Whether you are designing one t-shirt, just for yourself or someone you love, or you are designing a t-shirt for a whole team or department or special event, chances are you are looking for a great deal, too. Designing t-shirts is a great way to have fun and be creative and support causes you believe in, but it’s also true that designing t-shirts can be a good way to get a good deal. Just like any other purchase, a little bit of research can help you get a much better deal with custom t-shirts.

When researching t-shirt printing companies, you should be looking for both low prices and high quality. There’s no point in spending any money at all if your t-shirt is going to look cheap and dull.

There are some pretty concrete things to look for in a t-shirt printing company. First, there is the quality of the t-shirt itself: the base of your creation. You should look for a company that will detail what kind of t-shirts it offers, what fabric they are made of, and what fit they are. Other details like fabric weight (light or heavy) and type of hem will also be really helpful in determining what level of quality you’ll be getting in the t-shirt itself. Look for brand name t-shirts that you already know are high quality: Hanes and Hanes Her Way are known, trusted brands; American Apparel is a newer brand that has consistently good quality, good fitting t-shirts. Anvil is another brand that is often used. In terms of fabric, you want to get 100% cotton or something close to it. The above brands will usually offer mostly 100% regular or ringspun cotton. Preshrunk is a good benefit, too—it’s best just to be sure whether or not it is preshrunk so you know what size to order. If it is not preshrunk, you should consider ordering larger sizes than you need because the shirt will shrink in the first washing.

Next, you should look at the fit. There are usually boxy, generous, athletic, and women’s fits. Double-needle hems are also a good sign—they are more durable and usually better looking. The more details you can get about the shirts, the better; it means the company is making quality a priority and has nothing to hide from you, the customer.