There are a few factors to consider when choosing the type of shirt to print on. The quality of the tee, fabrication, cost, audience, and print method can all affect how your design will print. So, how do you know which shirt is the right fit for you?
Here at Bonfire, we have years of experience when it comes to printing custom merch, and we’ve assessed all the t-shirts in our extensive product catalog to show you the best of the best t-shirts for printing, based on the values you’re looking for in your new favorite t-shirt.
Our Picks for the Best Quality T-Shirts for Printing
Best Overall Shirt
Premium Unisex Tee

Why we love it: The Premium Unisex Tee is a fan favorite for a reason. Made from a blend of cotton and polyester to ensure maximum softness, it is a great option for a lightweight tee that everyone will love wearing.
The details: Bonfire’s Premium Unisex Tee is sourced from Bella Canvas, a premium custom apparel brand known for their on-trend styles and extensive and unique array of apparel colors. Made of an ideal blend of 60/40 cotton-polyester, the tee is combed and ringspun, which makes it lightweight and incredibly soft.
Best Ultrasoft Shirt
Stanley/Stella Unisex Creator 2.0 Tee

Why we love it: Stanley/Stella is a European brand that has recently made a splash in the US market. This tee (and all of their products) is made from the softest 100% organic cotton and comes in an array of beautiful color options. If you’re trying to design a high-quality, premium t-shirt, you cannot go wrong with the Creator 2.0 Tee.
The details: The Stanley/Stella Unisex Creator 2.0 Tee is a 100% certified organic cotton tee. It comes in 34 colors and is a sustainable, midweight t-shirt designed for a modern unisex fit.
Best Heavyweight Tee
Stanley/Stella Unisex Freestyler Heavyweight Tee

Why we love it: The perfect combination of sustainable and trendy, the Stanley/Stella Unisex Freestyler Heavyweight Tee is made from ultrathick 100% organic cotton material. Its oversized cut makes it a great option for those who are looking for a modern streetwear look.
The details: Made from 100% organic cotton, the Freestyler has a thick, rugged handfeel and a relaxed fit. This product is currently available in 12 beautiful neutral colors.
Best Garment Dyed Shirt
Comfort Colors Unisex Tee

Why we love it: Comfort Colors has become a favorite in recent years for it’s gorgeous range of colors and fabric that truly gets softer with every wash. It’s also made from responsibly sourced cotton with low-impact dyes.
The details: The Comfort Colors Unisex Tee is made from 100% ringspun cotton, and is soft-washed and garment dyed. It comes in a rainbow of 32 colors.
Best Oversized Shirt
Max Heavyweight Garment Dye Tee

Why we love it: Oversized shirts are a great option to offer to buyers who may be looking for something a bit more trendy than the average t-shirt. The Max Heavyweight Garment Dye Tee is extremely durable and made to last, with thoughtful streetwear details.
The details: Made from 100% USA Cotton, the Max Heavyweight Garment Dye Tee is a pigment/reactive dyed tee that provides a vintage look. It has a boxy, relaxed fit and an exaggerated collar for an oversized streetwear silhouette.
Best Women’s Cut
Stanley/Stella Women’s Stella Muser Tee

Why we love it: Thoughtfully proportioned for women’s dimensions, the Stanley/Stella Muser Tee is a great midweight shirt with a classic fit, making it our choice for the best women’s cut shirt.
The details: The Stanley/Stella Women’s Muser Tee is sustainably made from 100% organic combed and ringspun cotton for a super soft feel. It’s currently available in 16 colors.
Best Kid’s Shirt
Youth Unisex Tee

Why we love it: The Youth Unisex Tee is a classic, midweight unisex tee that will work for all kids! It’s durable enough for kids’ wear and tear, but soft enough that they’ll love wearing it.
The details: The Youth Unisex Tee has a standard unisex fit and is made with 100% cotton and low-impact dies. It is currently available in a range of 24 colors.
Best Tie-Dye Shirt
Classic Tie Dye Tee

Why we love it: For those looking for a truly one-of-a-kind option, the Classic Tie Dye Tee is our go-to! Each shirt is dyed in the USA, and every pattern is completely unique, just like a fingerprint.
The details: The Classic Tie Dye Tee is made from 100% cotton and has a heavyweight, durable feel. Keep in mind, because each item is unique, it’s important to note that your tie-dye shirt may have slight variance to what is displayed online.
Best Eco-friendly Shirt
Stanley/Stella Crafter Tee

Why we love it: The Stanley/Stella Crafter Tee is made from certified organic cotton with sustainable practices and processes from start to finish. If you are looking for a premium quality, sustainable, and eco-friendly choice for your next t-shirt, look no further than Stanley/Stella!
The details: The Stanley/Stella Crafter Tee is made from 100% sustainably grown, certified organic cotton. Stanley/Stella crafts every item they offer with meticulous attention to detail, fit, comfort, and durability, to ensure that your product is made to last.
Best Eco-friendly Shirt
Runner Up: Allmade Organic Cotton Unisex Tee

Why we love it: The Allmade Organic Cotton Unisex Tee is another great option for those looking for a super soft feel that is eco-conscious. As a company, Allmade prioritizes sustainability and only manufactures in ethical factories. Their process uses less water than the typical garment-production process, and they use preferred materials and carbon offsets.
The details: It’s made from 100% organic cotton that is combed and ring-spun, resulting in an ultrasoft feel.
With both these options, you can feel good about taking care of the Earth while sporting your stylish, custom tee!
Best Affordable Shirt
Classic Unisex Tee

Why we love it: A tried and true tee, the Classic Unisex Tee has a heavyweight, traditional feel. This tee is a great option for those who want to keep costs low while still offering a durable shirt.
The details: The Classic Unisex Tee is typically fulfilled by Gildan and is a 100% cotton shirt made from responsibly sourced cotton and dyed with low-impact dyes.
How to Pick the Right Tee
With so many great options out there, how do you pick which one is the best fit for your bulk order or t-shirt store?
First, you’ll want to consider your target audience. Is your group the more traditional type who would want a classic, standard fit? Or, would they prefer a more trendy, oversized look with lots of color options? If sustainability is important to your group, you’ll want to consider a sustainably made, eco-conscious tee.
It’s also important to keep in mind that some styles and fabrications print differently than others. For example, DTG printing will often produce a better print on items with a higher cotton percentage. On the other hand, screen printing and DTF will have a heavier hand feel on thin, lightweight fabric.
Struggling to choose a single tee? With Bonfire, you can offer different shirt styles featuring the same design, giving your buyers more control over their purchase preferences.
If you’d like to see your design on a few style options, we suggest printing a few samples to test the waters. With Bonfire, you can order samples of as many or as few shirts as you’d like, at cost! You can see your print on a variety of shirt styles, and decide which ones best suit your design and audience.
We know choosing the right style of shirt to print on can be overwhelming, but at Bonfire, we’ve got you covered. With a diverse product catalog, combined with the tips we’ve discussed here today, you can be confident in selecting the perfect options for your custom merch needs!
Design and sell high-quality printed t‑shirts on Bonfire
Written by: Katie Davis
Illustrated by: Tess Miller
