The ultimate guide to purchasing t-shirts in wholesale

Introduction to wholesale market

If you wish to purchase T-shirts in bulk for your T-shirt brand, for an organization, a team, or your whole family, without causing a bigger dent in your bank account, purchasing from a wholesale market or dealer would be a good idea. Purchasing from wholesalers in bulk allows you to purchase various colors and sizes to fit people of all sizes. Moreover, some wholesalers sell irregulars too. This is a term used to describe those articles that have imperfections, due to which they are sold at a much lower price than regular T-shirts. These T-shirts are rejected as they did not manage to pass the quality inspection test during the manufacturing process. One such trusty wholesaler, for the past 30 years in the market, is Cotton Connection who deals in the wholesaling of activewear, underwear, and sportswear products. They even have their brand by the name of Cotton Plus, which sells T-shirts, sweatshirts, sports shirts, hoodie pullovers, boxer shorts, briefs, socks, and other products. They cater to people of all ages and genders; men, women, boys, juniors, and toddlers. Cotton connection is known to have the lowest prices in the wholesale industry, making it the ultimate wholesaler for all dealers in the market.

How to choose your wholesaler

Purchasing goods in bulk is pretty cheap, but there are certain things you must be careful of. The following factors must be kept into account:

1. Choose a Trusted Wholesaler Brand
   Wholesale brands, such as Gildan, Fruit of Loom, Anvil, Hanes, Jerzees, and a few others are the most trusted wholesalers. They provide good-quality branded shirts that cater to all tastes, shapes, and sizes.

2. Style and Fashion
   Buying from wholesalers does not mean that the clothes you are buying are not in style or are not fashionable. A 100% cotton T-shirt does not go out of style. The above-mentioned brands offer variations in necklines and fit to help you cater to various customers. However, the wholesaler you choose mostly depends on the purpose of you purchasing in bulk.

3. Avoid Purchasing From Stores That Sell Via Virtual Stores
   If you run a T-shirt printing company, and order last minute from such a seller, you are doomed. You will end up getting poor-quality shirts, very different from what you saw online. This would make you lose your customers and also get negative reviews on your website. Hence, you must stock up and keep these shirts ready for printing. Purchasing from wholesaler websites is a much safer option as you will get your shipment delivered almost immediately, with quality assurance.

4. Review The Brands Before Purchasing
   The safest bet is to purchase wholesale T-shirts from a vendor that is well-known and has positive reviews mostly. Vendors who have been in business for a while will have more variety in stock than the relatively new vendors.

5. Returns
   One thing to look for in a brand is its return policy. Most suppliers have a 30-day return policy for T-shirts in their original packing. They offer a full refund in case if any customer is unsatisfied with their purchase.

6. Your Requirements
   Most of the wholesale brands provide T-shirts for various purposes. If you have a T-shirt printing business, then opting for Hanes would be a better option. If you plan on getting trendy shirts, then Gildan would be a better option. Furthermore, it also depends on the material you want to purchase.

The material to purchase

Wholesale suppliers have different material options for you to choose from. The choice of the material depends on your business type and the weather. These materials include the following:

1. Cotton
   The most frequently purchased material for T-shirts is cotton. This is a soft, breathable fabric that can be worn day in and out. This material does shrink after washing it a few times. There are various types of cotton available to choose from:

   • Organic Cotton
     As the name suggests, this type of cotton is grown organically, without the use of any chemicals, such as fertilizers and pesticides, making it eco-friendly. It is a soft fabric and is a bit expensive than regular cotton.

   • Slub
     This is a light fabric that does not require ironing, making this the biggest advantage. The slub fabric does not cling to the body.

   • Combed Cotton
     The cotton used to manufacture this soft material undergoes an additional treatment process, before being spun into yarn.

   • Pima Cotton
     This material resists any fading or stretching as it is manufactured with extra-long cotton fibers. 100% cotton is the ideal material of choice for printing on T-shirts.

2. Polyester
   Polyester is a man-made fabric that does not shrink or stretch with use. This material absorbs water quickly, making it a suitable material for sports clothing. It is also the preferred material of choice for the transfer printing technique.

3. Poly-Cotton Blend
   This material is a combination of cotton and polyester, making it a lot cheaper than pure cotton fabric. This material does not shrink as much as pure cotton.

4. Linen
   This is a lightweight fabric that is mostly used in the summer months. However, it is not suitable for making custom T-shirts.

5. Tri-Blends
   This is a blend of cotton, rayon, and polyester. Rayon is a light material that is blended in this tri- blend to get the most durable and breathable fabric. Synthetic materials are a good option for custom T-shirts, whereas cotton is the best option for T-shirt printing.

Domestic or International sourcing- which one's better?

When purchasing T-shirts wholesale, one has two options- either to purchase locally or internationally. They both have their pros and cons which have been discussed below:

1. International Sourcing
   This involves a high-cost country, such as the United States, sourcing T-shirts from a low-cost country, such as China. This helps in maximizing profits and minimizing capital investment. T- shirts produced in these countries tend to cheaper due to lower labor and production costs.

   Pros Of International Sourcing
   The following are the benefits of sourcing T-shirts internationally:

   • Greater Margin For Profits
     Purchasing from resource-rich low-cost countries in bulk is dirt cheap. This means that you have to spend less on purchasing in bulk from these countries, and you can sell your T-shirts at a much higher price, allowing a greater profit margin for yourself. At the end of the day, it is the dream of every business to have a higher ROI (Return On Investment).

   • You Don't Have To Worry About Raw Material Production
     These countries, such as India, Indonesia, Pakistan, etc. have favorable climates for the cultivation of cotton, making the raw material available locally. This helps in bringing down the production cost of T-shirts, making it a lot cheaper to purchase from these countries. If the raw material is not available in your country locally, then international outsourcing is the only option left.

   • Improved Quality Of Your T-shirt
     By using better quality cheaply produced T-shirts, the overall quality of your T-shirts improves after the printing process. This allows you to charge a higher amount from your customers.

   • Access To Better Technology And Capacity
     These countries have continuous access to the raw materials for T-shirt production. This allows the manufacturers to invest in and improve their production facilities, producing higher quality, yet cheaper T-shirts. You might not get this with the locally produced T-shirts. With a constant supply of raw material, you get the surety for an uninterrupted supply of T-shirts.

   Cons of International Sourcing
   International sourcing of T-shirts still has some disadvantages. These include:

   • Taxes
     While accepting goods into your country from an international country, your T-shirts might be subjected to local taxes and customs duties. This defeats the purpose of the cheaply produced T-shirts for you.

   • Shipping Costs
     As the distance between the two countries increases, so does the shipping cost. This, too, defeats the purpose of purchasing cheap T-shirts.

   • Political Instability
     It is very common to have political instability in the low-cost countries that can hamper the production of T-shirts. This can cause a serious delay in orders.

   • Complicated Inventory Management
     When you get your T-shirts delivered to your country, it is extremely essential to carefully inspect and monitor all articles that are delivered to you. You must have a manager to look after this well.

   • Costly Returns
     In case of any defective items, or an unsatisfactory production, it gets costly to ship the faulty or unsatisfactory items back.

2. Domestic Sourcing
   This means that you would be purchasing from wholesalers who produce their T-shirts locally. This too has some advantages and disadvantages that are discussed below:

   Pros of Domestic Sourcing
   The following are the benefits of sourcing T-shirts locally:

   • Better Relationship With Local Suppliers
     You tend to support your local suppliers and end up boosting their confidence and profits. Since you both are in the same time zone, communication is a lot better and smooth.

   • No Import Duties To Pay
     Purchasing locally means that you won't have to pay import duties at all.

   • Faster Shipping
     Local shopping is a lot faster than international shipping. This reduces the shipping time.

   • Consumers Love To Support Local Products
     It creates a sense of pride and patriotism, in your consumers, when they purchase locally produced goods.

   Cons of Domestic Sourcing
   The following are the disadvantages of sourcing products locally:

   • Lack Of Availability Of Raw Materials
     It might be possible, that in your country, raw materials cannot be produced due to unfavorable weather conditions. This increases the demand to import these raw materials for T-shirt production.

   • Limited Supply of T-shirts
     There can be a limited supply of T-shirts due to lack of availability of raw materials, and also the production scale is smaller.

   • Local Restrictions By The Government
     Your local government restrictions and taxes can cause havoc for sourcing products locally.

   Both, international and domestic sourcing, each have their pros and cons, that you weigh before taking any decision.

Final Thoughts

Depending on your need, you should choose your T-shirt wholesaler accordingly. Choosing the right material for your T-shirt has a big impact on your final product. You must choose reliable wholesalers to get the best quality at the cheapest price. Cotton Connection is one brand that you must consider if you are planning on ordering wholesale T-shirts for whatever purpose.