Piece-dyed fabric gives you a flat, uniform colour. Garment dye gives the seams, collar and body slightly different depths, a softer hand and colours that read as lived-in. That difference is exactly what separates a premium tee from a basic one at retail.
We manufacture garment dyed t-shirts by sewing the tee in PFD (prepared for dye) fabric and dyeing the finished garment in pigment or reactive dyes. Colours are lab-dipped to your reference, and small batches can be dyed per colourway. Mike Apparel is a custom garment dyed t-shirt manufacturer with a 50-piece minimum per design, a 2–3 weeks production window after sample approval and full private label on every run.
Fabric options for custom t-shirts
Fabric decides most of what a customer feels, so we quote every custom t-shirt against a specific cloth rather than a vague ‘premium cotton’. The options below are stocked or knitted to order in Sialkot; lab dips and hand-feel swatches ship before sampling. If you are unsure, sample the garment dyed t-shirt in 230 GSM PFD cotton jersey first; it is the construction we recommend for everyday garment dyed tee.
| Fabric | Specification | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 230 GSM PFD cotton jersey | 100% combed cotton | everyday garment dyed tee |
| 280 GSM PFD heavy jersey | 100% cotton | heavyweight garment dye |
| 240 GSM PFD slub jersey | 100% cotton | texture plus tonal dye |
| 260 GSM PFD interlock | 100% cotton | smooth garment dyed surface for print |
Garment Dyed T-Shirt fits we build
We build the pattern on one of the blocks below or from your own measurements, grade it across XS to 3XL for the US market, and confirm every size on the sample before cutting bulk. The most requested garment dyed t-shirt block is the oversized garment dyed tee.
- Oversized garment dyed tee
- Boxy garment dyed tee
- Regular fit
- Cropped women's
What is inside the seams
The stitch, rib, thread and hardware choices below are what separate a factory t-shirt from a promotional blank. All are standard on our runs. On a garment dyed t-shirt the detail buyers notice first is the cotton thread so seams dye with the body.
- Cotton thread so seams dye with the body
- Rib and body from the same PFD yarn lot to avoid colour mismatch
- Pattern cut oversized to absorb dye-process shrinkage
- Softening and tumble after dye
- Optional post-dye enzyme wash for a peached surface
Decoration options for t-shirts
Decoration happens under the same roof as cutting and sewing. For t-shirts we recommend the methods below; artwork is reviewed before sampling so placement and scale are right the first time. For garment dyed t-shirt decoration, print after dye for clean graphics leads, followed by print before dye with resist for tonal artwork.
- Print after dye for clean graphics
- Print before dye with resist for tonal artwork
- Embroidery post-dye
- Sun-fade and wash combinations
- Pigment dye vs reactive dye by colour target
For a method-by-method comparison on t-shirts, read screen printing vs DTG vs embroidery.
Your label on every t-shirt
Every t-shirt leaves the factory fully branded as your product: woven main label, woven or printed size and care labels, hem tags or hood labels, hang tags with your artwork, and packaging from plain poly bags to printed mailer boxes. Labels are produced in-house from your files. Details on our private label clothing page. A typical garment dyed t-shirt run carries a woven main label, printed care label and hang tag; pigment dyed tee programmes often add a woven hem loop.
Garment Dyed T-Shirt minimum order quantity
Every custom t-shirt run starts at 50 pieces per design and colourway, sizes mixed however you like. Order more and the per-piece cost comes down, because cutting, sampling and setup are spread over a bigger run — that’s true whether you’re ordering t-shirts on their own or alongside other products. A garment dyed t-shirt specified in 230 GSM PFD cotton jersey sits toward the simpler end of what we quote; 280 GSM PFD heavy jersey and heavier decoration push the cost up.
For an exact number, send us the fabric, decoration and quantity you have in mind and we’ll send back a full written quote, itemised by fabric, trims, decoration and labels, with DDP shipping quoted separately so you see the landed cost. See how much does it cost to manufacture a t-shirt in bulk? for what actually drives the cost. Garment Dyed T-Shirt reorders skip the sample fee entirely, since the block and fabric lot are already on file.
Lead time and production process
The production process for a custom t-shirt runs in five steps. Sampling takes 7–10 days; bulk takes 2–3 weeks after approval; DDP air freight to the USA takes another four to seven days. Garment Dyed T-Shirt samples ship with a swatch of 230 GSM PFD cotton jersey so you can compare weights before bulk.
- Brief and quote (24 hours)Send a tech pack, sketch or reference t-shirt with target quantity. We reply with fabric options, MOQ and a per-piece quote.
- Pre-production sample (7–10 days)One t-shirt in your fabric, fit, colour and branding. Revisions until approved. Read about the sampling process.
- Approval and depositSign off the sample and size set; 50% deposit reserves fabric and the production slot.
- Bulk production (2–3 weeks)Cutting, sewing, wash, decoration, labelling, QC and packing in-house, with photo updates.
- QC and DDP shipping (4–7 days by air)Inspection against the approved sample, then DDP delivery with duties paid. See our full timeline guide.
Quote a 50-piece garment dyed t-shirt run. No tech pack yet? A reference garment or photo is enough to start.
Get a quote for this productDelivery to the USA and beyond
Delivery to the USA is DDP as standard, so the price we quote for a t-shirt is the price you pay, landed. Four to seven days by air to Chicago, Las Vegas or anywhere else in the country; worldwide shipping is available on the same terms. More on streetwear manufacturing for USA brands and DDP shipping. For garment dyed t-shirt reorders over 300 pieces we quote sea freight alongside air so you can trade a few weeks for a lower landed cost.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum for a custom garment dye colour?
50 pieces per colour. Garment dye is done per batch, so small colourways are practical, unlike piece dye which needs full fabric lots.
Pigment dye or reactive dye?
Pigment dye sits on the surface, gives a chalky vintage look and fades over time. Reactive dye bonds with the fibre, is deeper and more colourfast. We recommend based on the look you want.
Will garment dyed tees bleed?
Reactive dyed garments are washed and fixed and will not bleed. Pigment dyed garments can crock slightly on the first wash; we add a fixing step and a care label.
How much shrinkage is there?
6–8% through the dye process. The pattern is scaled up so the finished tee measures to your spec.
Related to the garment dyed t-shirt: custom t-shirt manufacturer, custom long sleeve t-shirt manufacturing, custom drop shoulder t-shirt manufacturing, how much does it cost to manufacture a t-shirt in bulk?, t-shirt gsm guide.
Last updated September 6, 2026 · Mike Apparel, Sialkot. Lead times reflect current factory capacity; confirm on your quote.