From cotton to polyester to triblends, here's a comprehensive guide to choosing the best t-shirt fabric for your next brand awareness marketing campaign. Selecting the best t-shirt design that aligns with your brand message and objectives is not easy but doable. Yet, after settling on the ideal design, you still need to source the best fabric for t-shirt printing.

Adding branded merchandise, especially printed t-shirts as a complementary product to your loyal customers and supporters, is a marketing campaign in itself. Therefore, your printed t-shirts must be of good quality and appealing design. You want to give your loyal clients the softest t-shirts made of good quality material. Therefore, cheap t-shirt fabric is not the best option. So how do you go about it? Follow this guide on how to choose the best fabric for t-shirt printing and view our recommended products.

Why Choosing the Best Fabric for Your Company T-Shirts Matters

When sourcing for the best-branded t-shirts, you need to consider a few factors such as size, the design, and, most importantly, the material. For example, the material you pick determines how long the t-shirt will last, how easy it will be to print the t-shirt, and the final output quality. As a business, you want to build, not ruin, your reputation with cheap or low-quality products. So, besides delivering cute shirts that send out your brand message loudly and boldly, you want those products to last as long as possible, which is why choosing the best fabric is crucial. So here's a breakdown of the available options to help you make informed decisions.

Best Fabric T-Shirt Options to Choose From

Cotton

Generally, many people use cotton for making t-shirts. This is because it fits into any wear, be it casual or even formal. Cotton has a unique combination of softness and comfort, which improves breathability and makes it the ideal wear for any occasion. But most importantly, cotton is very affordable, so if you're using it for bulk investment, it's cost-effective. The only downside is that some cheaper quality fabrics tend to shrink although good quality preshrunk cotton cannot shrink. So it's advisable to be vigilant when you are choosing the ideal cotton material for your t-shirts. Fortunately, there are several cotton materials you can choose from, such as those listed below.

Ringspun Cotton

This type of cotton material is processed in several ways. The cotton fibers must go through a straightening process, and the short cotton strands must be removed. The result is usually a soft, comfortable fabric which, if used to make t-shirts, can bring out the softest shirts of good quality. The only disadvantage is that this material is a bit more expensive than the standard cotton. But since you want to give your customers nothing short of the best, you'd go for it, partly because it's of the highest quality and partly because it will provide you with smooth and soft t-shirts.

Organic Cotton

If your company lists going green and environmental conservation as one of your key objectives, then organic cotton is your best option. Organic cotton is non-GMO, naturally grown without fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides. Although it's a bit costly, organic cotton is ideal for demonstrating your support for the environment.

Polyester

A few good things to note about polyester material is that it doesn't shrink, it's breathable, and it dries much faster than other types of fabric. Furthermore, it can retain its original shape and design after washing. That is why it is the perfect choice material for designing t-shirts for athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Polyester is highly resistant to mold and highly durable. The only disadvantage of this type of material is that it is not as comfortable as linen or cotton. You can use it depending on a specific purpose.

Polyester and Cotton Blend

Blended polyester and cotton materials are fast becoming popular in the clothing industry. This is because a blend of cotton and polyester provides the best experience of both materials, giving the wearer double comfort. Typically, such a combination usually comes in a 50/50 or 70/30 ratio, although it largely depends on the producers. Poly/cotton blend material is smooth, soft, and can create breathable and easy-to-wear t-shirts perfect for everyday use. Furthermore, the fabric resists wrinkles, so your t-shirts maintain their original shape even after a wash. The only challenge, though, is that poly-cotton cannot withstand extreme climates such as high temperatures, so it should not be dried in direct sunlight and should be ironed carefully.

Rayon

Another natural fabric that can help you promote your green energy brand message is the rayon material. The material consists of a mixture of organic cotton and woody plants. Rayon's main attributes are its lightweight nature and smooth texture. Just like polyester, rayon is ideal for making sports clothing or t-shirts for outdoor activities. The only downside of this unique material is durability and susceptibility to wrinkling after being worn multiple times.

Triblends

As the name suggests, this material is made with three blended fabrics, which typically include cotton, rayon, and polyester. These composite materials create a unique hybrid material that brings out the best of all three materials. Triblends are not only lightweight, but they're also soft, breathable, and very comfortable. The main disadvantage of triblends is that they are naturally delicate, meaning that doing screen printing on a triblend t-shirt can be challenging. They are generally suitable for vintage printing.

Learn More About the Best T-Shirt Fabric

So, there you have it. The above are our best picks for the ideal t-shirt fabrics you can choose from. If you need to select the best fabrics for a t-shirt printing project, we recommend that you pick the material that suits your business objective as well as the needs of those who will wear it. The best fabric for t-shirts printing depends on what you prefer and the goal you want to achieve. At Magnetic Merch, we specialize in sourcing thousands of different products and can help you find the ideal fabric that suits your needs. Kindly contact us today to request a quote to get started on your next custom apparel project.

How to Choose the Best T-Shirt Fabric