In the age of the indie musician, selling merch has arguably become as important as selling physical copies of your music. Yes, you are creating an income stream that can be easily developed and monitored. But you are also creating a brand for your music, which, in an increasingly saturated market, is becoming ever more important. Never underestimate the power of a good logo or design.
You are also giving your fans a chance to support you directly – both by giving you their money and by repping you to the world. And, let’s face it, seeing people wearing your band’s name on their person is pretty damn cool.
When it comes to merch, the tee is king. Everyone likes band tees. There’s even a national band tee day (Aus Music T-Shirt Day, November 13th, in case you forgot), which each year is a surprisingly fervently celebrated event. Tees are easy to make, they are affordable, easy to transport, and they are the best canvas for whatever design you choose.
Whether you’re making your own tees or getting them manufactured, you’ll need to start with a quality canvas. Here are 5 awesome blank tee brands for your band’s merch.
Whether you’re making your own or getting them manufactured, when it comes to printing brands t-shirts, you’ll need to start with a quality canvas. There are a number of blank tee wholesalers to choose from in Australia. Natural fabrics like cotton and cotton blends are the best option for printing. These absorb ink more readily than synthetic fabrics.
CB Clothing
If you’re all about supporting local and sustainable industry, then CB Clothing Co. is the place to go. They supply a wide range of blank tees made from 100% Australian cotton, which is a true white cotton that has a yield twice as high as any other variety, uses less water and requires minimal herbicides and pesticide use during cultivation. Their fabrics are WRAP (Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production) certified and enzyme-free, which helps protect the environment during the dyeing process.
If you are making your own merch the DIY way, they supply their blank tees at wholesale prices. They can also arrange high-quality printing for a really good price. Styles available include everything from crew necks to acid wash tees to long sleeve options and singlets. To top it off they also offer same day delivery. Good stuff.
AS Colour
You’ve probably heard of AS Colour – they’re a pretty popular retailer. But they’re also a popular wholesaler for merchandising. Their t-shirt cuts tend to be on the slimmer side which may not be for everyone, so it might be a good idea to go into a store and try on some tees to see if you like them. However, if you are buying direct from AS Colour, keep in mind they don’t do printing in-house, so you’ll have to organise that separately.
Gildan Tees
Gildan is another popular blank tee brand you’ll see being used for merch. Their cuts tend to be a little squarer than AS Colour, which might suit you more. They also have a wide range to choose from. However, it is a global company, whereas CB Clothing and AS Colour are Aus/NZ-based. Something to think about!
American Apparel
Amercian Apparel actually doesn’t exist as an Australian retailer anymore (however, you can order their stuff online). But if you a fan of their blanks, then there are ways you can get them here, such as buying them wholesale through Gildan.
Certton
Certton uses Australian certified organic cotton clothing. They are sweat-shop free and ethically made using nature-inspired colours. You can find them through a range of distributors like OCC Apparel and UniTee, so shop around to find the best price.
