When it comes to custom t-shirt printing, the foundation of your design starts with selecting the right blank garment. AS Colour has established itself as the premium choice for custom printing across Australia and New Zealand, offering an extensive range of high-quality t-shirts that provide the perfect canvas for your creative vision. At The Tee, we've worked with virtually every AS Colour style available, and we understand that choosing the right tee can make the difference between a good custom print and an exceptional one.
This comprehensive buyer's guide explores the most popular and versatile AS Colour t-shirts for custom printing, helping you make informed decisions whether you're creating promotional merchandise, uniforms, event apparel, or personal designs. From the iconic Staple Tee to the premium Classic styles, each AS Colour garment offers unique characteristics that suit different printing needs, budgets, and aesthetic preferences.
Why AS Colour Dominates the Custom Printing Market
Before diving into specific styles, it's important to understand why AS Colour has become the go-to choice for custom printing professionals across Australia. The brand's commitment to quality, consistency, and ethical manufacturing has created a reputation that both printers and customers trust.
Superior Fabric Quality: AS Colour uses premium cotton and cotton blends that provide excellent printability, durability, and comfort. Their fabrics are pre-shrunk and colour-fast, ensuring your custom prints maintain their appearance and fit through countless washes.
Consistent Sizing: One of the biggest challenges in custom printing is size consistency across orders. AS Colour's strict quality control means a Medium today fits the same as a Medium ordered six months from now, crucial for uniform programmes and repeat orders.
Extensive Colour Range: With dozens of colours available across their range, AS Colour provides options that complement virtually any design or brand colour palette. From classic whites and blacks to trending seasonal shades, there's always a perfect match.
Print-Friendly Construction: AS Colour designs their garments with printing in mind, using construction techniques and fabric treatments that ensure optimal print adhesion and longevity across various printing methods including screen printing, DTG, and heat transfer.
At The Tee, we've built our reputation on AS Colour's consistent quality, knowing that every garment provides the reliable foundation our customers expect for their custom printing projects.
The Staple Tee (5001): The Ultimate All-Rounder
The AS Colour Staple Tee is arguably Australia's most popular choice for custom printing, and for good reason. This mid-weight tee strikes the perfect balance between quality, comfort, and value, making it suitable for virtually any custom printing application.
Fabric Composition: 100% combed cotton (180gsm) in most colours, with some colours featuring cotton/polyester blends. The combed cotton provides superior softness and print surface compared to regular cotton, whilst maintaining excellent durability.
Fit Profile: Regular fit that flatters most body types without being too tight or too loose. The Staple Tee offers a contemporary silhouette that works equally well for men and women, making it perfect for unisex applications like staff uniforms or promotional merchandise.
Print Performance: The smooth, consistent fabric surface provides excellent results with all printing methods. Screen printing achieves vibrant colours and sharp detail, whilst DTG printing produces photo-quality results with exceptional colour accuracy. The fabric weight provides good opacity, preventing show-through on lighter colours.
Ideal Applications: Staff uniforms, promotional giveaways, event merchandise, casual corporate wear, and general custom printing projects where reliability and value are priorities. The Staple Tee's versatility makes it suitable for businesses ranging from cafes and retail stores to tech companies and creative agencies.
Colour Options: Available in over 30 colours, from essential basics like White, Black, and Navy through to contemporary options like Sage, Dusty Pink, and Stone. This extensive colour range ensures perfect brand matching for most applications.
The Classic Tee (5050): Premium Comfort and Quality
For those seeking a step up in luxury and comfort, the AS Colour Classic Tee represents the premium end of their t-shirt range. This heavyweight option provides superior durability and a more substantial feel that justifies its position as a premium choice.
Fabric Composition: 100% combed cotton (200gsm), providing a heavier, more substantial feel than the Staple Tee. The increased fabric weight offers better drape, improved durability, and enhanced opacity for lighter colours.
Premium Construction: Double-needle hemmed sleeves and bottom hem, reinforced shoulder seams, and pre-shrunk fabric treatment ensure the Classic Tee maintains its shape and appearance through extended wear and washing. Side-seamed construction eliminates the centre crease common in tube-constructed tees.
Print Excellence: The heavier fabric weight and premium construction create an ideal printing surface that enhances both the appearance and longevity of custom prints. The substantial feel of the garment elevates the perceived value of custom printed items.
Target Applications: Premium promotional merchandise, executive uniforms, retail apparel, and applications where garment quality significantly impacts brand perception. The Classic Tee works particularly well for brands positioning themselves as premium or luxury.
Fit and Feel: Relaxed fit that prioritises comfort without appearing oversized. The Classic Tee's premium feel and construction make it a favourite among customers who appreciate quality craftsmanship and superior materials.
The Maple Tee (5025): Vintage-Inspired Style
The AS Colour Maple Tee brings a vintage-inspired aesthetic to modern custom printing applications. With its slightly boxy fit and premium feel, the Maple Tee appeals to customers seeking a contemporary twist on classic t-shirt styling.
Unique Characteristics: 100% combed cotton (180gsm) with a distinctive vintage-inspired fit that's slightly boxy through the body. This styling creates a modern, relaxed aesthetic that's particularly popular with younger demographics and creative industries.
Printing Considerations: The vintage styling and quality construction provide an excellent canvas for retro-inspired designs, band merchandise, artistic prints, and contemporary graphics that benefit from the relaxed, authentic feel of the garment.
Colour Palette: Available in carefully curated colours that complement the vintage aesthetic, including classic options and muted tones that work particularly well with vintage-inspired designs and artistic applications.
Best Use Cases: Creative agencies, music venues, artistic events, lifestyle brands, and applications where the garment's style contributes significantly to the overall design concept. The Maple Tee works particularly well for limited edition runs and special collections.
Women's Specific Options: Wafer and Shallow Tees
AS Colour recognises that women often prefer tees designed specifically for feminine fit and styling. The Wafer Tee and Shallow Tee provide excellent options for custom printing applications targeting female customers or mixed-gender teams requiring fitted options.
Maple Tee (4001): Featuring a classic women's fit with side seams and a slightly tapered waist, the Maple Tee provides a flattering silhouette whilst maintaining the quality and printability AS Colour is known for. Available in 180gsm combed cotton, it offers the same excellent printing surface as the Staple Tee in a feminine cut.
Mali Tee ( 4008): A relaxed women's fit that offers comfort without being oversized, the Mali Tee works well for applications where a contemporary, casual aesthetic is desired. The relaxed fit accommodates various body types whilst maintaining a feminine silhouette.
Specialty Options: Tank Tops and Long Sleeves
Beyond traditional t-shirts, AS Colour's range includes tanks, long sleeves, and other styles that expand custom printing possibilities for diverse applications and seasonal requirements.
Tank Tops: The Barnard Tank and other sleeveless options provide excellent alternatives for summer merchandise, fitness applications, and layering pieces. The increased print area on tanks allows for larger, more impactful designs.
Long Sleeve Options: AS Colour's long sleeve tees maintain the same quality construction and printability as their short sleeve counterparts, providing seasonal flexibility and additional print real estate for complex designs or multiple brand messages.
Choosing the Right Style for Your Project
Selecting the optimal AS Colour tee for your custom printing project requires considering several factors: budget, intended use, target demographic, printing method, and brand positioning. Each style offers distinct advantages that align with different project requirements.
Budget Considerations: While AS Colour represents premium quality, different styles within the range offer varying price points. The Staple Tee provides excellent value for budget-conscious projects without compromising quality, whilst the Classic Tee justifies its premium price with superior construction and feel.
End Use Analysis: Consider how and where the finished garments will be worn. Office environments might favour the professional appearance of the Classic Tee, whilst outdoor events could benefit from the lightweight comfort of the Basic Tee.
Brand Alignment: Your choice of blank should reinforce your brand message. Premium brands benefit from the substantial feel of the Classic Tee, whilst creative or casual brands might prefer the vintage appeal of the Maple Tee.
Printing Method Compatibility: While all AS Colour tees work well with various printing methods, some styles might be optimally suited to specific techniques based on fabric weight, construction, and intended use.
Working with The Tee for Your AS Colour Projects
At The Tee, our extensive experience with AS Colour's complete range allows us to provide expert guidance on style selection, design optimisation, and production planning. We understand the nuances of each style and can recommend the perfect option for your specific requirements.
Our team stays current with AS Colour's latest releases, seasonal colours, and product updates, ensuring you have access to the full range of options for your custom printing projects. We also maintain comprehensive inventory levels to support both small custom orders and large-scale production runs.
Expert Consultation: Our design and production teams can provide detailed advice on style selection based on your specific requirements, budget parameters, and intended applications. We consider factors like print method, colour combinations, and end use to recommend optimal style choices.
Quality Assurance: Every AS Colour garment we use meets our strict quality standards, and we inspect incoming inventory to ensure consistency and quality. Our long-standing relationship with AS Colour ensures access to premium products and priority support for time-sensitive projects.
Design Optimisation: We work with you to optimise designs for your chosen AS Colour style, considering factors like print placement, size limitations, and colour interactions to ensure exceptional results that exceed expectations.
Whether you're creating your first custom printed tee or managing large-scale uniform programmes, The Tee's expertise with AS Colour's range ensures your project succeeds from concept through delivery. Contact us today to discuss your requirements and discover how the perfect AS Colour style can elevate your custom printing project to new heights of quality and impact.
