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.
I recently received a sample shirt from Next Level apparel, and I think I like it. It does feel pretty thin, so I am wondering if anyone else out there knows how durable they are. Will they fall apart after a couple of washes?
Another unrelated question: What is their reputation on the "ethical" issues? I know they make their garments in Asia and Central America, but does anyone know whether or not they use sweatshop labor, etc?
It does feel pretty thin, so I am wondering if anyone else out there knows how durable they are. Will they fall apart after a couple of washes?
They are quality blanks. I think they feel thinner because that's sort of the style for the "fashion" type brand t-shirts.
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Another unrelated question: What is their reputation on the "ethical" issues? I know they make their garments in Asia and Central America, but does anyone know whether or not they use sweatshop labor, etc?
Not sure what their stance on this is.
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What do people think of their shirts in general?
I like them. They are basically in the same style/fit as the American Apparel/Article1/Alternative Apparel/Continental Clothing/Royal Apparel genre of fashion blanks.
Kind of unrelated: At the recent SGIA show, which is mostly geared towards the "equipment" side of the industry, they were the only blank apparel manufacturer to have a booth. Last year, there were zero apparel manufacturers exhibiting. I thought it was an interesting move. It was nice to see an apparel manufacturer make the effort.
thanks Rodney. Yeah, they are as soft as AA, but they feel a bit thinner. I actually like the fit much more, as they aren't nearly as tight, and they're side-seamed.
As far as the ethical stuff, I take the fact that they don't mention their stance on sweatshop labor to a telling sign. Usually companies like to brag about that sort of thing. On the other hand, they are involved in supporting City of Hope which is a positive thing. At any rate the price quote I got from Printmojo is probably too good to pass up. They're 2/3 the price of AA!
As far as the ethical stuff, I take the fact that they don't mention their stance on sweatshop labor to a telling sign. Usually companies like to brag about that sort of thing. On the other hand, they are involved in supporting City of Hope which is a positive thing.
They are a newer company, so they may still be putting together all their marketing materials.
If you dropped them an email, they'd probably fill you in on their stance.
I thought it was interesting that there wasn't a mention of any of their labor practices on their website.
At the same time, posting that stuff can sometimes feel like a marketing gimmick.
I think in general, all companies want to make sure employees are paid a fair wage, but after a while, it's starts to get political. Who's doing the certifications, etc?
On their FAQ page they do say that some of their garments are made in the USA with imported materials.
Next Level produces low-priced piece-dyed contemporary blanks in 30/1 and 40/1 fabric, but I would not place them in a category of "quality" blanks. On the surface they serve their purpose, but they lack consistency in their quality assurance standards. You will often find different production runs of the same style in the same box (overdyed pieces of unsold colors)!
Alternative tends to produce mostly garment dyed blanks instead of piece dyed blanks - so does Continental. This puts them in another category of quality and consistency when compared to American, Next Level, Royal, and Article 1 because you can produce a nicer, softer blank during the garment dyed process. However, they have their own share of problems (i.e. inventory control, overpriced, etc.). Not saying either type of company is better... You just need to find what works best for your brand work and what your customers like.
At the end of the day, none of these companies are going to be perfect as it is so difficult to maintain high enough levels of inventory at all times and consistency in quality to keep up with the demands of the market and broad range of customers' needs. **If you want control, quality, consistency, flexibility, and a competitive price you should look into developing your own supply chain by working with a provider of PFD (prepared for dyeing) blanks.**
As far as ethical standards with regards to manufacturing are concerned, I would not be too worried about unethical treatment/labor. It is unfortunate, but if you want to see "sweat shops" you can just take a drive through many of the neighborhoods in Los Angeles. We can personally confirm that 95% of the factories our company has produced with or visited in our years of producing t-shirts outside of the U.S. have been more impressive, clean, technologically fit, and ethical than the majority of the factories in Los Angeles. However, you should always work with a company that operates at a standard that meets or exceeds your expectations.
wow, thanks for all the info! I have samples of AA, Continental, Royal, Alstyle, Kavio and Next Level. I've washed them all a few times, etc, and they all seem to hold up about the same. I do think I like the Continental the best, and I use their bamboo for my higher end shirts. However, I do really like the Next Level, and their prices are just so competitive that I'll probably go with them for some of my designs. I also really like their color selection.
Alternative tends to produce mostly garment dyed blanks instead of piece dyed blanks - so does Continental. This puts them in another category of quality and consistency when compared to American, Next Level, Royal, and Article 1 because you can produce a nicer, softer blank during the garment dyed process. However, they have their own share of problems (i.e. inventory control, overpriced, etc.). Not saying either type of company is better... You just need to find what works best for your brand work and what your customers like.
I'm sorry, but I need to reiterate... I did not mean to say brands like Alternative or Continental are overpriced. They are just a higher price than others because you are paying for better quality overall.
However, my advice to new brands (trying to compete at retail or selling product online) is not to sacrifice quality just to save $1 or 50 cents here and there. You never get a second chance to make a first impression with your product and if you want your brand to compete with others at retail you are going to have to step it up. That being said... blanks are not always the best way to go so investigate all options (including the benefits of custom production) prior to committing to any one company.
Next Level produces low-priced piece-dyed contemporary blanks in 30/1 and 40/1 fabric, but I would not place them in a category of "quality" blanks. On the surface they serve their purpose, but they lack consistency in their quality assurance standards.
I don't think the only way to go for people is to get their own blanks cut and sewn.
I think Next Level Apparel is definitely a quality blank garment.
Even though your company is about helping people getting blanks custom made, I don't think it's the only way to go for new brands.
I don't think the only way to go for people is to get their own blanks cut and sewn.
I think Next Level Apparel is definitely a quality blank garment.
Even though your company is about helping people getting blanks custom made, I don't think it's the only way to go for new brands.
I guess it all depends on what your definition of quality is...
Custom manufacturing is NOT the "only" way to go. There are many variables that determine whether it is right for a company to pursue this or not. However, if you want flexibility and customization with colors, specs, stitching, treatments, fabric types, and consistency in quality you will find what you want by producing custom garments.
I personally would love to have custom blanks made, but I am a few years away from even being able to afford relabeling. I can't even consider custom made blanks at the moment.
I am pretty happy with my Next Level sample, and am likely to use them for my next design. At the moment, I am waiting on a price quote for one other company: TQM. Its hard to imagine that they will be competitive with the NL quote I received, but you never know!
We have been very satisfied with Next Level pricing, the quality of the garments, and their customer service to back it up. They make some good stuff...
I love em. I've used NLA in place of American Apparel tons of times and everyone I've talked to loves em. Just as soft, fashionable, and great cuts, but cheaper than American Apparel which i love.
Anyways, hope that helps!!
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I'm a screenprinter by hobby that also works at an awesome printing and fulfillment company Sureship Would love to help out if there's anything I can do
I'm happy to have come across so much good info regarding Next Level, as I am thinking of switching over to them from AA. I love AA product when it is how it is supposed to be. And by supposed to be I mean, sewn correctly, in the right size, with no holes in it. I don't mind the prices of AA so much, it's just that their customer service sucks my balls, and there is always a few items will wholes in them when I receive an order. I even have gone as far as to go pick up my order downtown and bring a folding table in the parking lot and go through the garments one by one. I did this a few months ago and found that all my crew neck sweatshirts size medium were sewn wayyy differently than all my other sizes. I asked the pick-up window people about this and they agreed. So a new batch was called down from the production floor, buttt they were all the same. Apparently quality control is not a high priority at AA, which is sad because I thought I was going to be a lifelong customer, but now I am looking for alternatives. Maybe this is why they almost went bankrupt...can't hold on to their customers.
Next Level Apparel ?'s 
