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Tultex is an American apparel manufacturer based in Martinsville, Virginia, with roots going back to 1937. What makes them relevant today isn’t nostalgia; it’s consistency. Tultex operates its own yarn spinning, knitting, dyeing, and cutting facilities under one roof, which gives them unusually tight quality control compared to brands that outsource those processes to multiple factories. For print-on-demand sellers, that consistency matters. When you’re printing hundreds of orders across weeks and months, you want the blank to behave the same way every time. Gooten carries two Tultex t-shirt styles: the 502 Unisex Premium Cotton Tee and the 202 Unisex Fine Jersey T-Shirt. They sit at different price and feel points, which gives sellers a reason to stock both depending on how they’ve positioned their store.
The Tultex 202 is a Unisex Fine Jersey T-Shirt built around a lightweight, smooth cotton construction. Fine jersey refers to a tightly knit fabric with a soft, even surface texture that feels noticeably different from heavier blanks. It drapes well, sits close to the body without being restrictive, and has a clean look that works in both casual and slightly dressed-up contexts. Buyers who prefer a lighter shirt, particularly in warmer climates or during summer months, gravitate toward fine jersey styles. For sellers, the 202 is a good entry-level option when price sensitivity is a factor, since the lighter construction keeps base costs accessible while still delivering a garment that doesn’t feel cheap. It’s a practical choice for high-volume designs or when building out a catalog that needs to cover multiple price points.
The Tultex 502 is the Premium Cotton Tee in the Tultex lineup, and the step up from the 202 is tangible rather than just a marketing label. The 502 uses a heavier cotton construction that gives the shirt more body and structure. It holds its shape through repeated washing better than lighter fine jersey fabrics, which matters to buyers who plan to wear a shirt regularly rather than occasionally. The hand feel is fuller and slightly more substantial when you pick it up, which can make a noticeable difference when customers open their order. For sellers targeting buyers who are willing to spend a bit more for something that feels like a quality purchase rather than a disposable graphic tee, the 502 earns its slightly higher price point. It also tends to photograph with more visible dimension and texture, which can help product mockups look more compelling.
Tultex offers a solid core color selection through Gooten that covers the most commercially useful options without trying to overwhelm buyers with choices. Available colors include Black, White, Navy, Cardinal, Charcoal, Forest Green, Gold, Light Blue, Maroon, Military Green, Oxford Grey, and Royal Blue, among others. This is a working palette rather than a fashion-forward one, which is actually a strength depending on the niche. Sports and athletic-themed stores benefit from the Cardinal, Royal, and Navy options, which are classic team colors. Outdoor and nature-themed designs sit naturally on Military Green or Forest Green. Charcoal and Oxford Grey are versatile neutrals that tend to perform consistently across a wide range of design styles. Sellers who want a smaller, curated offering rather than dozens of color variants will find the Tultex range easy to manage without sacrificing coverage of the most popular buyer preferences.
Tultex blanks are 100% cotton, and cotton is the most reliable fabric for DTG printing. The natural fiber absorbs water-based inks well, and because Tultex controls its own fabric production, the surface consistency tends to be reliable batch to batch. On White and lighter colors like Light Blue and Oxford Grey, prints come out clean and vibrant without needing a white underbase layer. On darker colors like Black, Navy, and Military Green, a pretreatment and white underbase are applied as standard before the color layers go down. The 502’s heavier fabric provides a slightly more substantial surface for printing, which some printers find gives prints a marginally more saturated look compared to lighter jersey fabrics. For text-heavy designs, bold graphics, and photography-style prints, both the 202 and 502 perform well. Very fine line work or small text at extremely small sizes may show minor softening at the edges, which is a characteristic of DTG on cotton generally rather than anything specific to Tultex.
Tultex isn’t a brand name that most retail buyers will recognize the way they might recognize Champion or Bella + Canvas, and that’s fine. Most buyers shopping for a custom graphic tee are buying the design, not the blank. What Tultex’s American manufacturing heritage does give sellers is a genuine story to tell when it’s relevant. “Printed on a tee made in the USA” is a selling point in certain niches, particularly patriotic-themed stores, American-made product curators, and buyers who actively seek out domestically produced goods. On Etsy, where handmade and American-made positioning resonates strongly with a segment of buyers, a short mention that Tultex has manufactured in the US since 1937 can add credibility to a listing without feeling like padding. On Shopify, if domestic manufacturing aligns with the brand’s overall values story, it’s worth weaving into the About page or product descriptions rather than leaving it as an invisible detail.
The right choice depends on the audience the store is built around. If the store targets buyers who are purchasing graphic tees primarily for casual, everyday wear and cost is a meaningful factor in the purchase decision, the 202 is the practical starting point. It’s lighter, more accessible on price, and works well across a wide range of design types. If the store is positioned around quality, longevity, or premium casual wear, the 502 is the better primary choice. The heavier fabric and more substantial feel support a higher price point and tend to generate fewer complaints about the shirt feeling thin or insubstantial after washing. Carrying both styles at the same time makes sense when a store wants to offer a budget and premium tier within the same product category. Presenting the 202 as the standard option and the 502 as an upgrade, with a small price difference between them, gives buyers a choice and often nudges higher-intent customers toward the more profitable variant without requiring separate marketing effort.
Enhance Your Product Line with Custom Print on demand shirts
Custom t-shirts offer unmatched versatility, allowing your e-commerce store to cater to diverse customer preferences. With endless personalization options—from unique designs to custom text—you can create custom products that resonate with specific audiences or occasions. By choosing Gooten’s services, you can easily make your own t-shirt collections that stand out in a competitive marketplace, whether you’re targeting niche markets or offering promotional merchandise.
How to Design Your Own T-Shirt
Designing custom t shirts is an exciting and straightforward process with Gooten’s print on demand services. Start by choosing your preferred t-shirt style, such as crew necks or trendy crop tops, and explore various color options to fit your vision. Next, upload your own designs—whether a logo, artwork, or a unique quote. With direct to garment (DTG) and all over prints, your custom t shirt printing is guaranteed to result in high-quality prints that stand out.
Gooten’s platform eliminates costs and simplifies production, making it easy to start a t shirt business or add custom t shirts to your clothing line. From demand t shirts to relaxed styles perfect for everyday wear, we handle order fulfillment and shipping, so you can focus on growing your business. Print on demand companies like Gooten offer a low-risk way to launch your business and ensure customer satisfaction with fast shipping times and customizable products. Start selling today with just a few clicks and transform your creative ideas into wearable apparel!
Choose Your Style
The first step in creating your t-shirt design is choosing your style. Whether you’re looking for a classic crew neck or a trendy crop top, there’s something for everyone:
- Crew Necks T-Shirts: The timeless choice. Comfortable, versatile, and ideal for all occasions.
- V-Neck T-Shirts: Add a touch of sophistication to your wardrobe with these flattering tees.
- Scoop Neck Tees: Ideal for a casual yet chic look, perfect for layering or wearing on its own.
- Crop T-Shirts: Mix the latest fashion trends with bold, statement-making crop tops.
Select Colors and Sizes
When it comes to customized clothes, color is where you can really make a statement. The palette is vast, ranging from vibrant reds to subtle pastels. Sizes range from S to 6XL, ensuring everyone can find their perfect fit.
Upload Your Design
Have some T-shirt design ideas in mind? Uploading them is a breeze. Whether it’s a logo, a quote, or a graphic, our platform makes it easy. If you don’t have a draft ready, use our built-in tool packed with clipart, fonts, and layout options to create something amazing.
Add Text and Customize
Take your personalized clothing a step further by adding custom text. Choose from a variety of fonts and position the text exactly where you want it on the t-shirt. Your design, your rules!
Quality Printing Methods for Custom T-Shirts
Choosing the right printing method is essential for creating custom t shirts that showcase your designs with precision and durability. At Gooten, we use cutting-edge technology like DTG printing, perfect for intricate designs and small production runs. DTG ensures vibrant, high-quality prints that maintain their sharpness wash after wash. For bold, full-coverage designs, our sublimation printing and all over prints are excellent choices, offering seamless integration of colors and patterns across the entire garment.
These methods are ideal for print on demand businesses, as they eliminate the need for minimum orders, allowing independent designers to test demand t shirts without high upfront costs. Whether you’re building a t shirt business or expanding your clothing line, our advanced printing techniques guarantee customer satisfaction.
By partnering with local print providers and global fulfillment centers, we ensure fast shipping and consistent production quality. From creating customized apparel to offering unique custom products categories in your store, Gooten’s printing methods make scaling your business effortless. With tools tailored to every need, designing and selling custom t shirts has never been easier or more rewarding.
Direct-to-Film Printing
Direct-to-Film (DTF) is the latest in t-shirt printing methods. It offers durability and flexibility, making it ideal for clothes that experiences high wear and tear. DTF prints are renowned for their bright colors and are a perfect match for athletic wear.
Direct-to-Garment (DTG) Printing
DTG is a popular choice for custom t-shirt design. Perfect for short runs and one-off designs, DTG offers the flexibility to print any design, no matter how complex.
Almost all of our Print on Demand T-Shirts use the DTG printing technique. The only exception currently is the C2 Sport 5100, which is available with direct-to-film printing on t-shirts.
Our DTG guide provides insights into print expectations.
📌 Special note:
All the shirts we offer at Gooten t-shirt design maker are 30 singles or higher because that amount is optimal for DTG.
Selecting the Best Materials for Clothing
Gooten’s Custom T-Shirt selection is a melting pot of exquisitely crafted fabrics, ensuring durability and print quality. Our tees are made from 100% cotton fabrics, polycotton blends, or tri-blends. Some of our print-on-demand apparel catalog’s most common garment compositions include ringspun cotton, airlume combed cotton, and 50/50 or 90/10 polycotton fabrics.
Open-End Cotton
This is the product of a spinning technique that twists the yarn by rotating short fibers. Compared to other methods, such as combing and ring spinning, open-end spinning costs less, making the overall process more cost-effective, and the production speed is higher. The process results in a bulky, fuzzy fabric.
Ringspun Cotton
“Ringspun” is a specialized manufacturing method that elevates the caliber of cotton. The process consists of continuous yarn spinning, twisting, and thinning, yielding longer, velvety threads that produce durable, ultra-soft fabric with increased breathability compared to conventional cotton. The cotton’s texture is smoother and devoid of impurities, which is the goal of the process.
A step further is airlume cotton. The method involves intensive combing before the cotton is spun into yarn. The aim is, again, to eliminate impurities from the raw material. Although this process incurs some material loss and takes longer, it uplifts cotton’s value and the garment’s premium properties.
Check out Next Level 3600!
Open-End vs. Ringspun Cotton
Although both open-end and ringspun cotton have benefits, the latter offers more optimal results for DTG printing, as its texture is smoother, ensuring the end print will be crisper and of higher quality. It is also softer to the touch, elevating the premium properties of the clothing item.
Tri-Blend
This type of fabric comprises cotton, polyester, and rayon. Initially developed as a silk substitute, rayon is soft and has moisture-absorbent qualities, ideal for athletic or athleisure wear. The material is light and suitable for vintage-style pictures. When printed with water-based ink, tri-blends show natural heathered properties due to the selective removal of cotton color.
While print results might be less bright than with other more common fabrics, tri-blends offer naturally heathered, old-style looks. The pictures on tri-blend T-shirts might appear less vibrant than prints on 100% cotton, but neither is superior; they’re merely distinct.
So, you can create a T-shirt that exhibits very low shrinkage compared to 100% cotton items, with only a little size reduction that shouldn’t substantially change the fit over time.
Check out Bella + Canvas 3413C!
Explore the Benefits of Gooten’s Custom T-Shirt Printing
When you partner with Gooten, you’re not just getting a t-shirt. You’re getting a partner in creativity. We offer an extensive catalog of styles, colors, and sizes, and our methods guarantee that your designs look amazing and stand the test of time. Whether you’re starting a brand or just want a custom tee for an event, Gooten has got you covered.
Champion T425, Lane Seven 15001, C2 Sport 5100, Next Level 3600, Bella + Canvas 3001, Gildan 2000 – we offer something for every consumer base, regardless of age, personal style, or fit and shape preferences.
We currently carry models from 17 different brands, but we’re constantly expanding our offerings to more for our merchant partners to make merchandise t-shirt printing even more flexible.
- American Apparel
- Anvil
- AS Colour
- Bella + Canvas
- C2 Sport
- Champion
- Comfort Colors
- Delta
- District
- Econscious
- Fruit of the Loom
- Gildan
- Hanes
- Lane Seven
- LAT Apparel
- Next Level
- TSC
Check out Gooten-exclusive models we’ve procured from our dedicated apparel manufacturing network:
- Tee Shirt Central 2168 Unisex Mineral Wash Crew Neck Tee
- Next Level 6210 Unisex Premium Fitted CVC Crew Neck Tee
- Fruit of the Loom 3931 Men’s Heavy Cotton HD Crew Neck Tee
- Hanes 5280 Unisex Essential Cotton Crew Neck Tee
Simplifying Fulfillment: Automated Processes & Global Shipping
With Gooten, fulfilling your custom t-shirt orders is effortless. Our automated processes handle everything from production to global shipping. Focus on your business and clients while we take care of the rest.
Grow Your E-Commerce Brand with Personalized T-Shirts
Personalized clothes are the backbone of any apparel brand. With our services, you can offer your customers something truly unique. Our vast product line and easy customization tools make it simple to grow your identity and stand out in a crowded market.
Offering the right product to the right buyer is the key to becoming a trusted brand that customers want to return to. With that in mind, we currently offer a wide range of (15+) T-shirt models made specifically for women, and we’re not stopping there.
Check out some of our exclusive women’s tee models at our t-shirt design website:
- Next Level 1540 Women’s Ideal V-Neck Tee
- Next Level 6760 Women’s Triblend Dolman Scoop Neck Tee
- Next Level 6610 Women’s CVC Jersey Crew Neck Tee
- Fruit of the Loom L3930R Women’s Heavy Cotton Round Neck Tee
- Gildan 2000L Women’s Heavyweight Cotton Crew Neck Tee
- Bella Canvas 6005 Women’s Cotton V-Neck Tee
- Delta Apparel 12500 Women’s Cotton Crew Neck Tee
- District DM104L Women’s Perfect Weight Cotton Crew Tee
In addition to the classic short-sleeve models, we also carry a cropped tee model, so don’t hesitate to mix up your store’s offerings.
- Next Level 1580 Women’s Cotton Poly Jersey Crop Top
Continue your discovery with our blog content:
- How To Pick The Right T-Shirt For Your Business
- Gildan vs. Hanes: The Ultimate T-Shirt Comparison
- Gildan 2000 vs. 5000: Which Ultra Cotton T-Shirt Takes the Cake?
Ready to start designing your custom t-shirts online? With Gooten, your reliable t-shirt creator, the possibilities are endless. Get creative today!

































































































































