Guide

Let’s Talk About Garments

When it comes to blanks, most people are asking the wrong questions.

Defining the job

Before anything else, define what you’re making. Here’s a breakdown of the most common use cases we see:

Brand / Retail: Priority is silhouette, with fit, fabric and feel coming in next. The goal is creating pieces people want to wear again and again. Note: if you have hype designs and shit garments you may only sell out once.

Band / Tour Merch: Priority is design first, garment second. Most promoters use the absolute cheapest garment they can and still command top dollar.

Promo / Event Staffing / Swag: Priority is price, followed by availability and speed. The goal is everything looking the part for the show, plus a reliable distribution of wearable billboards.

Agency / Corporate: Priority is clean execution. The goal here is no surprises. Good idea to double confirm dispatch dates and shipping times, and avoid the full hierarchy cc pile-on.

The 80/20 rule

20% of garments get 80% of our prints.

Start with AS Colour. They come in a tonne of colours, have men’s and women’s options, and a slightly cropped (minus 2 in) variation. Here’s what we touch most at ThreadGhost:

Classic Tee 5026: Every. Single. Day. Classic fit, 220 GSM, preshrunk.
Staple Tee 5001: The staple. Good enough for white labelling, cost effective enough for promo.
Heavy Faded 5082: The streetwear starter. 240 GSM, garment dyed, drop shoulder, preshrunk.

If you’re still unsure, start with the Classic Tee (or the Classic Minus Tee for a boxier fit).

What actually matters

Fit & silhouette: if it doesn’t fit right, nothing else matters.
Purpose: match the garment to the job.
Availability: some garments are always in stock, some aren’t. Most job delays come down to availability, so lock your garments in early.
Decoration compatibility: not all garments embellish equally. Over-dyed fabrics can throw your print colour, coated fabrics can be tough to stick down and cause ghosting. Some garments just aren’t worth it.
Price: last, not first. Price is a constraint, not the driver.

Quick reality check

For a lot of merch, especially events and tours, the hierarchy is: I like this design, I was there, it fits okay. That’s it. You don’t need to over-engineer every decision. But if you’re building a brand, people will notice the difference.

Try before you buy in bulk

The best way to choose a garment is to try it on, wash it, wear it out. There are AS Colour retail stores across most major cities, so you can get a feel for what you’re buying before committing to bulk.