Looking for your next favorite brand for bulk apparel? Printers and embroiderers find themselves recommending Tultex again and again, and there are two reasons that come up every time. The first is Tultex's commitment to fabric safety: styles like the Tultex 214 meet Oeko-Tex Standard 100—an independent certification that verifies fabrics are free of harmful substances at every stage of production. For schools, children's programs, and organizations that care about what goes on the body, that matters. The second reason is straightforward: Tultex uses USA premium cotton and prices its blanks to make high-volume orders genuinely feasible without stepping down in fabric quality.
The Tultex 290 Unisex Heavyweight Jersey T-Shirt is the workhorse of the Tultex tee lineup. Made from 100% ring-spun cotton, it delivers the kind of soft hand feel and print-ready surface you'd expect from a premium blank — comparable in fabric quality to the Bella+Canvas 3001C—at a price point that makes it a realistic choice for large runs, school programs, and promotional giveaways. If your program needs a cotton tee that performs well and doesn't break the budget, the 290 is the right place to start.
For programs that want a lighter-weight option, the Tultex 241 Unisex Fine Jersey T-Shirt is worth a look. It uses the same ring-spun cotton construction as the 290 but in a finer, lighter jersey—a better fit for warmer climates, fashion-forward prints, and retail-style merch where a slightly more relaxed drape is the goal. The Tultex 214 Women's Fine Jersey V-Neck brings the same fine jersey construction into a women's-specific silhouette—a clean, printable option for programs that need a fitted women's tee alongside a unisex style.
Looking for something a little different? The Tultex 245 Unisex Raglan T-Shirt offers a classic athletic raglan silhouette with contrast sleeves and a wide range of color combinations. It's a natural fit for sports teams, school spirit programs, and any brand that wants a more dynamic look than a standard crewneck tee.
Tultex hoodies and fleece blanks punch above their price point, largely because of one construction detail: the Tultex 340 Unisex Fleece Crewneck uses an 80/20 cotton-poly blend with a 100% cotton face. That cotton face is what makes it an outstanding choice for DTG, DTF, sublimation, and screen printing — ink and dye bond to the cotton surface the way decorators expect, without the color-muting that can happen with high-poly face fabrics. It's one of the better-kept secrets in the wholesale fleece category for printing programs.
For pullover hoodies, the Tultex 320 Unisex Fleece Pullover Hoodie is the adult standard — a midweight pullover with a soft hand and a clean print surface. The 320Y Youth Hoodie mirrors the adult 320 in construction and is a practical choice for school and youth program runs where you need adult and youth sizing from the same brand. For programs that need a full zip, the Tultex 331 Full Zip Hooded Sweatshirt covers that at the same value price point.
One important note on all Tultex hoodies and fleece: these styles are not preshrunk. If you're buying for end customers who will launder their garments, consider recommending they size up, or account for this in your decoration program. This is standard for premium cotton fleece and contributes to the soft hand feel — but it's worth knowing before you place a large order.
Looking for other wholesale fleece options to compare? We also carry Gildan, Hanes, Port & Company, and Next Level — or reach out and we're happy to help you compare. We love talking textiles.
Oeko-Tex Standard 100 is an independent certification that verifies every component of a fabric — yarn, dyes, finishes, and accessories — has been tested for harmful substances and found safe for human skin contact. It's one of the most widely recognized textile safety standards in the world. For wholesale buyers supplying schools, children's organizations, healthcare environments, or any program where fabric safety is a concern, Oeko-Tex certification provides third-party verification that goes beyond a brand's own claims. Tultex blanks certified to this standard offer that assurance at wholesale pricing.
Both are ring-spun cotton tees, but they differ in weight and feel. The 290 is a heavier jersey — more structure, better durability through repeated washing, and a surface that handles high-volume screen printing reliably. It's the right call for promotional runs, uniforms, and programs where longevity matters. The 241 is a lighter, finer jersey with a softer drape — better suited for fashion-oriented prints, warmer weather programs, and retail-style merch where the shirt itself needs to feel good as a finished product. If you're unsure, order samples of both before committing to a large run.
Yes — and the Tultex 340 Fleece Crewneck in particular is one of the better fleece blanks for DTG in this price range. Its 80/20 blend construction uses a 100% cotton face, which gives DTG ink the cotton surface it needs to bond and absorb correctly. High-poly face fabrics can produce duller, less saturated DTG results — the cotton face on the 340 avoids that problem. For DTG on tees, the 290 and 241 are both solid choices given their ring-spun cotton construction.
Tultex hoodies and fleece styles are not preshrunk, which means you should expect some shrinkage after the first wash. The amount varies by style and washing conditions, but it's generally advisable to size up if you're buying for end customers who will be laundering their garments. For decoration programs, this also means it's worth confirming finished garment dimensions with your decorator — laundering before decoration (also called pre-washing) can reduce post-decoration shrinkage surprises for the end customer. This applies to the 320, 320Y, 331, and 340.
Tultex and Gildan are both strong value brands for bulk orders, but they serve slightly different priorities. Gildan's G500 is one of the most widely used screen print blanks in the industry — extremely consistent, broadly available, and priced for high-volume runs. Tultex's 290 is comparable in weight and print performance, but adds the Oeko-Tex certification and uses USA premium cotton, which can matter for certain buyers and end-use markets. For programs where fabric sourcing and safety certification are part of the purchasing decision, Tultex is often the stronger choice. For pure cost-per-unit at the highest volumes, Gildan tends to come out slightly ahead.
The Tultex 290 and the Bella+Canvas 3001C use similar ring-spun cotton construction, and both produce excellent print results. The main difference is price and fit. Bella+Canvas carries a premium over Tultex and offers a more fashion-forward, tapered silhouette with a wider color range. Tultex comes in at a lower price point with a more traditional fit and the added Oeko-Tex certification. For programs where the retail fit and color selection of Bella+Canvas matter to the end customer, Bella+Canvas is worth the extra cost. For high-volume runs on a tighter budget where print quality and fabric integrity are the priority, Tultex is a strong alternative.
Yes. The 320Y Youth Hoodie is built from the same cotton-rich fleece as the adult 320, making it straightforward to run adult and youth sizes together in a single decoration program. For youth tees, the 241 and 290 are both available in youth sizing — check individual product pages for available size ranges.
Yes. Automatic volume discounts are applied at checkout across the Tultex catalog at Bulkthreads.com — no codes required, no minimums. The per-unit price decreases as your order size grows. If you have questions about a specific style or need help choosing between Tultex and another brand for your program, reach out and we're happy to help.