How to Buy T-shirts at Wholesale Prices

Childrens Fruit of the Loom T-Shirt - 21 Colours

 

By Noel Warnham

There really is no great mystery with regards to buying t-shirts at wholesale prices. It is also worth bearing in mind that the companies manufacturing, importing, or stocking large numbers of t-shirts do actually want to sell them, it’s simply a matter of finding one that considers it worthwhile selling this merchandise at the volume you require.

Up and down the supply chain

You need to enter the supply chain at the right level: too high and they won’t supply you. This is not because they are unhelpful, but because it’s not worth their while to split open a box and sell single t-shirts, they sell boxes of them (they are actually in the “selling boxes of stuff” business). Too low and you will be paying a premium for t-shirts you could have got for less.

It is easier to go to the top of the supply chain and work your way down than it is to start at the bottom and work your way up. Here’s an example: you need some t-shirts for an event or a printing job, maybe 19, in the same style, same color, and different sizes. You go to the yellow pages and look for t-shirt suppliers, no luck; you find a t-shirt printer and give them a call. They don’t have the t-shirts in stock but can order them and have them to you by the end of the week. If this is your one-and-only ever t-shirt order, then this particular route is going to be straight forward – you pay a premium and get the t-shirts.

But if you expect to buy more t-shirts in the future you can look at it this way; they didn’t have them in stock and have made a special order, maybe they ordered extra to make up the numbers, maybe they didn’t. The chances are you could have ordered them yourself from the company that is supplying them. Now try asking them who their supplier is. If they are smart they will offer you an unbranded catalogue (from their supplier) with their own company name stamped on it and a price list. If they are really smart they will offer you a discount on any t-shirts you buy plus a special deal on printing.

They are unlikely to simply hand over the details of their wholesale supplier to you, and this doesn’t seem unreasonable. You are at best a customer that simply wants to save some money and at worst, an emerging competitor.

Wholesale t-shirts the easy way

This is how I found my supplier. It may not seem the most logical, but it was the most effective at finding a supplier at my level and I encountered virtually no resistance. You start at the top of the supply chain and work your way down.

When you think of big t-shirt names who do you think of… Fruit of the Loom, Hanes, Gildan, Anvil, Screen Stars?

I decided on Fruit of the Loom, and went to their website, looking for wholesale information -- nothing there. Their site (not surprisingly) is retail focused, they sell most of their merchandise through retail outlets, with nothing printed on them. (But you’ve seen people wearing printed Fruit of the Loom t-shirts haven’t you, of course you have, so have I).

I searched in Google and found a phone number for Fruit of the Loom (www.jfar.org) and phoned their office in the USA (I am based in the UK).

The people there were extremely helpful and gave me the UK number, which I phoned. I explained the kind of numbers I was looking for but they couldn’t help me because they only sold boxes (72 pieces in each box, one size, one color) and sold a minimum of 1,000 pieces (gulp!).

They gave me the number of someone they supplied, I called them. Now, they sold only single boxes, this was still more than I needed. They gave me the number of another company whom I called.

Now, this company sells single t-shirts, with volume discounts, has no minimum order and sent me an awesome catalogue with a huge range of ready to print apparel (not just t-shirts), from several different brands including Gildan.

I have ordered from this particular company several times and have been very happy with the price and the service.

With a small amount of research and a few phone calls you can find your ideal t-shirt wholesaler. It pays to start at the top and work your way down. Companies really have no reason to be unhelpful as they are forwarding your business on to someone they supply, and you get the quantities you want at a fair price.

Notes and Resources:

When you go to http://rruitoftheroomshop.blogspot.com, scroll to the bottom of the page to the link “Corporate Company List” here you can navigate to company details.

Gildan Activewear who don’t have a retail presence as far as I know, have a website that lists suppliers by country. This may be useful, again it is worth mentioning that the suppliers listed are likely to stock more than just the Gildan brand.

[http://boyruitoftheroomshirth.blogspot.com  ]

Noel Warnham writes for several of his own websites and blogs including fruit of the loom t shirt[http://girlruitofthroomtshire.blogspot.com]

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10 Reasons Why Graphic T-Shirts Are the New Art Form

Fruit Of The Loom Girls Valueweight T-Shirt

By Al Keser

Fashion is going in new directions now after the death of couturier Yves Saint Laurent. Graphic t-shirts have become a new medium by which artists can showcase their talent. There is a strong call for those vintage band t-shirts that we used to wear to concerts, but now variations are appearing on various graphic t-shirts that are vintage in style, and diverse in their message. They used to just say things like "I am with stupid" or "I love NY". Now there are so many variations on the theme that it is hard to tell what came first and which t-shirt design came most recently.

Also, graphic t-shirts are gaining in class. A t-shirt used to be considered something that you would wear when you had nothing else. Now, it is all you need under a jacket to look trendy. However, your graphic t-shirt must be form-fitting and deliver an original message - or else you will miss the target. More and more, these simple t-shirts, often one-line messages, have become more stylish due to their new cuts. Girls have babydoll t-shirts that do a great job in showing off their curves, while guys have shorter sleeves to show off their arms. There is no longer the one-size-fits-all mentality about t-shirts that once existed when everyone and his brother were wearing Fruit of the Loom t-shirts. 

Ten reasons why Graphic t-shirts are the new art form:

1. It being acceptable to spend more than 10 dollars for one t-shirt. 

2. New weaving technology. Very fine cotton is being used these days. 

3. The return of retro irony and themes from the computer world. "All your base are belong to us." 

4. Emergence super-soft and distressed finishes. Now vintage t-shirts look really vintage. 

5. New cuts and sewing techniques. 

6. Websites that allow graphic designers to submit designs for graphic t-shirts. 

7. New necklines. Anyone say v-necks in 10 different styles? 

8. Casualization of everything, including going out to clubs. You can wear a graphic t-shirt anywhere. 

9. Easy access to graphic design software. Now anyone can become a graphic designer. 

10. It being acceptable to display a message on your clothing. Couldn't do this so easily a few decades ago.

Now fashionable people have the option of wearing graphic t-shirts, which makes them an even more appealing piece of clothing for high-end designers to target. Basically, the graphic t-shirt has entered the ranks of haute couture, where now it has entered the playing field among the major designers. Armani has already attacked this new medium with its Armani Exchange line, while mainstream brands such as American Eagle have embraced the movement as well.

Where the art of graphic t-shirt truly shines is on the Internet with the multitude of web 2.0 websites that allow designers to upload their designs and get them printed once they are voted on enough times. This democratic system pushes designers to come up with unique designs that will be popular enough to get printed. The creations that come out of these websites tend to be the most creative of all graphic t-shirt designs and where this art form takes on a life of its own.

Al Keser is a New York clothing fashionista, journalist, and video producer. He writes for online retail store of R.A.G New York that has 5 Manhattan locations and being a perfect place to buy New York clothing and accessories. click to  >>>>>fruit of the loom T-shirt

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