Product Guides
Personalised Polo Shirts Buying Guide
How to compare personalised, embroidered and printed polo shirts for work.
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Plan custom T shirts by comparing fabric, weight, fit, DTF, DTG and screen printing for business, event and team orders.
Begin with how the T shirt will be used
Custom T shirts can serve as daily staff clothing, event uniforms, promotional products, merchandise or teamwear. The use determines the correct garment. A short event may prioritise budget and colour availability, while daily personalised clothing needs comfort, wash performance and dependable repeat stock.
Choose the garment before finalising the print method. Fibre content, fabric colour and surface affect how ink or transfers appear.
Light medium and heavyweight T shirts
Lightweight T shirts feel cooler and can suit events or warm conditions. Medium weights are versatile for staff uniforms and promotions. Heavyweight styles create a more substantial, retail-inspired shape and can support premium custom clothing.
Weight alone does not guarantee quality. Fit, knitting, collar construction, side seams, colourfastness and shrinkage guidance should also be checked.
DTF and DTG printing
DTF printing places a detailed transfer onto the garment and works across many suitable fabrics. It handles multiple colours and fine artwork without preparing a separate screen for every colour. It is useful for smaller batches, names and designs that change between orders.
DTG printing applies ink directly to a compatible garment. It is particularly effective for detailed artwork on suitable cotton-rich T shirts and can produce a softer feel than a large solid transfer. Garment composition and pretreatment affect the result.
Screen printing for volume
Screen printing is a strong choice for clear designs at larger quantities. Each colour normally requires preparation, so the setup becomes more economical as the order quantity increases. Branded UK normally applies a minimum of 25 items for screen printed orders.
The design may need colour separation or simplification. Once prepared correctly, screen printing produces consistent repeated results across a team or event order.
Prepare the artwork and quantities
Supply vector artwork for logos and flat graphics whenever possible. Use high-resolution original files for photographic designs. Confirm the front, back and sleeve positions separately and state whether the same design appears on every garment.
The normal Branded UK minimum is eight items, subject to product and method. Screen printing and specific product types can have higher minimums. Confirm sizes and quantities on one approved sheet before production.