A t-shirt seems like any other regular clothing article but truly, it has made its journey from being an undergarment to the core item that ties an outfit together. It has evolved tremendously over time and does not intend to retire anytime soon. With the t-shirts’ game going strong, many entrepreneurs are turning towards it to build their businesses, and no doubt the t-shirt market is flourishing at the moment.
Currently, the most in-demand are customized t-shirts. In 2016, the global t-shirt printing market was valued at 1.1 billion US dollars and is predicted to reach 3.1 billion US dollars by 2025. Numbers show that if you are planning on investing in a new business, custom t-shirt printing is the way to go. The first step when starting the t-shirt business is to buy and stock different types of t-shirts in bulk so that customers can be provided options for customization.
For any business to be successful, first you have to earn the customer’s trust which can only be done by providing them with a quality product. To ensure that your product can beat others in a similar market, follow these tips to ensure that the blank t-shirts you’re buying for your business are of good quality and make your customers happy.
Examine the Fabric & Fiber Content
When you are looking for good-quality t-shirts to buy for your business, the number one thing to consider is the fabric and its fibre content. T-shirts are available in many fabrics such as cotton, polyester, synthetic fibre, or multiple blends mixing up these fibres.
If you want lightweight, breathable t-shirts, 100% cotton is the fabric to go for while 100% polyester or other fabrics made with a mix of synthetic fibres are more suited for fitted garments. These t-shirts shrink less, have wrinkle resistance, are colourfast, and are easy to maintain as compared to the cotton ones.
You can also try a blend of cotton and polyester fibres that make the fabric durable and same time easily wearable. Another blend of polyester, ring-spun cotton, and rayon called the tri-blend are highly in demand as they possess polyester’s quality of durability, comfort, and absorbency of cotton and softness of rayon. Also, remember that the denser fabric’s knit is the better it can carry the colour and ink of customization.
Better to Buy Garments with Care Labels
Ask your supplier selling you a blank t-shirt for your business to provide the care labels with the product. Care labels have all the necessary information about the garment mentioned on them which makes it easier for the customer to understand the contents of the fabric and how to care for them. Whether it’s a blend of 100% one type of fabric, if it will bleed or shrink; the care labels tell all.
Inspect the Stitching
Stitching in garments can make or break the deal. If you’re choosing the best blends that are durable, colourfast, and comfortable, it still comes down to the stitching when looking to buy bulk t-shirts for sale. If the stitching is not good the product quality automatically deteriorates. It is considered to be the muscle of the garment.
When vendors are focused on completing bulk orders, they often overlook the stitching. Look at the underside of the garment for missing stitches and loose threads. Or is there any piling at the neckline or around armholes because of the stitching. If everything is perfect as claimed, then you’re good to go.
Always Ask for Samples
You have a specified budget for every stage of acquirement and production and you want to do the best that is possible. In the process of buying black t-shirts for the business, you will have to contact multiple suppliers. Ask them for samples before buying anything. When you have multiple quality and different priced articles, you can then test their quality and compare them to make a sensible decision that is beneficial for your business.
Test the Sample to Know its Shortcomings
Not to disappoint your customers later, it is smart to test the quality of the product you are about to sell beforehand. Suppliers do not always mention on the product what they are actually selling which is why it is better to be careful.
- Wear the sample provided to see the fit, size, and ability to stretch. Examine if the t-shirt is over stretching around the neckline and armholes.
- Have it washed a few times and see how much it is shrinking. If the label mentions pre-shrunk, the garment should not shrink much after the wash.
- After the wash, you will also confirm the colourfast claim many suppliers provide. If the colour starts running or fading, look for another t-shirt as your customers won’t be happy when their t-shirts start to bleed.
- Pilling is another undesirable trait many garments tend to have. Try the t-shirt to know if pill forms on the fabric.
When you are new in the business and trying to grow, you do not want these minor mistakes to overshadow your efforts to build a successful business.
We hope the aforementioned tips prove to be useful for you and help you make an informed decision.