"Which blank is best" is the wrong question. The right one is: which two or three blanks cover most of my work, print reliably, and are actually in stock when I need them?
The five comparison criteria
Weight, in gsm. Around 150 is lightweight, 180 to 200 is mid-weight and the workhorse, 220 and up is heavyweight. Heavier fabric needs more ink and longer cure but hides an underbase better and feels more premium.
Yarn type. Ring-spun combed cotton has short fibres removed and is smoother; open-end is coarser and cheaper. On a fine halftone or a DTG print, the difference is visible. Two garments both labelled 100 percent cotton can behave nothing alike, and this is usually why.
Fit and size consistency. Modern versus classic cut, and how consistently a large is a large across a carton. Inconsistency here generates size complaints that look like your error.
Dye consistency. Do two cartons of the same colour match? This matters enormously on split deliveries and reorders, and it is the fault customers notice most.
Availability. A perfect garment that is out of stock in mid-size for three weeks is not a core garment. Reliability of supply belongs in the comparison, not as an afterthought.
Build a three-tier range
| Tier | Purpose | Typical spec |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | Price-driven bulk, events, giveaways | 150 to 165 gsm, open-end |
| Core | Most work, the default recommendation | 180 to 200 gsm, ring-spun |
| Premium | Retail-quality merch, DTG, fashion fits | 200+ gsm, combed ring-spun, modern fit |
Three tiers, one recommendation per enquiry. Customers who want cheaper have somewhere to go, customers who want better have somewhere to go, and you are not stocking twelve styles.
Test them yourself
Order a handful of each candidate and, on your own equipment, check:
- Print quality on the fine end of your typical artwork.
- Underbase opacity and how much white it takes.
- Cure behaviour, including any scorching on lighter fabrics.
- Shrinkage and print appearance after five washes.
- Size consistency across pieces.
- DTG results with your pretreat settings.
That is an afternoon and a small stock order, and it will save you a reprint argument within the year.
Regional supply
Availability is regional, and the shortest lead time usually beats the cheapest list price:
- UK: Ralawise, PenCarrie, Stanley/Stella, AWDis, Gildan EU.
- US: SanMar, S&S Activewear, Alphabroder, Bella + Canvas, Gildan.
- Australia and New Zealand: AS Colour, JB's Wear, Ramo, Gildan AU, Stedman.
Pick one primary and one backup per tier. A single-supplier core range is a stockout waiting to become a missed date.
Watch the discontinuations
Fashion colours and seasonal lines get dropped, and finding out when a customer reorders is a bad way to find out. Prefer core catalogue lines for anything you expect to repeat, and keep the alternate style noted against the customer's design.
Costing, not just choosing
The blank is your largest single cost line, so a 30p difference across a few thousand garments a year is real money, and so is a stockout that loses a job. Both belong in your pricing formula, and holding decisions belong in your par levels.
Printer's Friend holds supplier catalogues with live stock where a feed exists and CSV where it does not, so a quote can check availability before you promise a date, and the regional pages list the suppliers we sync per market.