How many fashion brands have you seen with the same minimalist branding, the same plain shirts with one-note designs, and the same general aloof attitude to their future clients? Countless brands, both big and small, fail to appeal to modern audiences because of laissez-faire approaches to their style and branding. The joy of owning your own business is that you can choose to go against the grain and really make your apparel brand stand out. 

T-shirts are by far some of the most popular products you can make in the apparel business. The humble shirt is sitting at an outstanding $72 billion industry, and thousands of apparel brands are built off the back of a few strategically designed t-shirts. In such a saturated market, how can your brand stand out from the crowd? Don’t sweat it–no two t-shirts are the same, after all, and there are plenty of hip niches you can fill in the current market. Here are some of the 5 trendiest types of t-shirts for your apparel brand you can try right now.

“Follow your heart.” “Trust your gut.” “Let your instinct lead.” If you’ve heard of these phrases, you know how important emotions are to the average customer. The most successful brands in the world are built on sentimental value–whether it’s partygoers sharing a Coke, teenagers sketching on their Converse, or athletes winning contests while wearing Nike. A strong brand sells style and emotion, not just products. This is why emotional branding strategies are so effective.

T-shirts are a staple in merchandising. Whether you’re handing out swag to corporate employees or selling wearable art prints, the T-shirt is renowned for its versatility in many situations. It’s no surprise, then, that there are numerous ways to print graphics on a T-shirt–some with more advantages than others. But which should you choose? We’re looking at 5 of the most popular different methods of printing on T-shirts and when to use them.

We’ve talked about how to start a clothing brand, but the essential part of any business is manufacturing your product. Whether you start off with a simple shirt brand idea or want to go bigger, all of this relies on how well you can communicate your ideas to the people making your apparel. We’ll be looking at some essential tips on how to work with clothing manufacturers, and what you can expect in the meantime.

Go into any successful business or franchise–chances are, you’ll see employees or workers wearing something that screams the brand’s image. These usually come in the shape of simple polo shirts or tags, as they mostly just work as identifiers for your own workers. You don’t need anything more complicated, right? While finding good corporate apparel ideas may not seem important, corporate apparel does much more than just tell people about your brand.

Have you ever picked up a shirt with a nice design on the front, only for it to wear off or tear after a few months of wear? It’s an experience nobody appreciates–especially your future clients. When you’re building an apparel brand, you want your name to be associated with top-quality designs and materials. So how can you tell the good and the bad apart when purchasing fabrics from your manufacturer? Not to worry–there are a few key indicators in how to recognize great fabric quality, just from a single touch.

We’ve talked before about developing and maintaining a brand, but the real challenge comes from building it in the first place. There were over 32,765 apparel brands in the US alone last year, and Singapore has seen a massive surge of competitive apparel names from all over. While it’s now easier to get your foot through the door, it takes a lot more than a few good designs to stand out now. Today, we’ll be talking about the three essential things you need to successfully start a clothing brand in 2024. 

Nothing sells better than an image. Once you have the basis of making a professional brand perception, you want people to see you as a genuine, valued asset. While very few brands can be luxury names like Louis Vuitton, every entrepreneur has what it takes to be premium; still affordable, but definitely high-shelf and high-quality. Even if you don’t have a lot of resources, there are still plenty of affordable ways to turn your custom merch into a premium brand.