In the last installment of the battle of the blank apparel brands, we looked at t-shirts in the medium price range. This time we’re looking at the best brand for budget t-shirts. If you need apparel of decent quality for the lowest price, then the biggest and best brands on the market are Gildan, Fruit of the Loom and SOL´S.
To help you decide which is best for your business, or just for yourself, we’re going to break down their blank t-shirts. We’ll compare price, quality, styles, fits, and which is better for printing. Firstly, let’s take a closer look at our three brands.
A Brief Overview
Fruit of the Loom started in the U.S. way back in 1851. Gildan was founded in Canada 40 years ago, and SOL’S began in Europe in 1991. Today, all three are big names in the blank clothing industry, with a strong presence in Europe and around the world.
All three brands sell leisure wear– hoodies, sweaters, t-shirts, sweatpants and shorts, and their selections are pretty similar. Fruit of the Loom also focus on underwear. None of the websites are great, but Fruit of the Loom’s and SOL´S are the best, and we found Gildan’s a bit sluggish. You might find it easier (and cheaper) to go through an intermediary.
They all represent the lower end of the price range– one reason they’re so popular among printers and retailers. Prices vary depending on the supplier and the quantity, but their t-shirts start at less than €3, and if you’re paying more than €10 per t-shirt, you need a new supplier.
Who Makes the Best T-Shirts?
Now we come to the t-shirts themselves. To compare, we’re going to look at the basic choice for each brand. These are the most popular with printers as they’re the cheapest, and also the most versatile, so you can print your designs and the t-shirt will look great on anyone. Later we’ll look at the variations of style and material.
| Gildan 5000 | Fruit of the Loom SS048 | Sol's 03582 |
|---|---|---|
|
Colors: 49 Weight: 180 g/m² Sizes: S-5XL |
Colors: 19 Weight: 135 g/m² Sizes: S - 3XL |
Colors: 22 Weight: 150 g/m² Sizes: S - 3XL |
If you’re looking for one t-shirt to please everyone, these are the best choices– the 5000 from Gildan, the SS048 from Fruit of the Loom, and the 03582 from SOL´s. They’re all cheap, come in a wide range of colors, and are 100% cotton (a little polyester is used for some colors). Depending on your method of printing, polyester might be better, but some people prefer to avoid it, while cotton tends to please everyone thanks to its comfort and breathability.
The price of these three t-shirts varies from place to place, but at Wordans they all start at under €3.10 if you buy in bulk. Larger sizes and smaller orders mean the t-shirts cost more, but never more than €7. SOL’S is a little more expensive than the other two, and Fruit of the Loom is just about the cheapest of the three.
The extra weight of the Gildan 5000 t-shirt is noticeable– it definitely feels a little sturdier, especially when compared with the SS048, which is lighter. Depending on the climate where you are, you might prefer one or the other. The 03582 also has a slightly slimmer fit, which might be what you want, depending on body shape.
Gildan’s 5000 comes in the most colors, which, when coupled with the slightly lower price, is probably why printers like it so much.
The Verdict:
Gildan is the best choice for printers and retailers. The differences between the t-shirts are fairly minor, so the extra color choices, and the few cents you save on each t-shirt, make it the sensible choice. If you’re buying for yourself, I’d pay the extra cents and go for the Fruit of the Loom SS048. Unless you want a lighter, more fitted tee, then go for SOL’S.
Style Variations
Gildan ticks the most boxes here. They all have pocket tees, ladies and kids versions, long-sleeved ones, and v-necks. None have genuine scoop necks, but SOL´S and Fruit of the Loom have some more open-collared crewnecks for women.
The women in the office voted for SOL’S as having the best quality, but prefer the variations offered by the other two. If you’re looking for a wider range of styles, you’ll need to head up to the medium price bracket, with brands such as Build Your Brand and Bella+Canvas, which we’ve compared here.
The Verdict:
Verdict: Gildan has the most variety, with Fruit of the Loom in second.
Sustainability
These companies all make an effort to operate in an ethical and sustainable manner, which is difficult when making low-cost clothing. As you’d expect, none have a flawless record, but they score pretty well here.
Fruit of the Loom gets on of the best reviews here, and seems to be the brand most concerned with its effect on the world. It’s not perfect, but that’s the reality when you pay 3 euros for a t-shirt
SOL has been part of the Wear&Care program since 2021, which means they are committed to focusing more on healthy and safe production sites, decent working conditions, and positive management of their employees.
Verdict:
SOL´s & Fruit of the Loom are the most ethical.
Conclusion
Given the low prices offered by these three brands, they all represent fantastic value for money. Gildan is the best option for resale. You get more variety than with the other two brands, including different materials, which gives you extra options for printing. You can also save a few cents on each t-shirt, which might not sound like much, but can add up over time, especially with larger sizes.
Conversely, we put them in last place for individual purchases. SOL’S’ t-shirts are just slightly better quality, and the little extra you pay is irrelevant if you’re only buying a few and remember the size of SOL’s fits smaller then Fruit of the Loom or Gildan. Fruit of the Loom might lack the options, but they have a nice fit and a nice feel to them, so we’ve put them in second place. We also like that it’s a little more ethical, and prefer the website.
Final Verdict
Very close call, but Gildan clinches it with their variety and price.
Whenever you need blank apparel, accessories, and promotional products, you can trust Wordans to give you quality, value, and amazing variety. Our customization tool lets you add any designs you like quickly and easily. Take a look at our Instagram, @wordans_europe, for more ideas.
