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Bulk Tees for Printing | Everything Under $5
Port & Company Infant Core Cotton Tee. CAR54I from $2.59
Bulk Shirts Under $5: Name-Brand Quality Without the Name-Brand Price
There's a wide range of buyers who need a great t-shirt at the lowest possible price per unit, like school fundraisers, 5K race organizers, church events, company picnics, community giveaways, and decorators building a budget-friendly catalog for cost-conscious clients. If we may be so bold, the Bulkthreads' under-$5 collection is the answer to all of those orders. Every garment here is from a recognized wholesale brand, print- and embroidery-ready out of the bag, and priced at $5 or less, with many well under that threshold.
The most important thing to know about this collection is that "under $5" doesn't mean a compromise on brand or printability. These aren't off-brand blanks or factory seconds; they're the same industry-standard styles that decorators and distributors have been printing on for decades. Here's how the key options break down.
Gildan dominates the lowest price tier. The Gildan G500 Adult Heavy Cotton Tee may be the single most widely printed garment in the wholesale industry — a 5.3 oz 100% cotton blank with a broad color range, consistent sizing, and a surface that holds screen print ink cleanly. The G200 Ultra Cotton Tee steps up slightly to a heavier 6 oz construction for orders where a more substantial feel matters. For buyers who prefer a cotton-poly blend, the G800 50/50 Blend is a softer-feeling alternative that resists shrinking better than 100% cotton and is a common choice for athletic events. The G640 Softstyle is the lightest and softest Gildan option here — a 4.5 oz tee that punches well above its price point on hand feel. Gildan also covers youth and toddler with the G500B Youth Tee, making it easy to outfit an entire family event or school program from a single brand at a consistent price.
Hanes and Jerzees add to the cotton and blend options in the $2.89–$3.60 range. The Hanes 5280 ComfortSoft Cotton Tee carries the Hanes brand recognition for customers who like to see a familiar name on their t-shirt's label, and the Jerzees 29M DRI-POWER Tee brings Jerzees' moisture-wicking 50/50 construction to the sub-$4 price tier — an unusually capable blank for the price, especially for outdoor events or athletic giveaways where a pure cotton tee might feel too heavy. Port & Company's PC55 Core Blend Tee is another reliable 50/50 option with a clean, structured appearance well-suited to embroidery.
Next Level may be the surprise of this collection, simply because Next Level tees are usually associated with the $5–$8 retail-quality tier. However, Next Level has several styles that land cleanly under $5. The N1533 Ladies' Ideal Racerback Tank at $3.69, for example, the N1510 Ladies' Ideal T-Shirt at $3.70, and the N1540 Ladies' Ideal V-Neck at $4.29 all bring Next Level's lightweight, fitted, retail-feel fabric into the budget tier, making this collection an unusually strong option for women's prints when budget is still a real constraint.
The bottom line: this ain't the clearance bin. It's a carefully selected blend of the industry's most reliable blanks at their most accessible price points, sourced from Gildan, Jerzees, Next Level, and Port & Company, all print-ready, all bulk-priced, all shipped in 1–3 business days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the cheapest t-shirt I can order in bulk?
The Gildan G500 is typically the lowest price-per-unit option in this collection and is the default choice when absolute cost is the primary concern. For a similar price with a slightly softer hand, the Gildan G640 Softstyle is worth the small upgrade, especially for customer-facing programs where how the shirt feels on-body matters.
Are these shirts good enough to actually print on, or are they a step down?
They're the same blanks decorators print on every day at every price tier. The under-$5 designation is a pricing category, not a quality category — the Gildan G500, Jerzees 29M, Hanes 5280, and Port & Company PC55 are all industry-standard blanks with well-documented print performance. The tradeoffs at this price point are typically about fabric weight, softness, and color range rather than printability.
What's the best option for a school fundraiser or team event?
For most school and youth program orders, the Gildan G500 (adult) paired with the G500B Youth is the most practical combination — same construction, same color range, consistent print results across adult and youth sizes in a single run. For athletic programs or events where moisture-wicking matters, the Jerzees 29M DRI-POWER is a stronger fit at a comparable price.
What's the difference between 100% cotton and 50/50 blend at this price point?
100% cotton tees (like the Gildan G500 or G200) tend to feel more substantial and take screen print ink well, but they're more prone to shrinking through repeated washes. 50/50 blends (like the Gildan G800 or Port & Company PC55) feel slightly softer, resist shrinking, dry faster, and hold their shape better over time. For event giveaways that'll be worn and washed repeatedly, 50/50 is usually the safer choice. For screen printing where the priority is clean ink coverage — especially with plastisol — 100% cotton is the more common pick.
Can I order in small quantities, or is there a minimum?
Of course! We don't have a minimum order quantity on any style in any collection, though volume discounts kick in at higher quantities. If you're running a small event or a test print, you can order a sample first. For large orders, volume pricing tiers apply automatically at checkout.
How does this compare to ordering from a print-on-demand or retail site?
Bulkthreads.com ships blank apparel in 1–3 business days at wholesale pricing, which is the practical difference between a retail tee ($8–$15 each, printed individually) and a bulk decoration program ($2–$5 per blank, printed in volume). If you're running 25+ shirts and can handle printing through a local decorator or in-house, ordering bulk blanks from this collection and decorating separately is typically the more cost-effective path.