The humble t-shirt – it doesn’t get any more quintessential to the branded merch scene than this piece of apparel we all wear daily. With the rise of screen printing in the 60s, the t-shirt became, as the NY Times called it, “the medium for the message.” It’s a blank canvas that can have infinite decoration and color possibilities for your brand. Over the years, we’ve researched hundreds of tees. Here are all the styles we recommend.

Tri-blend material is a mix of polyester, cotton, and rayon. Cotton adds breathability, poly adds durability, and rayon provides a nice drape. It’s typically more in higher end yarns than most cotton shirts.

Tri-blend fabrics are especially soft and comfy to wear. The rayon adds a smooth texture. Polyester adds strength and longevity, so tri-blend t-shirts can withstand more washes and wear than 100% cotton shirts without losing their shape or appearance. It also adds moisture wicking properties, but looses a bit of breathability compared to 100% cotton. The fabric tends to resist wrinkles better than 100% cotton, making them easier to care for. The blend also gives these shirts a slightly heathered appearance which we like.

CVC is a blend of cotton and polyester, with cotton being more than 50% (hence the name CVC: Chief Value Cotton). This blend was created to offer the best of both worlds: combining the natural comfort and breathability of cotton with the durability and wrinkle resistance of polyester.

Singles refers to the thickness of the yarn used to make up the t-shirt, and is expressed in terms of how many units of yarn are in one pound. The term comes from the spinning of the yarn, with “single” denoting a single strand of yarn before it’s twisted with others to create thicker yarns.

• Higher singles: A higher number (30s, 40s) indicates a finer yarn, which generally results in a softer, smoother, and more lightweight fabric. T-shirts made from high singles yarn are considered to be of higher quality because of their soft texture and comfortable wear. They’re particularly favored for premium or fashion-forward apparel.
• Lower singles: A lower number (18s, 20s) signifies a coarser yarn, leading to a heavier and often sturdier fabric. While these fabrics can still be comfortable, they might not have the same soft, luxurious feel as their higher singles counterparts. They are typically used for more durable, work-oriented clothing or budget-friendly apparel options.
  

Most of our clients (~90%) only order the unisex style and then women order a size down (like you would with a concert tee). However, there are times when have a specific women’s style is nice to have and more fitting to your user. Almost all of our our picks have women’s equivalents (see the grid below), which was a general criteria for making it on our list.

A pigment-dyed shirt is a garment that’s been colored using pigment dye, a type of dye that adheres to the surface of the fabric rather than fully penetrating the fibers like traditional dyes. This dyeing technique gives the t-shirt a unique, slightly faded or washed-out look that becomes more pronounced with each wash. Pigment-dyed shirts are known for their soft, comfortable feel and vintage, casual aesthetic, making them popular in fashion for their distinctive color and character.

• Side seam: This is the most common construction method. It involves sewing panels of fabric together, including seams down the sides. This allows for a more tailored fit that follows the contours of the body.
• Tubular: A simpler method where a large tube of fabric is cut to length and sleeves and neckline are added. Because it uses less fabric and sewing, it’s cheaper to produce. However, the fit tends to be boxy and not as flattering.