Creating a shirt isn't just about slapping on a cool design and calling it a day; it's a process that takes time, consideration, and the right material.
As a creator, you can have the most eye-catching shirt design in the world, but if the tee itself feels rough, shrinks in the wash, or makes your print look dull, your merch will drop dead on arrival.
It doesn't matter if you’re working with DTG printing, screen printing, or going all-in with sublimation; your choice of fabric, fit, and shirt brand can make all the difference in how your designs hit.
Luckily for you, we’ve pulled together the best-quality shirts on Fourthwall so you can skip the guesswork and start creating custom pieces your fans will actually want to wear on repeat.
Figuring out which material to use for your shirts can feel like a lot at first, but it’s a step you can’t afford to skip.
The fabric you choose affects everything, such as how the shirt drapes on people's bodies, its longevity, color retention, and overall comfort.
Taking the time to understand your fabric options ensures that your designs don’t just look good on-screen but also translate into tees your audience will actually love wearing.
To help you make the right choice, here’s a breakdown of the most common fabric compositions found in high-quality shirts:
Remember, pairing the right fabric with the right printing method ensures your shirt designs not only look good but last, helping you create merch your audience will love wearing over and over.
This tee is a staple in shirt printing for a reason. It’s soft, lightweight, and built with a smooth Airlume combed ring-spun cotton surface that makes direct-to-garment prints look sharp and vibrant.
With a classic unisex fit and a huge range of solid, heather, and prism color blends, this tee gives creators the flexibility to match any brand aesthetic while still delivering comfort fans will actually want to wear.
Its lightweight 4.2 oz fabric strikes the perfect balance between durability and breathability, making it one of the most reliable and popular choices for print-on-demand merch.
A favorite among creators who want a premium, vintage-inspired look that feels as good as it looks.
Made from 100% ring-spun cotton, this heavyweight 6.1 oz tee offers a relaxed fit and super-soft feel, giving your designs a durable canvas that still delivers comfort.
Its garment-dyed finish creates that trendy, worn-in aesthetic, making it perfect for retro, faded, or laid-back print styles, while still holding crisp DTG and embroidery details across the front, back, or even sleeves.
The AS Colour Unisex Premium T-Shirt is built for creators who want their merch to feel elevated and long-lasting.
Made from 100% combed cotton with a heavyweight 5.3 oz fabric, it offers a smooth surface that delivers crisp, detailed prints while still feeling soft against the skin.
With features like pre-shrunk fabric, side-seamed construction, and double-needle stitching, this tee holds its shape and quality wear after wear, making it a go-to for minimalist, high-end, and fashion-forward merch drops.
If you’re aiming for merch that makes an impact the second it’s worn, Cotton Heritage’s Premium Heavyweight Tee delivers.
Its heavyweight 6.5 oz fabric gives designs extra depth and saturation, making prints stand out with a bold, eye-catching finish.
Beyond print quality, the structured yet relaxed fit adds a polished edge, making this tee a natural fit for creators leaning into modern streetwear or premium lifestyle collections.
For creators who want sustainability without sacrificing style, the Stanley/Stella Organic Cotton T-Shirt is a standout choice.
Made from 100% organic ring-spun cotton, this midweight 5.3 oz tee has a smooth surface that delivers crisp, vibrant DTG prints while staying soft and breathable.
With GOTS certification and a regular unisex fit, it’s the perfect shirt printing option for eco-conscious merch lines that look as good as they feel.
The Gildan Heavyweight is a classic blank that’s as dependable as it is versatile, making it a favorite for creators just starting out or scaling up.
Its heavyweight 5 oz cotton fabric and tight stitch density provide a solid base that enhances print clarity, ensuring designs come out bold and durable.
With a relaxed fit and wide color range, it’s an affordable yet quality option that works well for everything from casual streetwear to large-scale merch drops.
When you put the Champion name on your merch, you’re instantly signaling quality that your audience already trusts.
This tee is built with a heavyweight 7 oz fabric that not only feels substantial but also gives prints a bold, long-lasting finish that doesn’t lose its shape.
Its relaxed fit and double-needle construction make it perfect for embroidery as well as DTG designs, giving creators a versatile blank that elevates their merch into retail-quality territory.
If your leaning into that laid-back, lived-in vibe, the Bella+Canvas Triblend Short Sleeve is a perfect match.
Made from a 50/25/25 polyester, combed ring-spun cotton, and rayon blend, this 3.4 oz tee has a lightweight, ultrasoft feel that customers love and wear on repeat.
The unique fabric mix gives prints a slightly faded, vintage look, which is ideal for distressed artwork or retro-inspired graphics, while still offering enough durability to keep designs looking fresh over time.
Now that you’ve seen the options Fourthwall has in store, it’s time to pick your shirt and start designing.
The key is knowing how to line up your creative vision with the right fabric, fit, and finish so your designs not only look great on a mockup but also hold up in real life.
Below are 10 key steps that will help guide you in choosing the right shirt for your brand, ensuring your merchandise feels premium and keeps your fans coming back for more.
Start by asking what you want your shirt to represent.
Is it an everyday tee that fans can wear anywhere, or a heavyweight piece meant to feel like premium streetwear?
The vibe you’re going for will influence choices like fit (oversized vs. classic crew neck), sleeve length, and whether you want a lightweight drape or a structured silhouette.
Nailing this vision first makes every other decision easier.
Before you settle on a shirt brand, figure out how you’re going to print.
Direct-to-garment printing (DTG), screen printing, sublimation printing, embroidery, and direct-to-film (DTF) each require specific fabrics to get the best results.
For example, sublimation only works with polyester, while DTG thrives on smooth cotton.
Knowing your method upfront ensures your shirt design looks as vibrant and durable as possible.
Once you’ve picked your printing technique, the fabric is next.
100% combed ring-spun cotton is perfect for DTG and screen printing because it holds ink cleanly and shows off crisp details.
Cotton/polyester blends are better for durability and everyday wear, while tri-blends give you that soft, vintage look.
If you’re using embroidery, heavier garments like Comfort Colors or Champion work best because the fabric can handle stitching without puckering.
Each fabric blend has its own personality and purpose.
Pure cotton tees feel natural and breathable, polyester adds durability and wrinkle resistance, and tri-blends create that lightweight, ultra-soft vibe.
Organic cotton is also becoming a popular choice for creators who want to build sustainable merch lines without sacrificing print quality.
Picking the right composition ensures your shirt delivers both comfort and style.
The weight of the fabric (measured in ounces) and how tightly it’s stitched both affect your shirt’s print quality.
Lightweight shirts (around 4 oz) are great for a soft, breathable fit, but heavyweight tees (5–7 oz) hold their shape and make designs feel bold and structured.
A tighter stitch density means your print will look sharper and more detailed, which is key for artwork-heavy designs.
Little details in the garment’s construction can make a big difference.
Features like side seams, shoulder-to-shoulder taping, and double-needle stitching add strength and keep the shirt looking good after repeated washes.
A ribbed collar helps hold shape, and pre-shrunk treatments keep sizing consistent.
Though they might not seem important at first, these details elevate your merch from a basic tee to a well-made product.
Not all colors print the same, and the dye process matters.
Solid cotton colors give you bold, vibrant results, while heather blends mute the tones for a vintage effect.
Garment-dyed tees, like those from Comfort Colors, create that washed-in, relaxed vibe that feels lived-in right away.
Matching your artwork to the dye style ensures the final product has the right aesthetic.
Before finalizing your design, make sure you know where and how big you can print.
Different shirt brands allow different placements, like large front DTG prints, sleeve logos, or inside labels.
Avoid designs that run too close to seams or collars, since those areas don’t print cleanly.
Fourthwall makes it easy to test without committing to bulk orders.
Ordering a sample not only lets you see the shirt in person, but you can also feel the fabric, see how the colors look, and check for issues like shrinking, fading, or warping.
Test the shirt by washing and wearing it as your customers would. It’s the fastest way to spot problems before launch and ensure your product is up to your standards.
Finally, think about your target audience and how much they’re willing to pay.
Gildan offers affordable options for beginner drops, Bella Canvas and AS Colour deliver polished retail quality, while Comfort Colors and Champion appeal to premium streetwear fans.
Eco-conscious brands like Stanley/Stella are great for sustainability-driven audiences.
In the end, balancing price and quality ensures you deliver a product that feels worth it to your fans.
You’ve got the designs, now it’s time to bring them to life.
Fourthwall makes it easy to create custom shirts using high-quality blanks from trusted brands like Bella+Canvas, Comfort Colors, Champion, and more.
With print-on-demand, there are no bulk orders, no upfront costs, and no stress—just premium shirts printed and shipped directly to your fans.
Whether you’re building a streetwear drop, a sustainable merch line, or a classic everyday tee, Fourthwall gives you the tools to design, sell, and grow your brand all in one place.
Sign up today and start turning your shirt ideas into real products your audience will wear again and again.
The Bella+Canvas Supersoft Tee is the softest and most popular option for DTG printing on Fourthwall.
Made from Airlume combed ring-spun cotton, this short-sleeve tee has a smooth surface that holds ink beautifully, giving your shirt designs vibrant color and sharp detail.
Its lightweight fabric and classic fit make it ideal for custom shirts that customers will want to wear every day.
For streetwear-inspired merch, the AS Colour Unisex Premium or the Cotton Heritage Men’s Premium Heavyweight are top picks.
These heavyweight garments feature structured fits and dense cotton fabric that give prints a bold, premium finish, and perfect for oversized shirt designs.
Their durability and high stitch quality make them a strong choice for creators looking to launch a streetwear drop with print-on-demand.
The Stanley/Stella Organic Cotton is Fourthwall’s best shirt brand for eco-conscious creators.
Crafted from 100% organic ring-spun cotton and GOTS-certified, it offers a midweight fabric with a smooth surface for DTG printing or screen printing while staying soft and breathable.
If you’re designing sustainable custom tees, this garment blends premium quality with a planet-friendly approach.
There are no monthly fees, no upfront costs, and no contracts to use Fourthwall. You set your prices and choose your own margins. Here is how our pricing and splits work when you sell:
Additionally, all US-based credit card transactions have an added 2.9% + $0.30 payment processing fee (same as Shopify). Fees vary for PayPal and other providers. Learn more.
Product costs are listed directly in our product catalog.
If a t-shirt is listed in our catalog at a $10 cost, we will automatically deduct that amount from your profits whenever you make a sale. You can sell products for any price you want.
For example, if you sell the shirt for $22, you'll make $12 in profit on each unit sold. If you sell it for $50, then you'll make $40 in profit on each unit sold.
Yes! Fourthwall works with manufacturing & fulfillment partners around the globe in the US, UK, EU, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and Japan.
Shipping rates are dynamically determined by the size of package and destination. We work with most major carriers and pass through the true cost of shipping. That means that you can offer low-cost, fast shipping to your fans. Most items have a delivery window of 5-8 days.
Be sure to browse our product catalog to find products that are fulfilled out of your target regions to provide the fastest & cheapest shipping for your community.
Yes! Fourthwall operates as the "Merchant of Record" and automatically supports the following payment methods on checkout:
Fourthwall operates as the "Merchant of Record", which means that we're responsible for handling all sales taxes. This includes nexus registration, collecting sales tax, and remitting this to US states & other countries.
That way you can focus on designing products and promoting your shop, not taxes.
Yes. You can connect a custom domain or subdomain on Fourthwall. Learn More.
If you need help finding an artist or designer, check out our design community.
This is a vetted network of exceptional designers that can help you make great quality designs for your audience. We also recommend tools like Canva or Kittl.
Yes. For any product from our product catalog, we'll handle all customer support for you.
From answering general order questions to making address changes, our team is there to ensure that your buyers are treated with the same level of care that you would personally give them. We have a 12-hour or less average reply time, including nights and weekends.
For any items that you source on your own and ship from home, however, you'll need to do customer support.
Yes! Over 200,000 sellers use Fourthwall to power their storefronts. This includes creators, podcasters, artists, musicians, startups, non-profits, and more.
Get inspired and browse all examples sites.
Fourthwall supports many free integrations, including:
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