Custom t-shirt market has been seen to expand rapidly with time. The t-shirt market analysis reports show that the global t-shirt market is expected to reach $45.52 billion in revenue in 2024, with the United States generating $10.78 billion of that revenue. Moreover, it is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.8% from 2024 to 2030.
This growth of t-shirt market is credited to companies using customized t-shirts to brand their products or offerings. This technique helps to increase their brand visibility and grab the attention of prospective customers. Therefore, the growing use of customized t-shirts as a branding tool is expected to be a major contributor to market growth over the forecast period.
Read this blog to learn more about the custom t-shirt market analysis. It offers the most relevant and up-to-date information regarding custom t-shirt industry statistics and market trends. Let’s get started!
Understanding the T-shirt Market
Understanding the t-shirt industry statistics is important for businesses and consumers alike. It helps to keep up with trends, anticipate market changes, and make informed decisions.
Read the below-mentioned points regarding t-shirt market size, growth trends, and emerging opportunities for a better understanding of t-shirt market.
Size and Scope
In 2020, the global custom t-shirt printing market was estimated to be worth $3.64 billion. This was the total revenue generated that year by t-shirt printing businesses. Since then, it has continued to expand and currently in 2024, it is $5.3 billion.
Looking at this global consumer behavior, the US t-shirt market growth can also be estimated. So according to research, the US t-shirt market is expected to grow annually by 3.68% from 2024 to 2028 as each person in the US spends about $15.6 on t-shirts per year. Additionally, the US women’s t-shirt market is also expected to grow by 6% every year.
This growth is mainly due to the increasing demand for casual wear and the popularity of online shopping, customization, and printing services. All of this has driven the United States to become the largest apparel market in the world, second only to China.
Growth Trends
The growth of the custom t-shirt market reflects the economic significance and growing demand for customized clothing. This is driven by branding, individual preferences, and fashion trends. Moreover, factors such as digital printing technologies, e-commerce platforms, and technological advancements also contribute to this market’s high valuation.
However, the demand for personalized clothing remains the biggest reason for t-shirt market growth.
Custom merchandise offers businesses a competitive advantage as it helps to increase brand awareness, customer loyalty, and positive referrals. On the other hand, it provides consumers with ways to showcase their individuality, preferences, and creativity through clothing choices.
This highlights the profitable nature of the custom t-shirt printing industry and the opportunities it presents for businesses and consumers alike.
Key Players
The custom t-shirt market analysis provides valuable insight regarding the key players in the market globally. According to that analysis, one of the key players in the market is ApparelnBags. They offer a range of custom clothing options and use key development strategies which ranks them at the top of market ranking report.
Market Segmentation
The global custom t-shirt printing market is divided into segments based on distribution channels, printing methods, designs, and geographic locations.
By Printing Method
Based on printing method, the custom t-shirt printing market is segmented into screen printing, digital printing, and plot printing.
According to the t-shirt printing industry analysis, screen printing holds the largest market share. It is expected to grow more during the upcoming years because people love its superior print quality.
The second largest market is digital printing. It is also gaining immense popularity among consumers and businesses alike. It involves computer processing of printing the artwork directly on the product’s surface, which helps to consume time and makes it affordable. These two printing methods are the major reasons why custom t-shirt printing market is growing so fast worldwide.
By Design
Based on design, the custom t-shirt printing market is segmented into artwork and graphic designs.
Graphic design holds the largest market share according to the custom t-shirt market analysis report. It is currently accounted for more than 58% of the global revenue, and is expected to grow at the CAGR of 4.5% during the forecasted period of 2024 – 2030.
The second largest share in t-shirt market based on design is of artwork. As artwork is a bit pricey and time-consuming, people usually prefer to buy pre-printed graphic design t-shirts, which results in its rapid growth in the t-shirts printing industry.
By Sales Channel
On the basis of distribution channel, t-shirt market industry is segmented into offline and online.
According to the t-shirt market analysis, offline sales channel segment holds a revenue share of over 52%. This channel is expected to rise during the forecast period due to the local brands offering printed and customized t-shirts. Moreover, features like quality control and instant gratification will maintain the segment’s growth in the global market.
On the contrary, online sales channel is also expected to grow rapidly. It saves time and provides advanced options, which is contributing towards the further growth of the segment.
Geographical Locations
On the basis of regional analysis, custom t-shirt market industry is classified into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America.
Asia Pacific dominates the global custom t-shirt printing industry with a revenue share of over 40%. This market growth is attributed to the significant technological advancements in the region in recent years. It’s easier for businesses to provide custom t-shirt printing services due to the increasing demand of customers for customized apparel, specifically t-shirts.
Types of Market Research Methods
Market research methods can be mainly categorized into two categories; primary research and secondary research.
Primary research methods includes surveys, interviews, observations, focus groups, experiments, and research. On the other hand, secondary research methods includes data coming from various sources like government reports, industry publications, and market research firms.
However, primary research is considered as the more reliable one as it gives you direct evidence of what you are researching.
Successful Market Research Strategies in the T-shirt Industry
Market research helps a t-shirt business understand its audience, offer products that meet their demands, and develop impactful branding strategies. Here are some examples of successful market research strategies in the t-shirt industry:
• Identify your target audience
• Know about their interests and demands
• Conduct customer surveys
• Study social media statistics
• Pay attention to questions on Quora
• Create personalized products
• Define your brand identity
• Use email marketing
• Offer print on demand services
The custom t-shirt printing market refers to the industry that offers custom-designed t-shirts. Their target audience includes individuals, businesses, and organizations. From independent small-scale t-shirt printing companies to large-scale online platforms, the market offers products and services for all.
To help you better understand about custom t-shirt market analysis, we have discussed about its growth trends, challenges and opportunities in detail below:
Impact of Technological Advancements on Custom T-shirt Industry
The advancement in printing technology across the globe presents a golden future for custom t-shirt printing market. Digital printing helps to save both time and money. Therefore, manufacturers and companies are focused towards using machineries and software that will ease and boost their production.
Another recent advancement in the printing industry is the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI). This advancement has proved to be really beneficial for businesses. It optimizes the process by making it more efficient and cost-effective while also improving the quality of the final product.
Growth Drivers and Market Trends
One of the most significant reasons behind the custom t-shirt market growth is rising spending by individuals on personalized apparel. Each person in the US spends about $15.6 on t-shirts per year.
Moreover, the growth of e-commerce businesses and rising online shopping trend has made it easier for people to order custom t-shirts from anywhere in the world. This has enabled custom t-shirt printing businesses to reach a wider audience, contributing in its growth across the globe.
Another factor boosting the custom t-shirt’s market’s growth is the rising demand from the sports industry. Global sports industry creates significant demand for customized t-shirts in the form of sports team apparel, as well as giveaways to attendees.
Overall, the rising interests of individuals in personalized apparel is the significant factor for the growth of custom t-shirt industry.
Challenges Faced by Custom T-shirt Businesses
T-shirt printing is done through various methods. This includes screen printing, direct-to-garment printing, and heat transfer printing. Each method has its own requirements regarding the types of designs and colors that can be printed on a t-shirt. For example, screen printing may not be suitable for printing complex designs with multiple colors.
Certain types of t-shirt’s materials or colors also impact the customization options available. Like printing on dark-colored t-shirts may require different inks and printing techniques compared to printing on light-colored t-shirts.
These are a few factors that are observed as challenges in the custom t-shirt printing market and impact its growth.
Growth Opportunities for the Custom T-shirt Market
People nowadays are more inclined towards buying sustainable apparel. Therefore, eco-friendly printing can bring many opportunities for the custom t-shirt printing market. It attracts customers who prioritize sustainability and eco-conscious fashion.
This is a great opportunity for businesses to offer custom t-shirts printed with eco-friendly methods. This will help in meeting the demand of customers while contributing in market’s growth.
Revenue
With the rise of online shopping and increasing demand for personalized t-shirts, the global t-shirt market’s future seems bright. Over the years, the global t-shirt market has evolved rapidly. It is expected to reach $51.72B in revenue by 2028, and grow annually by 3.24% (2024–2028 forecast period).
China is expected to generate the most revenue from the t-shirt market ($5.9B in 2024). It is a huge market for t-shirts, with a growing middle class and a young population that prioritize fashionable and comfortable clothing.
Additionally, the t-shirt segment’s revenue in the US is estimated at $5.3B in 2024, and is expected to grow annually by 3.68% (2024–2028 forecast period).
Market Share
Considering the t-shirt market analysis report, it is found that Asia Pacific is the fastest-growing region in the custom t-shirt printing market. This region is accounted for the largest global market share in 2022 and is expected to grow 7.79% from 2022 to 2026.
The custom t-shirt printing market in Asia Pacific is expanding due to technological advancements and the launch of new products by key industry players. Additionally, the advancement of dye-sublimation technology and the rise of digital printing has created new market niches and business potential in the region.
Also, the market in Asia Pacific is expected to grow because of the region’s vast population. This goes along with region’s increasing urbanization and spending power. Plus, online shopping and social media platforms is also contributing to the rise in demand for customized t-shirts.
Current Trends
The global custom t-shirt market has experienced growth due to the rise of digital printing technologies, the popularity of online shopping, and consumers’ desire for personalized apparel. It estimated at $4.5B in 2023 and is expected to reach $8.5B by 2032, with a CAGR of 7.09% (2024–2032 forecast period).
According to the t-shirt industry statistics, the market is expanding year after year. This is mainly due to the personalized clothing options as is has found to be a growing trend in the apparel industry. Customers want clothing that express their individuality and creativity through their clothing choices. This can include adding text, images, logos, colors, or patterns to a plain t-shirt, or modifying the shape, size, or style of the t-shirt itself.
Different Methods of T-shirt Printing
Screen printing, digital printing, and plot printing are the most popular methods for t-shirt printing. Below, we’ve gathered industry insights about these methods, their popularity, advantages, and the technological developments fueling future trends.
Screen Printing
Screen printing is the most traditional and cost-effective printing technique that has been around for ages. According to the t-shirt market analysis, this printing method holds about 56% of the custom t-shirt printing segment. Moreover, it is predicted that it will continue to lead the custom t-shirt printing market during the forecast period of 2023 to 2030.
The greatest advantage of screen printing is that it can be done on various fabrics. This includes synthetic fabrics like polyester, viscose, silk, and others. Plus, it offers high print quality, color vibrancy, and a soft finish, making it a popular choice for printing for both consumers and businesses.
Digital Printing
Digital printing is an advanced printing method that uses computer-controlled printers to print images directly onto fabric. This includes direct-to-garment printing technique.
Digital printing for custom t-shirts is expected to rise at a CAGR of 12% from 2023 to 2030. It saves a lot of time, hence is becoming a popular choice for t-shirt printing.
Digital printing has several advantages over screen printing. This includes quick turnaround time, lower production costs, and reduced environmental impact. It also reduces water consumption by 90% per meter of printed fabric compared to other production methods. All these advantages enables for faster, cheaper, and more eco-friendly t-shirt production.
Plot Printing
Plot printing is a general term that refers to various printing techniques. It involves creating high-quality, large-scale prints.
Unlike usual printing methods, which primarily use inkjet or laser printers, plot printing typically uses a plotter. It is a specialized printer that draws continuous lines directly onto paper using a pen or other marking instrument. Modern plotters are capable of producing detailed and precise graphics, making them suitable for applications that require accuracy and scale.
One great advantage of plot printing is that it generates high-resolution images with improved clarity and color depth. However, it is not the common method used for t-shirt printing because is costly, and is also more suitable for large scale prints like technical drawings and agricultural plans.
Factors Influencing the Choice of Printing Method for T-shirt Businesses
Choosing the right printing method for a t-shirt business depends on several factors. This includes:
• Cost of the equipment and materials
• Ability of a specific printing method to print on the desired fabric and color
• Design complexity
• Turnaround time
• Environmental impact
