10 Best Custom Apparel Companies in 2023
10 Best Custom Apparel Companies in 2023: When it comes to selecting a custom apparel company for your business, it is essential to find one that not only fits your needs but your budget and timeframes as well. In this post, we will be discussing the 10 best custom apparel companies with the pros and cons of each in hopes that it will help you make an informed decision for your business.
What is a Custom Apparel Company?
A company that creates personalized clothing items, such as t-shirts, hats, hoodies, and other apparel, is known as a custom apparel company. They offer various services such as designing, printing, and embroidering garments according to the customer’s requirements. These companies work with diverse materials, colors, and designs to produce exclusive clothing items for their clients. Moreover, they provide customization options like incorporating logos, text, or images on garments to give them a unique touch.
What Does a Custom Apparel Company Offer?
If you’re looking for unique and personalized clothing for any occasion, a custom apparel company can help you out. They offer various services, including custom embroidery and screen-printing, that allow you to create your own designs on shirts, hats, and more. Not only that, but they have a wide selection of custom apparel options to choose from, including t-shirts, hoodies, hats, and jackets, available in various sizes, materials, and colors.
If you need help with the design process, they can offer assistance with everything from creating the artwork to selecting the right fabric and colors. They can even help with the production process, such as sourcing materials, creating prototypes, and overseeing final production. Regarding marketing and promotion, they can also support creating promotional materials, setting up displays, and helping with events.
What Are the 10 Best Custom Apparel Companies?
Now that we’ve covered the basics of a custom apparel company let’s get into the 10 best companies to work with in 2023.
1. Accent Branding
Website: https://accentbranding.com/
Pros:
- Simplified ordering portals for employees and partners
- Brand consistency
- Product recommendations
- Inventory control
- Accurate and timely order fulfillment
- Warehousing, inventory management, fulfillment, and usage reporting
- Online stores, event kits, uniform allowance programs, employee welcome kits, and bulk-branded products
- 15 years of experience in the industry
- Based in Fort Collins, CO
Cons:
- Mainly works with mid-sized companies
- Limited services outside of uniforms, recognition programs, marketing materials, and printed products
The Bottom Line
Accent Branding is the go-to partner for mid-sized companies looking to transition from an internally managed program to an outsourced program for uniforms, recognition programs, marketing materials, and printed products. With more than 15 years of experience in the industry, Accent Branding provides cost-efficient solutions with minimal client effort.
Accent Branding has built its entire infrastructure around key services such as warehousing, inventory management, fulfillment, and usage reporting. The company offers simplified ordering portals for employees and partners, brand consistency, product recommendations, inventory control, and accurate and timely order fulfillment. Accent Branding has experience in providing a range of services such as online stores, event kits, uniform allowance programs, employee welcome kits, and bulk branded products.
Clients of Accent Branding can trust the company for its expertise and experience. With its reliable services, Accent Branding has built a strong reputation as a reliable partner for mid-sized companies. Based in Fort Collins, Colorado, Accent Branding has been in business since 2005. With its reliable services and long-standing history, Accent Branding is the best choice for mid-sized companies looking for an outsourced program for uniforms, recognition programs, marketing materials, and printed products.
2. Uber Prints
Website: https://www.uberprints.com/
Pros:
- Quick turnaround
- Great quality
- Vast product selection
- Easy-to-use online configurator
- Easy quoting process
Cons:
- For orders below $100, a delivery fee of $5.99 is applied, along with an extra charge of $0.50 per item
- Pricier than Accent Branding
- No uniform management/inventory control portal
The Bottom Line
Are you searching for a t-shirt printing service that allows you to design your own shirt? Uberprints is an excellent choice. Once you’ve placed your order, they will usually ship it out within seven days. Additionally, they offer customizable apparel options for both you and your furry friend. While their website is designed for independent design creation, if you require design assistance, Accent Branding is a great alternative.
3. Broken Arrow
Website: https://www.brokenarrowwear.com/
Pros:
- Quick turnaround
- Free delivery
- Intuitive online design tool
- Expansive online product catalog
- Great customer support
- Good quality
Cons:
- Customer service only available during business hours
- Weekend and late-night orders are only available through the online portal
- No uniform management/inventory control portal
The Bottom Line
Broken Arrow offers a user-friendly online design tool that features a vast collection of over 13,000 clipart pieces and hundreds of design ideas. Their pricing is all-inclusive, with no hidden charges, and you can conveniently place orders 24/7, every day of the week.
4. Vista Print
Website: https://www.vistaprint.com/
Pros:
- Easy-to-use online design tools
- Affordable pricing
- Variety of products and apparel
- Fast and reliable shipping
Cons:
- Limited customization options
- Low-quality printing on some products
- Limited customer service and support
- No uniform management/inventory control portal
The Bottom Line
Vistaprint is highly regarded for its exceptional printing services for business cards and stationery. While they do provide personalized clothing options, the quality of the designs and clipart available for t-shirts is somewhat average. Despite this, Vistaprint truly shines when it comes to paper-based products.
5. Custom Ink
Website: https://www.customink.com/
Pros:
- High-quality products
- Wide range of customizable options
- Easy online ordering process
- Fast turnaround times
- Affordable pricing options
Cons:
- Limited design options
- Does not offer specialized customization options
- Limited shipping options
- No uniform management/inventory control portal
The Bottom Line
Custom Ink specializes in custom T-shirts and is the largest of its kind in the United States. While their prices may be on the higher side compared to other T-shirt printers, it’s likely due to their extensive advertising and marketing efforts. Customers can choose from various clip art designs and utilize their “T-shirt design lab,” but those who require assistance with designing their T-shirts must do so on their own.
However, their friendly staff is available through live chat and customer service telephone lines during extended business hours. On the other hand, Broken Arrow T-Shirt Printing and Embroidery offers an all-inclusive price for those who want some help with their designs.
6. Cafe Press
Website: https://www.cafepress.com/
Pros:
- Wide selection of products, including apparel, accessories, home goods, and more
- Customizable designs that can be easily uploaded and printed onto products
- Competitive prices and discounts for bulk orders
- Fast shipping and delivery options
Cons:
- Does not offer a wide selection of materials and fabrics for their products
- Does not have an in-house design team for customers who need help with designing their products
- Products may be more expensive than other custom apparel and product providers
- No uniform management/inventory control portal
The Bottom Line
Looking for a place to get custom-designed tees? You might want to check out Café Express. They specialize in print-on-demand and offer a wide range of pre-designed tees by freelance artists, as well as the option to create your own. While their prices for bulk orders can be a bit steep, they’re definitely worth considering for individual purchases. Plus, every artist receives a royalty, so you can feel good about supporting independent creators while treating yourself to a unique and stylish holiday tee.
7. Spreadshirt
Website: https://www.spreadshirt.com/
Pros:
- Wide selection of apparel and products to choose from
- Easy-to-use custom design tool
- No minimum order requirement
- Variety of pricing and payment options
- Fast shipping times
Cons:
- Limited customization options
- No bulk discounts
- Expensive shipping for international orders
- Customers are responsible for product returns
- No uniform management/inventory control portal
The Bottom Line
At Spreadshirt, you can explore various customizable options and choose from many distinct designs. With the help of their online design tool, you can tap into a vibrant community of artists and create a unique look for yourself. It’s an excellent platform to personalize your preferred design to make it your own. The prices are dependent on the design and artist you select. While Spreadshirt may not specialize in custom artwork and bulk orders, it’s an ideal destination to modify an artist’s design for a single custom t-shirt.
8. Underground Printing
Website: https://undergroundshirts.com/
Pros:
- Quality printing and apparel
- Competitive pricing
- Wide selection of products
- Fast turnaround times
- Reliable customer service
Cons:
- Limited customization options
- Shipping costs may be expensive for international orders
- Not available in all countries
- No uniform management/inventory control portal
The Bottom Line
Underground Printing has been the trusted destination for custom apparel for over 20 years. They offer a diverse selection of items, including t-shirts, jackets, bottoms, tops, and promotional products. Regardless of whether you require a small or large order, Underground Printing is the perfect solution for all of your custom clothing requirements.
9. Printful
Website: https://www.printful.com/
Pros:
- Easy-to-use interface
- Quick turnaround
- Integrates with popular eCommerce platforms
- Dropshipping is a piece of cake
- Ships from all over the world
- Competitive pricing
- No order minimums
- Great quality embroidery
Cons:
- Poor customer service
- Somewhat poor quality screen prints
- It can be overwhelming due to the large catalog and various design tools
- Does not offer retail-ready products
- Rarely offers discounts or promotions
The Bottom Line
Printful provides a vast range of products with various customization options at reasonable prices. The platform has no minimum order requirements and ensures fast turnaround times. Its user-friendly interface enables customers to design and customize products without any technical expertise—Printful also integrates seamlessly with popular platforms like Shopify, Etsy, and WooCommerce. Moreover, Printful offers helpful customer service and an FAQ page for additional support.
However, the platform does not provide retail-ready products, which may overwhelm some customers. Shipping costs can also be high for small orders. Printful does not offer any drop shipping services or discounts, so customers must handle all shipping and fulfillment themselves and pay the full price for each product.
10. Teespring
Website: https://teespring.com/
Pros:
- Low setup costs
- Easy-to-use design tools
- Ability to customize orders
- Low risk for entrepreneurs
Cons:
- Limited product selection
- Relatively high shipping costs
- Limited control over product quality
- Limited customer service options
- No uniform management/inventory control portal
The Bottom Line
If you’re interested in selling clothes online and making a profit, you may want to consider this service. It operates in a manner similar to Café Press, allowing customers to buy from a selection of pre-made designs by freelance artists or create their own. However, if you need custom T-shirts for a company, team, or event, this service may not be the most suitable option.
And the Winner Is…
Accent Branding! Working with a custom apparel company can seem overwhelming, but at Accent Branding, you can be sure your needs will be handled with the utmost attention to detail. Not only will you have access to a custom storefront for your employees to order from, but you can rest assured your inventory will be managed flawlessly, saving you time and money.
Contact us today to learn how to get started!
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