Finding custom shirt shops that don't use HTV
Most shops do not list their printing methods, making it difficult to avoid an HTV feel. Shoppers have to do a lot of extra work sorting through a jungle of sites and prices just to figure out what they are getting.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Looking for 1-color images
- 2Checking shop details and reviews thoroughly
- 3Guessing based on the printing technique mentioned
- 4Running a preorder campaign first to gauge demand and size requirements before placing an order
- 5Using local screen printing for 1-3 solid color designs to get better per-piece value
- 6Using DTG or DTF printing for full-color or highly varied designs
- 7Requesting a sample on the exact blank apparel before committing to a full run
- 8Getting comprehensive quotes that explicitly include setup, ink, and shipping fees to compare options fairly
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
r/ecommerce1 person · October 2026
“I feel like its a jungle to sort through sites and prices, so im looking for any shared experiences dealing with this.”source ↗
Born_Advantage7515 · r/ecommerce · 3 upvotes
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 3Where to find low MOQ custom packaging for small runs
- 3Where to buy OEM printer toner without vendor partner status