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GSM is grams per square metre — the fabric's weight. It's the single specification that determines how a t-shirt is judged the moment someone picks it up, and the one most bulk buyers don't ask about.
| GSM | Feel | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 100–140 | Thin, light, semi-transparent in light colours | High-volume event giveaways, sports jerseys |
| 140–160 | Standard, everyday | Staff wear, uniforms, large distributions |
| 160–180 | Solid, holds shape | The workable minimum for corporate gifting |
| 180–200 | Substantial, opaque, premium feel | Onboarding kits, team apparel, brand merchandise |
| 200–240 | Heavy, structured | Polos, premium corporate wear |
| 240–300 | Thick, oversized street-style | Oversized fits, hoodies, fashion-led merchandise |
The practical line for corporate gifting is 180 GSM. Below it, a tee reads as promotional. At or above it, it reads as apparel — which is the difference between something worn on a Sunday and something worn to paint a wall.
If your budget only stretches to 140 GSM for the full team, order fewer at 180 rather than more at 140. One good tee outperforms two thin ones on every measure.
The most common complaint after a bulk t-shirt order, and it happens after the first wash — long after anyone can do anything about it.
Untreated cotton shrinks, typically 5–10% in length, sometimes more in hot water. An L that fits perfectly on day one can become a snug M by month two. Multiply that across 200 employees and you have a genuine problem.
What prevents it:
Always specify "pre-shrunk" and "bio-washed" in writing on a bulk order. Both terms get used loosely, so it's worth having them on the quote rather than in a conversation.
Also worth telling recipients: wash cold, inside out, and skip the tumble dryer. That advice on a care label costs nothing and materially extends how long the tee stays wearable.
| Fabric | What it is | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 100% cotton | Breathable, soft, comfortable in heat | The default for Indian conditions |
| Bio-wash cotton | Enzyme-treated for softness, less pilling | Premium team apparel |
| Combed cotton | Finer yarn, smoother surface | Better print results, premium feel |
| Poly-cotton (60/40) | Cotton-polyester blend | Durability, uniforms, less shrinkage |
| CVC | Higher cotton content blend | Softness with added stability |
| Dry-fit polyester | Moisture-wicking | Sports events, outdoor teams, marathons |
| Cotton pique | Textured knit | Polo t-shirts specifically |
| Organic cotton | Grown without synthetic pesticides | ESG-conscious companies |
For most Indian offices, 100% bio-washed cotton at 180–200 GSM is the right default. Blends make sense for uniforms that get washed daily; dry-fit makes sense only for genuinely active use.
→ Sustainable eco friendly gifts
| Style | Best for |
|---|---|
| Crew neck | The universal default. Works for everyone |
| Polo / collared | Staff uniforms, client-facing teams, a more formal register |
| V-neck | Alternative fit; often offered alongside crew for choice |
| Oversized | Younger teams, brand merchandise, culture-led companies |
| Round neck full sleeve | Cooler cities, layering |
| Sports jersey | Marathons, tournaments, sports days |
Offer a women's fit where you can. A unisex cut works for most people and for nobody perfectly. Where budget allows, offering both noticeably increases how often the tee actually gets worn — which is the entire point of gifting it.
The durability question nobody quantifies, and the reason branded tees end up looking shabby.
| Method | How it works | Durability | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen printing | Ink pushed through a mesh stencil | Very good | Bulk orders, simple logos, 1–6 colours |
| High-density print | Raised, thick screen print | Very good | Bold logos, premium look |
| Puff print | Ink expands with heat for a raised effect | Good | Fashion-led merchandise |
| DTG | Digital printing directly onto fabric | Moderate | Detailed artwork, small runs, photos |
| DTF | Printed film heat-transferred onto fabric | Moderate to good | Complex multi-colour designs, small runs |
| Sublimation | Dye bonds into polyester fibres | Excellent — cannot crack or peel | All-over designs, but polyester only |
| Embroidery | Stitched thread | Excellent — outlasts the garment | Logos on polos, premium corporate wear |
Two rules that decide this:
For anything worn regularly, choose screen printing or embroidery. DTG and DTF are excellent for detail and small runs, but they sit on the fabric surface and can crack or fade sooner with repeated washing.
Embroidery on polos is the corporate standard for a reason. It outlasts the garment, reads as premium, and never needs to be explained.
On sublimation: it's the most durable print available, but it only works on polyester. If someone quotes sublimation on a cotton tee, ask exactly what they mean.
A small decision that affects whether the tee actually gets worn, and one no supplier raises.
Light grey shows sweat patches badly. It's a popular corporate colour and the worst possible choice for Indian summers. Navy, charcoal, black and darker colours don't show it.
White goes yellow. Underarm areas discolour over time and don't come clean. White works for an event where it's worn once; for a tee you want in rotation for a year, it doesn't.
Dark colours absorb heat. Black looks smart and is genuinely uncomfortable outdoors in most of India from March to June. For outdoor teams and summer events, mid-tones work better.
The safest picks for year-round Indian office wear: navy, charcoal, bottle green, maroon and mid-blue. They hide marks, don't show sweat, and take a printed logo cleanly.
One more: darker fabrics need an underbase layer for light-coloured prints, which adds slightly to screen printing cost. Worth factoring into the quote rather than discovering it later.
The single biggest determinant of whether a branded tee gets worn outside the office.
Keep it modest. A small left-chest logo gets worn in public. A large front print turns the garment into a uniform, and uniforms stay in cupboards.
| Placement | Effect |
|---|---|
| Left chest, small | Most wearable. The corporate standard |
| Full front, large | Event and team-day wear; rarely worn otherwise |
| Back, across shoulders | Event staff, volunteers, visibility |
| Sleeve | Subtle, works alongside a chest logo |
| Nape / inner neck label | Almost invisible — for genuinely wearable merchandise |
If your aim is brand visibility, the small chest logo wins. A tee worn fifty times with a small logo beats one worn twice with a big one.
| Per-piece budget | What it buys | Usually for |
|---|---|---|
| Under ₹150 | 100–140 GSM polyester, single-colour print | High-volume events, giveaways |
| ₹150 – ₹300 | 140–160 GSM cotton or blend, screen printed | Staff wear, large distributions |
| ₹300 – ₹500 | 180 GSM bio-washed cotton, quality print | The corporate gifting standard |
| ₹500 – ₹900 | 200+ GSM, polos with embroidery, premium finishes | Onboarding kits, client-facing teams |
| Above ₹900 | 240 GSM oversized, premium blends, multi-branding | Brand merchandise, leadership |
Pricing moves with fabric and GSM first, then quantity, then branding complexity. Higher volumes reduce per-piece cost significantly, particularly with screen printing.
→ Browse under ₹499 · Under ₹999 · Premium ₹1,000+
Collect them properly. This is where most apparel orders go wrong.
Send a size chart with actual measurements, not just S/M/L. Indian sizing varies enormously between manufacturers, and chest and length in centimetres removes all guesswork.
Order a spread, not an average. A workable distribution for a mixed Indian office is roughly S 10%, M 25%, L 30%, XL 20%, XXL 10%, XXXL 5% — adjusted to your actual team.
Add 5–10% spares in mid sizes for new joiners and exchanges.
If you can't collect sizes in time, choose a non-apparel gift instead. A tee that doesn't fit isn't a gift.
→ Swag gifts · Outerwear
Onboarding kits. A well-made tee in the joining kit is one of the most photographed items a new hire receives.
Team events and offsites. Where a full-front print is entirely appropriate — everyone's wearing it on the same day.
Conferences and exhibitions. Staff identification plus brand visibility across a venue.
Marathons and sports days. Dry-fit, sublimation printed, in a mid-tone colour.
Brand merchandise. Oversized fits and subtle branding, for companies whose employees would genuinely wear it.
Festive and Holi gifting. Holi in particular — people expect to get them stained, which makes a tee the ideal gift for that week.
→ Corporate Holi gifts · Corporate gift hampers
Ask for a sample before a large order. Fabric weight and hand-feel do not translate to a screen, and a physical sample also lets you check the print quality and the actual fit against the size chart.
We work with companies across Gurgaon, Delhi, Noida, Mumbai, Bangalore and Pune, with dispatch across India.
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What GSM should a corporate t-shirt be?
180 GSM is the practical minimum for anything you want people to actually wear. Below that a tee reads as promotional; at 180–200 it reads as apparel. For events and high-volume giveaways, 140–160 is acceptable.
Will the t-shirts shrink after washing?
Untreated cotton shrinks 5–10%. Specify pre-shrunk and bio-washed fabric in writing on your quote, or choose a poly-cotton blend where the polyester content prevents most of it.
Which printing method lasts longest?
Embroidery outlasts the garment. Screen printing is very durable and cost-effective at volume. DTG and DTF are better for detail and small runs but sit on the surface and can fade sooner with repeated washing.
What colours work best for Indian conditions?
Navy, charcoal, bottle green, maroon and mid-blue. Avoid light grey, which shows sweat badly, and white, which yellows at the underarms over time.
How big should the logo be?
Small, on the left chest, if you want the tee worn outside the office. A large front print makes it a uniform, and uniforms don't get worn on weekends — which costs you the brand visibility you were paying for.
What is the minimum order quantity?
It varies by fabric and print method. Screen printing has a higher minimum than DTF or embroidery. Share your quantity and we'll confirm what's workable.
How do we handle sizes?
Send a size chart with chest and length measurements, not just letters. Order a spread rather than an average, and add 5–10% spares in mid sizes for new joiners and exchanges.
Can we get a sample before a bulk order?
Yes, and for apparel it's genuinely worth it. Fabric weight, softness and actual fit don't translate to a screen.
Can you do women's fits as well as unisex?
Yes. Offering both noticeably increases how often the tee gets worn, which is the point of gifting it in the first place.
Tell us the quantity, your size split, and your budget per piece. We'll come back with fabric and GSM options, a mockup, and a sample if the order justifies it.
