.
Use the benefits of Print on Demand to make t-shirt designs and streamline the production and selling process.
With Printify, there are no upfront costs and no need to keep inventory. Starting garment printing and selling is fast and easy.
1. Create your Printify account
Signing up takes only a few minutes, and it’s 100% free for starting businesses with up to five stores on online platforms.
When you grow, be sure to check out the benefits of Printify Premium.
2. Select the best quality t-shirts for printing from our Catalog
Browse our Product Catalog to find good quality t-shirts for printing.
We offer a growing number of shirt types made from natural or synthetic material in styles that fit any occasion and body size.
3. Design your custom t-shirts
Try our Product Creator and its features to create your print designs.
Use our free graphics to position, layer, and scale your artwork and add text in various fonts and colors in the available t-shirt print area.
Once you’ve created your design, save your t-shirt to generate high-quality mockups for your store listings.
4. Order a sample to check t-shirt quality
Place a Sample Order of products before selling them in your store.
It’s a good way to evaluate the quality of the t-shirt, printing process, and ensure that the final product meets your standards.
5. Show it to the world
Wear your quality t-shirt sample around town or use our product photos to showcase designs to family, friends, acquaintances, or anyone else from your target market.
Many people visualize wearing a t-shirt before ordering one, so provide your customers with quality product mockups.
Take a look at these Shopify t-shirt stores for inspiration.
FAQ
We offer a diverse selection of high-quality t-shirts suitable for both DTG and sublimation printing.
Ensure detailed and vibrant designs in high opacity by choosing a 100% cotton t-shirt in solid colors, or go with a fabric blend for a less opaque, vintage look.
If you want to use designs that cover the entire garment, select an AOP t-shirt to achieve high-quality all-over prints.
Each brand offers a variety of t-shirt options to cater to different preferences, ensuring top-notch print quality for your custom designs.
Check out our bestsellers from major brands like the Bella+Canvas 3001, Gildan 5000 and 2000, Delta 11730, and the Stanley Stella STTU755.
Conclusion
Explore the diverse t-shirt options in our Product Catalog, pay attention to fabric composition, and make your choice based on the unique requirements of your designs and audience.
Ultimately, the best quality t-shirts are the ones you choose to add to your store and sell to your customers. Learn how to launch your Shopify t-shirt business.
