Discuss the wholesale blanks industry: Factory direct, custom labels. You can also use this forum to locate a wide variety of wholesale products including t-shirts, hoodies, mousepads, coffee mugs and other imprintable products.
Well my search for the right t-shirt is almost at an end... After searching and searching I have come to the conclusion that bamboo t-shirts are the way to go as they fit my 'grassroots clothing line'.
The only problem is actually getting any at a normal price and with an actual colour range here in Australia. From this forum and other people's 2 cents, it seems that Bamboo Clothes is the way to go.
They have a great range for both males and females, supply not only t-shirts but hoodies and undies and a few other things. From feedback it seems the quality is top notch. I have sent an email to them and will try get some samples and maybe hook up some sort of deal so they can ship my orders here to Australia.
1. Anyone else in Australia looking to source bamboo t-shirts?
2. Anyone have a bamboo t-shirt supplier in Australia?
Searched high and low and there is one bamboo t-shirt supplier that I came across with one colour (black) and that isn't even availabler for the market yet. At first I am looking to get samples, then make a decent order if my printer says they can print on them (get some sample runs done to make sure it's all good).
A decent idea would be for a group of us Australians to get together and get a bamboo apparel (blanks) distribution company happening this side of the world and possibly stich up a nice exclusive deal with Bamboo Clothes (i think they are officially ecodesignz).
Feel free to add comments, opinions, and just general banter to this thread. If it's possible I'll be getting samples sent across on the 16th of September and then get a sample DTG printing run there after... once I get those done I'll post some pics and my actuall opinion on the t-shirt quality and the DTG print quality.
They have a few colors and styles, and if you're doing larger runs, they can work with you on custom garment creation.
I had one of my bamboo t-shirts printed with a DTG printer and it turned out OK. I think the results might vary based on the graphic and the colors used.
Thanks Rodney... I will check them out too. Aslong as i can find a supplier for bamboo t-shirts with an expanding colour range and top quality... I'll be happy to pay more (even for the international shipping costs). The custom garment creation is something I'd be keen to look at for the future.
With DTG you said the HT naturals came out OK... how would you define OK and did you print on a white t-shirt or a coloured t-shirt? Was it just one run or did you use a white underlay? Just curios before I take a sample to my printer.
I some what interested in Bamboo shirts to offer my clients especially those that are very organic and enviroment centred. Problem I see is the high cost of bamboo t-shirts and the fact that Bamboo hasn't really taken off here in Australia as much as it has in the United States.
Love to find a Bamboo t-shirt supplier from China as freight, cost and all would be considerably cheaper then the blanks coming out of North America. I'm going to SE Asia next month and hope to do some sourcing while I'm there.
I think it's great that bamboo t-shirts haven't taken off here as it gives us a whole new market and niche to play with. I really see bamboo taking off here in Australia and that style of environmentally shirt with the properties it has is exactly what my line of apparel is geared towards... a grassroots brand that caters for the surfer as much as it caters for the trendy.
I don't see the cost be a big problem whilst selling online and at markets, the only thing it would impact is your pitch to a retail store as they are used to paying next to nothing for t-shirts (apart from the boutiques maybe).
Please do inform us on how you go as I am definite that bamboo t-shirts and apparel is the line of clothing I will be supplying. I'll keep you all informed of how I go trying to source them in the meantime, including pricing and quality, etc...
P.S. Thanks AAA t-shirts lead and I followed them up. If all goes sour which I doubt, I will be using them. I head to LA and Las Vegas next month and thus am in no rush to get my t-shirts sourced and printed... although I will be in full swing when I get back (looks like I'm pushing my website and myspace design forward so that I'm ready once I source the t-shirts and get the printed).
Bamboo shirts are basically the same thing as rayon- which has been around since 1900 - the challenge of keeping the bamboo breathable is not to use any "specialty wash" or chemical dye process to the fabric- it will also kill any of the natural anti-bacterial properties the bamboo fabric has... so if your truly going for an Organic market - that's a little info you should know.
From what I have read, rayon is not environmentally friendly. Bamboo on the other hand is as it's 100% natural... whereas rayon isn't?! A question and a comment at the same time.
Now when you mention no specialty wash or chemical dye process to the fabric, do you mean in production such as some standard cotton shirts are washed in silicon to make them a softer feel (but worse to print on)... or are you talking about the consumer using washing powder?
From what I have read, rayon is not environmentally friendly. Bamboo on the other hand is as it's 100% natural... whereas rayon isn't?! A question and a comment at the same time.
Now when you mention no specialty wash or chemical dye process to the fabric, do you mean in production such as some standard cotton shirts are washed in silicon to make them a softer feel (but worse to print on)... or are you talking about the consumer using washing powder?
Yes, Rayon is 100 per cent natural fiber- its made from the cellulose of cotton fiber and ground up- much like bamboo is- bamboo just grow about 3 feet a day- yup about 3 feet a day in certain forests- so it's more sustainable than cotton rayon- and yes to your other question silicone dipping will kill the breathable - anti-bacterial properties - washing should be cold water- gentle heat drying for the consumer... these bamboo shirts are not as good for printing on as cotton- just the nature of the material- also bleach will EAT it up----
From what I have read, rayon is not environmentally friendly. Bamboo on the other hand is as it's 100% natural... whereas rayon isn't?! A question and a comment at the same time.
Rayon = regenerated cellulosic fibre
Bamboo = regenerated cellulosic fibre
Rayon is one of the most misunderstood of fibres.
__________________ "Ah, Henny Penny," said Chicken Little, "the sky is falling, and I must go and tell the king."
I use bamboo shirts in sydney all the time.
They have a great feel, are very light - will be great for summer.
With dtg print process, they hold a good image, but aren't as sharp as say 100% cotton enzyme treated, so suit certain types of designs better than others.
Washing - very little colour loss, some bamboos are hairier than others, which can affect the print after wash.
Washing - very little colour loss, some bamboos are hairier than others, which can affect the print after wash.
Jay
I think thats what worries me especially on DTG prints without white ink, the fibres rising after a wash. I'd love to get my hands on some bamboo t-shirts for me to see first hand.
Do you mind sharing where you source your bamboo t-shirts from?
I thought you might have been from Arakis. I'm heading to Sydney later on in the year to have a look at some DTG machines. Looking at upgrading/adding from the original DTG Kiosk I have as workload has been increasing steadily.
Might see you at the Arakis HQ when I get a chance to drop by!
Bamboo T-Shirts In Australia... Good Luck! 
