The Ultimate T-Shirt Buying Guide

By ShirtSpace | Aug 23, 2019 |  Updated Oct 31, 2023

 

An extremely common question we hear is, “What’s the best t-shirt?” While there isn’t one “right” answer, we’ve come up with a pretty great list of low, mid-range, and pricier shirt options for the three most popular fabrics. These are shirts that we prefer in-house, as well as ones that we know our customers love too.

100% Cotton T-shirts

Cotton has been around for hundreds of years, and its popularity in the apparel industry is as steady as ever. Cotton is a naturally occurring fiber and is softer than polyester garments. The softest cotton available is ringspun cotton, which is the type of cotton most widely found in retail settings.

High-Quality & Budget-Friendly T-Shirts

Gildan G200

Shirt pictured: The Gildan G200 collection, featuring the adult unisex G200 in the color tan, the ladies’ G200L in light blue, and the kids’ G200B in mint green.
 

• 5.3 oz 

• Regular cotton

• Adult unisex tee

• Tubular construction

• Standard-fit

• Customer favorite

• Tear-away label

• Available in a “prepared for dye” option for tie-dyers

• Safety colors available for industrial settings

• Over 60 solid and heather color options

• Comes in ladies’ (G200L) and youth (G200B) companion styles
   

Gildan Softstyle G640

Shirts pictured from left to right: Gildan’s G640L in Navy and G640 in Kelly Green.
 

• 4.5 oz

• Ringspun cotton

• Adult unisex tee

• Tubular construction

• Standard-fit

• Softer than Gildan G200

• Tear-away label

• A favorite among printers

• Over 60 solid and heather color options

• Comes in a variety of companion cuts and colors for the whole family!
   

Anvil by Gildan 980

Shirt pictured: Anvil by Gildan 980 in Light Blue.
 

• 4.3 oz 

• Preshrunk combed and ringspun cotton

• Adult unisex tee

• Tubular construction

• Standard-fit

• Tear-away label

• Softer than Gildan G200

• Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 Certified
   

Premium Cotton T-Shirts That Don’t Disappoint

Bella+Canvas 3001C

Shirt pictured: Bella+Canvas 3001C in Black.
 

• 4.2 oz

• Pre-shrunk airlume combed and ringspun cotton

• Adult unisex tee

• Side seam construction

• Retail, fashion-fit

• Tear-away label

• ShirtSpace team favorite!

• If you love the 3001C, check out its sister heathered tee, the 3001CVC.

• Available in the youth companion versions: 3001Y (kids), 3001T (toddlers) and the 3001B (infants)
   

Next Level 3600

Shirt pictured: Next Level 3600 in Natural
 

• 4.3 oz

• Combed ringspun cotton fine jersey

• Adult unisex tee

• Side seam construction

• Retail, fashion-fit

• Tear-away label

• Buttery smooth printing finish
   

50/50 Cotton Polyester T-shirts

Shirts made of 50% cotton and 50% polyester are generally less expensive than 100% cotton tees, yet still have the softness that you find in 100% cotton apparel. The polyester is wrinkle resistant, offers increased durability, and fades less than 100% cotton t-shirts.

Budget-Friendly 50/50 Tees

Gildan G800

Shirt pictured: Gildan G800 in Orange.
 

• 5.6 oz

• 50% preshrunk cotton and 50% polyester

• Adult unisex tee

• Dry blend and moisture-wicking

• Tear-away label

• Customer favorite for delivering both durability and comfort

• Youth companion version available, the G800B
   

Mid-Priced 50/50 T-Shirts

Bella+Canvas 3650

Shirts pictured from left to right: Bella+Canvas’ 3650 in Denim and 3650 in Mauve Slub.
 

• 3.6 oz

• Almost 50/50, with a blend of 52% combed and ringspun cotton + 48% polyester

• Adult unisex tee

• Unique color options such as marble, slub, acid wash and mineral wash

• Side seam construction

• Retail, fashion-fit

• Tear-away label

Premium 50/50 T-Shirts

Bayside 5010

Shirt Pictured: Bayside 5010 in Heather Gray.
 

• 4.2 oz 

• 50% combed ringspun cotton and 50% polyester

• Adult unisex tee

• Made in the USA

Tri-blend T-shirts

Tri-blend fabric is generally a mix of 50% polyester, 25% cotton and 25% rayon. The cotton offers breathability and softness, the polyester provides durability, and the rayon offers an ideal drape that lends itself to a flattering fit. Triblend t-shirts generally have a heathered appearance, but for those in search of solid color triblend shirts, Bella+Canvas has 30 different shades to choose from, since they are the only brand to offer solid triblends in the industry. Triblends are a top choice for printing projects, such as screen printing and DTG, due to their versatile fabric that brings the best features of all materials together.

Budget-Friendly Tri-Blend T-Shirts

Anvil by Gildan 6750

Shirt pictured: Anvil by Gildan 6750 in Heather Blue
 

• 4.7 oz

• 50% polyester, 25% cotton and 25% rayon

• Preshrunk

• Adult unisex tee

• Tear-away label

• Side seam construction

• Retail, fashion-fit

• Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 Certified
   

Mid-priced Triblend Tees

Threadfast Apparel 102A

Shirt pictured: Threadfast Apparel 102A in Black Triblend.
 

• 4.1 oz

• 50% polyester, 38% combed ringspun cotton, 12% rayon

• Adult unisex tee

• Tear-away label

• Side-seam construction

• Retail, fashion-fit

• Ideal for screen printing

• Youth companion style available, the 602A

Premium Triblend Tees:

Bella+Canvas 3413C

Shirt pictured: Bella+Canvas 3413C in Yellow Gold Triblend.

• 3.8 oz

• 50% polyester, 25% cotton and 25% rayon

• Adult unisex tee

• Pre-shrunk

• Side-seam construction

• Retail, fashion-fit

• Tear-away label

• ShirtSpace team favorite!

• Nearly 60 color options

• Available in the youth companion versions: 3413Y (kids), 3413T (toddlers) and the 3413B (infants)

Next Level 6010

Shirt pictured: Next Level 6010 in Indigo.

• 4.3 oz

• 50% polyester, 25% cotton and 25% rayon jersey

• Adult unisex tee

• Side-seam construction

• Retail, fashion-fit

• 4.9/5 ShirtSpace customer rating

• Youth companion style available, the N6310

Now Stock Up on T-Shirts!

Now that you have been introduced to a selection of t-shirts coming from a variety of price points, materials and fits, the fun part comes, where you get to pick your colors and place and order to sample products. Feeling the fabric and wearing the garment is the best way to find your perfect tee! If you were looking for ladies’ tees or youth t-shirts, we also have a full selection of those too! To learn more about t-shirts, check out our blog and YouTube channel for many resources on fabric, fit and style tips! 

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• The Ultimate Guide to Different Types of T-Shirts

• Types of T-Shirt Materials

• T-Shirt Fabric Guide 101

• How to Find the Right T-Shirt Fit When Buying Online

• What is the Softest T-Shirt Material?

• 5 Advantages to Buying T-Shirts in Bulk

• What is the Best Quality Cotton for a T-Shirt

• What is a Relaxed Fit T-Shirt?

• What is a Jersey T-Shirt?

• What Are The Best T-Shirts For Screen Printers?