The Best Custom T-Shirts: A Buyer's Guide

The t-shirt is the most-printed garment on earth — but not all tees are equal. Weight, fabric and fit change how a shirt feels, how a print sits, and how it wears over time. Whether you're after a soft everyday tee, a heavyweight streetwear piece or a value blank for a big run, here's a plain-English guide to the best custom t-shirts at Custom Fox, and how to choose.

How to choose a t-shirt

• Weight (GSM) — lighter (150–160) is soft and breathable; midweight (180–200) is the everyday sweet spot; heavyweight (220–280) feels premium and structured.
• Fit — classic/regular, slim, or relaxed/boxy (the on-trend streetwear cut).
• Fabric — combed cotton for softness, carded cotton for a heavier hand, garment-dyed for a vintage look, or a blend for value.
• Budget — from value blanks for big runs to premium US-made tees.

The everyday staple: AS Colour Staple Tee

180 GSM, 100% combed cotton, classic fit, and one of the biggest colour ranges going (70+). The default choice for almost any job — soft, versatile and reliable. If you're not sure where to start, start here. See the Staple Tee.

Best value: Gildan Softstyle & Heavy Cotton

The Gildan Softstyle Midweight (183 GSM, ring-spun cotton) is soft and easy on the budget — ideal for big group and event runs. Prefer a classic heavier feel for less? The Gildan Heavy Cotton (180 GSM) is the workhorse value tee.

Heavyweight classic: AS Colour Classic Tee

220 GSM, 100% combed cotton — a heavier, more substantial version of the everyday tee that still keeps a classic fit. A great step up in quality without going full oversized. See the Classic Tee.

Heavyweight streetwear: AS Colour Heavy Tee

280 GSM, 100% carded cotton, relaxed fit. Thick, boxy and premium — the on-trend heavyweight look for fashion-led drops and bold prints. See the Heavy Tee.

Faded and vintage: AS Colour Heavy Faded Tee

240 GSM, garment-dyed for that washed, lived-in colour, in a relaxed fit. Perfect for the retro streetwear aesthetic that's everywhere right now. See the Heavy Faded Tee.

Seamless streetwear: AS Colour Block Tubular Tee

Seamless tubular construction with a regular fit — a clean, modern blank that's popular for streetwear and print-heavy designs. See the Block Tubular Tee.

Premium US-made: American Apparel & Comfort Colours

Want a retail-grade feel? The American Apparel Heavyweight (203 GSM) is a premium classic, and the Comfort Colours Garment-Dyed (207 GSM) brings that soft, broken-in vintage look straight out of the box.

Sustainable: AS Colour Organic Tee

150 GSM, 100% organic combed cotton, slim fit — a lighter, lower-impact choice for brands that care what their gear is made of, without compromising print quality. See the Organic Tee.

Performance and active

Need moisture-wicking for sport or training? The Staple Active Tee, the Women's Maple Active Tee, the Staple Active Tank and the Women's Maple Active Racerback are built for movement — ideal for clubs and teams and gyms.

Long sleeves

For cooler months or extra coverage on site, the Heavy Faded Long Sleeve and the women's Classic Long Sleeve — or the cropped American Apparel Long Sleeve Crop for a fashion-led look.

Prefer a collar? Custom polos

A polo is the smarter option for uniforms, front-of-house and client-facing work. We stock the Chad Polo and women's Amy Polo, plus the moisture-wicking Active Work Polo and women's Active Work Polo for outdoor trades. See the full custom polos range.

More value options

Beyond the Softstyle, there's the Gildan Softstyle Adult Tee and the Softstyle V-Neck if you want a V, plus the retail-feel American Apparel Fine Jersey.

Women's, men's and kids

Most styles come in women's cuts: the Women's Classic, Maple, Martina, Basic and Mali tees, the boxy Box Tee, the heavyweight Heavy and Heavy Faded, and crops including the Crop Tee, Classic Crop and American Apparel Crop. On the value side there's the Gildan Women Softstyle, Softstyle Midweight, Softstyle V-Neck and Heavy Cotton. Browse the full women's tees and polos, or the men's tees and polos.

For kids, the Youth Staple Tee and Kids Staple Tee in our kids range — so you can match a whole family, team or crew across every size.

Making your pick

Not sure? The Staple Tee suits almost everyone. Big budget-conscious run? Gildan Softstyle. Chasing a heavyweight streetwear look? The Heavy or Heavy Faded. After premium? American Apparel or Comfort Colours. Eco-minded? The Organic Tee.

Design yours

Tees start at $29.95 with the print included, no minimums, printed with durable DTF (direct-to-film) in Sydney and delivered Australia-wide for a $10 flat rate — backed by our 100% Fox Guarantee. Add your design, name or logo and see an instant proof before you order.

Browse and design custom t-shirts →

Ordering for a group? Read our full guide to how bulk and group orders work. Prefer a hood? See the best custom hoodies buyer's guide.