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.
Hey i am currently setting up a high-end t-shirt business specifically for kids. What I am finding hardest is finding a top quality t-shirt from a manufacturor. I am looking off-shore for garments at a competitive price and have emailed several t-shirt manufacturors from India who are very keen to to business. Some companies are offering high quality t-shirts with my designs printed on them for around $2 US. I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with manufacturors from India (or china) and if they had found their garments good quality. Also wondering if anyone has dealt with Print Mojo who seems to provide good quality tees such as the organic cotton t-shirt for kids. However as I want to handle all aspects of my business I feel I am unable to do business with Print Mojo who offer to organise everthing. Once I find a top quality t-shirt I will be on my way!
Depends what you're after. If you want reliable quality without effort you'd be better off going with a major US wholesaler and getting them printed by your local screenprinter. It's not difficult to get setup (although that partly depends on if you're in Melbourne, FL or Melbourne, Au - the former will make life easier than the latter), and there's still profit in it.
Offshore is the way to go if you want your margins as low as possible and are dealing in quantity, but it's not without its pitfalls (finding a reliable factory isn't exactly a walk in the park - it helps if you're able to travel to the area and source that way... obviously not an option if you're not dealing in sufficient quantity).
It depends how high-end high-end is, what a competitive price is to you, etc.
As to your question about whether anyone has experience with offshore buying... there have been a few posts on the topic (a search will hopefully turn up a few things) and some advice posted, but the majority of people here haven't tried it and are not experienced in it (myself included). Basically because it's over-rated and not actually worth the effort unless you're dealing in real quantity.
Can anyone refer a U.S. manufacturer that can produce High quality t-shirts. I'm looking shirts that are nicer quality then Alstyle but with their cut. Thanks!
Offshore is the way to go if you want your margins as low as possible and are dealing in quantity, but it's not without its pitfalls (finding a reliable factory isn't exactly a walk in the park - it helps if you're able to travel to the area and source that way... obviously not an option if you're not dealing in sufficient quantity).
It depends how high-end high-end is, what a competitive price is to you, etc.
I agree with you completely. If I have the choice to do it in my country with acceptable margins i wouldn't think of venturing out. communication alone is a major hurdle, unexpected challenges awaits you every week. in China for instance, the personnel turnover is so high you'll be talking to 2 or 4 different person who's handling your 1 order. you have to be there almost constantly to make sure everything is in order and every phase is approved before proceeding.
What I am finding hardest is finding a top quality t-shirt from a manufacturor.
The best thing to do is to try to get samples from as many manufacturers as possible.
The word "quality" means so many different things to different people. To some it means a heavyweight t-shirt, so some it means a lighter weight t-shirts, to others it means ringspun cotton, and some it means a 50/50 cotton/poyester blend.
So the more specific you can be, the better you can narrow down your choices.
I am looking for a 100% cotton white tee that has some good weight to it. NOT LIKE AN UNDERSHIRT. What weight would you guys recommend? For a reasonable typical white tee? Decent quality too. And any manufacturers you recommend too?
samples will give you a good idea of what the shirts will be liek but there are still problems that you will run into that a single sample wont show such as uniform cut sizing. I have had issues with some brands that run smaller within the same size color and style shirts. Some runs would fit great others would fit liek it was the next size smaller. Trial and error is what ended up workign for me.
if you can use a standard shirt ( high quality standard shirt ) from a local wholesaler, do it. Usually standard shirts are at a good price level, you get it fast and you get a good service.
If you wanna go overseas, that will take you a lot of work, time and money to get it. I don't know what you define as high end T-shirt, but from my experience in the chinese market, even here you get no high end Tee incl. print for $2, unless you order 10000 pcs at once.
When you want to get reliable offers from overseas you have to define your quality standards exactly: material e.g. 100% cotton, combed - uncombed, yarn dyed, fabric dyed, weight 5.3 oz. - 6.1 oz. ..., ringspun, preshrunk ....
What kind of stitching at hems, collars etc., double or single. Shoulder to shoulder taped .... regular cotton - organic cotton.
etc. etc.
There are so many details that define your high quality tee, but unless you give all these data to your suppliers, everyone will quote you a different standard.
Agreed with Promotech. a physical sample helps a lot. I usually allocate some time to meet suppliers and colletc samples to compare with their definition of standard and high quality. But then again, big factories have the ability to copy any sample cloth that u bring. Again, procurement in high volume helps in terms of factories meeting your standards and giving you a favorable price.
finding best quality tees 
