There’s a lot to consider when customizing tees. We’ll talk you through everything you need to know to make sure your promotional t-shirt is one your employees will feel good about wearing, and not just to the company picnic. See below for information on how to choose the right style and fabric and how to decide on best options for customizing the tees for your needs.
A t-shirt and jeans is a truly definitive and timeless look, sported by many to almost any occasion. From a day at the park, to work, to dinner, even a date, this classic combo is one that isn’t going away anytime soon.
And lucky for you, because branded t-shirts should definitely be part of your company swag, whether you’re giving one away at a team retreat, a first day, or client presentation. Seriously, it’s the perfect opportunity to show some brand pride. But, if you’re not thoughtful with the process, things could go wrong and you could end up creating a tee that gets buried in closets, used as a cleaning rag, or our favorite, handed over to dads who’ll wear just about any item of clothing as long as it’s free.
So, how do you avoid said conundrum? It’s all about making decisions that are right for you and your team. When it comes to t-shirt design, that means focusing on a few crucial aspects. If you get these things right, we guarantee your swag may become a regular staple in your employee’s wardrobe rotation (and not their dads’).
Fabrics:
You’ve heard terms thrown around before, but what does it all mean? We’ll break the most popular options down for you:
1) Tri-blend – What is tri-blend? Exactly what it sounds like–three types of thread combined to create one fabric. Typically that consists of cotton, polyester, and rayon. Together, they create what we believe to be one of the most perfect t-shirt fabrics. Tri-blend shirts are soft, light, and airy.
We’ve got plenty of tri-blend options to choose from here.
2) Cotton – The most popular natural fiber there is. It’s comfortable, durable, and extremely versatile, serving as a great canvas for printing. Check out some of our favorites.
3) Polyblend – This is when two or more types of fibers are used to create a fabric. Polyblends are designed specifically to help improve the feel of the material, keep costs down, and even impact durability. There’s a lot to choose from!
Cuts
There are so many different types of tees to choose from, but we’ll go over swag.com’s most popular. Any of these are designed to be crowd-pleasers, but it is important to know who you are buying for. Also, if you are buying in bulk for a big team or event, choose a few different cuts to make everyone happy.
The Classics

1) Crewneck : The classic look. This is what always comes to mind when you think of a tee and jeans pairing. When you go crewneck, you really can’t go wrong. Crewnecks are available in many different brands, fabrics and have the widest assortment of color choices. Looking for one shirt to please the masses, the crewneck is the safest choice. Available in both men’s, women’s and unisex fits as well.



The Trendy Styles
2) The Slouchy Tee – This shirt has a scooped neck, a curved bottom hem and alonger body length with the classic ‘slouchy fit’. This is another on-trend option that is sure to be a popular alternative to the classics described above. Its great for both a day-off look but also good to wear to work in a more casual environment. Available in an assortment of great colors, it can really make your brand shine.
Other Things to Consider
Once you have selected the fabric and style of shirt the next step is to consider the customization of the shirts, specifically the artwork and the print locations. First thing to consider is where you want your artwork to appear. Options for this include front, back or sleeves. This is an area where you can be creative and make your shirt stand out. However, you have to keep cost in mind – each print location will increase the cost of your shirt and may incur separate set-up fees. Also, you want to consider the number of colors in the artwork or logo that you want to print. When screenprinting your artwork, the price will increase for each additional color per location. Finally, you have to consider the sizing breakdown. Swag.com will recommend a standard assortment of sizes, but it is best to know your audience and select the sizes that make the most sense. Also you don’t want to leave anyone out, so consider a wide-assortment of sizes.
Whether you are looking to do a basic tee or something trendy or unusual, Swag.com has lots of options to choose from. Have questions, we’d love to chat.