Comparison of Custom T-Shirt Printing Methods

100% Cotton vs. 50/50 Blend vs. Tri-Blends: Choosing the Right Fabric for Custom T-Shirts

When designing custom t-shirts for your website, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is selecting the fabric. The material affects comfort, durability, print quality, and overall customer satisfaction. Here’s a breakdown of the three most popular fabric options to help you guide your customers:

100% Cotton

Pros:
– Soft and breathable: Ideal for warm weather and everyday wear.
– Natural feel: Offers a classic, familiar texture that many customers prefer.
– Eco-friendly appeal: Biodegradable and derived from a renewable resource, appealing to environmentally conscious buyers.
– Great for printing: Holds vibrant screen prints and direct-to-garment (DTG) inks well.

Cons:
– Prone to shrinking: Especially if not pre-shrunk; may require care instructions.
– Less durable over time: Can wear out, pill, or lose shape faster than blended fabrics.
– Wrinkles easily: May require ironing after washing.

Best For: Customers seeking a classic, soft feel—perfect for casual wear, promotional events, or eco-focused brands.

50/50 Blend (50% Cotton, 50% Polyester)

Pros:
– Durable and long-lasting: Resists shrinking, fading, and pilling better than 100% cotton.
– Lightweight and affordable: Often less expensive than other options, making it a budget-friendly choice.
– Low maintenance: Holds its shape and resists wrinkles.
– Good print surface: Works well with most printing methods, including vinyl and screen printing.

Cons:
– Less breathable: Can feel warmer than cotton, especially in hot climates.
– Slightly synthetic feel: Some customers may notice the polyester content isn’t as soft as pure cotton.

Best For: High-volume orders, events, or corporate giveaways where durability and cost-efficiency matter.

Tri-Blend (Typically 50% Polyester, 25% Cotton, 25% Rayon)

Pros:
– Ultra-soft and luxurious: Feels silky and smooth—often compared to a vintage or “lived-in” tee.
– Excellent drape: Flattering fit with a slightly heathered, fashion-forward appearance.
– Resists shrinking and fading: More stable than 100% cotton thanks to synthetic fibers.
– Great for fashion-forward designs: Popular in lifestyle and boutique brands.

Cons:
– Higher price point: More expensive due to material and manufacturing costs.
– Less durable under heavy use: Not ideal for workwear or rigorous activity.
– Special care needed: May require gentle washing to maintain softness and print integrity.

Best For: Premium custom apparel, fashion brands, or customers looking for a soft, stylish look with a vintage vibe.

Final Tips for Your Website

• Be transparent: Clearly label fabric content and care instructions.
• Include size and fit guidance: Help customers choose based on fabric drape and stretch.
• Offer fabric swatches or samples: Let customers feel the difference before ordering.
• Highlight use cases: Suggest the best fabric for different occasions (e.g., events, gifts, daily wear).

By educating your customers on these fabric choices, you empower them to make informed decisions—and increase satisfaction with their custom t-shirts.

How to Get the Best Price for a Website to Make Custom T-Shirts (Bulk Quantity Breaks & Artwork Tips)

Creating a website to sell custom t-shirts in bulk can be a profitable venture, but maximizing your margins starts with smart pricing strategies and efficient production. Here’s how to secure the best prices while leveraging bulk quantity breaks and optimizing your artwork.

Understand Bulk Quantity Break Pricing

Most print-on-demand and wholesale t-shirt providers offer tiered pricing based on order volume. The more you order, the lower the per-unit cost.

• Know the thresholds: Common quantity breaks occur at 50, 100, 250, 500, and 1,000 units. Ordering just above a threshold (e.g., 101 instead of 99) can drastically reduce your cost per shirt.
• Compare suppliers: Use platforms like Printful, Printify, Custom Ink, or Blankstyle to compare bulk pricing. Some specialize in high-volume orders with better wholesale rates.
• Negotiate directly: For very large orders (5,000+ units), contact manufacturers directly—especially overseas suppliers—to negotiate custom pricing, though this requires longer lead times and larger upfront investment.

Choose the Right Website Platform

Select an e-commerce platform that integrates seamlessly with bulk printing suppliers to automate production and reduce labor costs.

• Shopify: Offers the most integrations with print-on-demand services. Use apps like Printful or Gooten to sync inventory and fulfill orders automatically.
• WooCommerce: Ideal if you want full control and are comfortable managing hosting and plugins. Pair it with a bulk printing API for scalability.
• Big Cartel or Squarespace: Better for smaller operations but may lack deep bulk-order automation.

Optimize for Bulk Production with Artwork Tips

High-quality, print-ready artwork reduces errors and reprints—saving you money over time.

• Use vector files (AI, EPS, SVG): These are scalable without losing quality, essential for large prints or multiple sizes.
• Stick to simple designs: Fewer colors and less detail mean lower printing costs, especially with screen printing. A 1-3 color design is significantly cheaper than full-color DTG (Direct-to-Garment).
• Follow print provider guidelines: Each supplier has specs for bleed, DPI (300 minimum), color mode (CMYK for print), and file dimensions. Adhering to these avoids delays and extra fees.
• Design for placement: Optimize artwork for common print areas (center chest, full front, back) to minimize material waste and setup time.
• Create reusable templates: Develop standard design layouts so future products require minimal adjustments, cutting down design time and costs.

Leverage Pre-Orders and Crowdfunding

Reduce upfront inventory costs by using your website to collect orders before production.

• Pre-sell designs: Launch new t-shirt designs as pre-orders to gauge demand. Only produce shirts once you reach a profitable quantity break.
• Use platforms like Kickstarter or预售 (pre-sale): Fund large batches without holding inventory, ensuring you meet bulk pricing tiers.

Build Long-Term Supplier Relationships

As your sales grow, develop relationships with suppliers to access better pricing and priority service.

• Consolidate orders: Combine multiple designs into one large order to maximize volume discounts.
• Ask for loyalty discounts: Long-term customers often qualify for special rates or waived setup fees.
• Request samples first: Avoid costly mistakes by ordering samples to test print quality and fabric before going bulk.

By combining strategic bulk ordering, smart website integration, and professional artwork preparation, you can significantly reduce your per-unit costs and boost profitability on your custom t-shirt website.