How to Buy T-shirts at Wholesale Prices

There really is no great mystery with regards to buying t-shirts at wholesale prices. It is also worth bearing in mind that the companies manufacturing, importing, or stocking large numbers of t-shirts do actually want to sell them, it's simply a matter of finding one that considers it worthwhile selling this merchandise at the volume you require.

Up and down the supply chain

You need to enter the supply chain at the right level: too high and they won't supply you. This is not because they are unhelpful, but because it's not worth their while to split open a box and sell single t-shirts, they sell boxes of them (they are actually in the "selling boxes of stuff" business). Too low and you will be paying a premium for t-shirts you could have got for less.

It is easier to go to the top of the supply chain and work your way down than it is to start at the bottom and work your way up. Here's an example: you need some t-shirts for an event or a printing job, maybe 19, in the same style, same color, and different sizes. You go to the yellow pages and look for t-shirt suppliers, no luck; you find a t-shirt printer and give them a call. They don't have the t-shirts in stock but can order them and have them to you by the end of the week. If this is your one-and-only ever t-shirt order, then this particular route is going to be straight forward – you pay a premium and get the t-shirts.

But if you expect to buy more t-shirts in the future you can look at it this way; they didn't have them in stock and have made a special order, maybe they ordered extra to make up the numbers, maybe they didn't. The chances are you could have ordered them yourself from the company that is supplying them. Now try asking them who their supplier is. If they are smart they will offer you an unbranded catalogue (from their supplier) with their own company name stamped on it and a price list. If they are really smart they will offer you a discount on any t-shirts you buy plus a special deal on printing.

They are unlikely to simply hand over the details of their wholesale supplier to you, and this doesn't seem unreasonable. You are at best a customer that simply wants to save some money and at worst, an emerging competitor.

Wholesale t-shirts the easy way

This is how I found my supplier. It may not seem the most logical, but it was the most effective at finding a supplier at my level and I encountered virtually no resistance. You start at the top of the supply chain and work your way down.

When you think of big t-shirt names who do you think of… Fruit of the Loom, Hanes, Gildan, Anvil, Screen Stars?

I decided on Fruit of the Loom, and went to their website, looking for wholesale information -- nothing there. Their site (not surprisingly) is retail focused, they sell most of their merchandise through retail outlets, with nothing printed on them. (But you've seen people wearing printed Fruit of the Loom t-shirts haven't you, of course you have, so have I).

I searched in google and found a phone number for Fruit of the Loom (www.jfar.org) and phoned their office in the USA (I am based in the UK).

The people there were extremely helpful and gave me the UK number, which I phoned. I explained the kind of numbers I was looking for but they couldn't help me because they only sold boxes (72 pieces in each box, one size, one color) and sold a minimum of 1,000 pieces (gulp!).

They gave me the number of someone they supplied, I called them. Now, they sold only single boxes, this was still more than I needed. They gave me the number of another company whom I called.

Now, this company sells single t-shirts, with volume discounts, has no minimum order and sent me an awesome catalogue with a huge range of ready to print apparel (not just t-shirts), from several different brands including Gildan.

I have ordered from this particular company several times and have been very happy with the price and the service.

With a small amount of research and a few phone calls you can find your ideal t-shirt wholesaler. It pays to start at the top and work your way down.  Companies really have no reason to be unhelpful as they are forwarding your business on to someone they supply, and you get the quantities you want at a fair price.

Notes and Resources:When you go to www.jfar.org, scroll to the bottom of the page to the link "Corporate Company List" here you can navigate to company details.

Gildan Activewear who don't have a retail presence as far as I know, have a website that lists suppliers by country. This may be useful, again it is worth mentioning that the suppliers listed are likely to stock more than just the Gildan brand.www.gildan.com >> English >> Imprintables >> Distributors List >> Select Your Region >> Select Your Country/State