Assorted colourful folded t-shirts stacked on a wooden panel

Custom T-Shirts in Toronto & the GTA: Your Complete Ordering Guide

If you're a business, organization, or event organizer in Toronto or the Greater Toronto Area looking to order custom t-shirts, you have more options than ever, and more decisions to make. Which decoration method? Which blank? How many? How fast?

This guide walks you through the entire process from a team based right here in the GTA, shipping branded apparel across Canada every day.

Assorted colourful folded t-shirts stacked together — the starting point for any custom order
The right blank makes the difference — choosing your garment is the first step in any custom t-shirt order.

Why Custom T-Shirts Still Work

Custom printed t-shirts remain one of the most effective branded merchandise items for a simple reason: people actually wear them. Unlike pens or notepads, a quality branded tee gets worn repeatedly at the gym, running errands, at events, putting your logo in front of new audiences with every wear.

According to the Advertising Specialty Institute, a single promotional item generates an average of 3,400 impressions over its lifetime. At typical custom t-shirt pricing, that works out to a fraction of a cent per impression, far cheaper than digital ads.

Step 1: Choose Your Decoration Method

The way your logo gets onto the shirt affects cost, quality, and what's possible with your design.

Screen Printing

The most popular method for bulk orders. Ink is pushed through mesh screens directly onto the fabric, producing bold, durable, vibrant prints. Best for orders of 12+ pieces with designs using 1–6 colours.

Direct-to-Garment (DTG)

Works like an inkjet printer for fabric. Ideal for small runs, photo-quality artwork, or designs with many colours and gradients. Works best on 100% cotton with no setup fees, but higher per-unit cost at volume.

Direct-to-Film (DTF) / Heat Transfer

A pre-printed design applied using heat and pressure. Works on virtually any fabric and colour, great for poly-blends, performance fabrics, or mixed-fabric orders.

Worker in a custom apparel print shop preparing a production run
Custom t-shirt production at scale — screen printing delivers consistent, vibrant results across large orders.

Step 2: Pick the Right Blank T-Shirt

The blank is the garment your decoration goes on, and it matters more than most people realize. A great print on a cheap blank still looks cheap.

Popular options by use case:

  • Gildan 5000 Heavy Cotton — The workhorse. Affordable, durable, available in 50+ colours. Great for events, giveaways, and staff uniforms where cost matters most.
  • BELLA + CANVAS 3001 — Retail-fit, incredibly soft, airlume combed cotton. The preferred blank for brands that want the tee itself to feel premium.
  • Comfort Colors 1717 — Garment-dyed for a worn-in, vintage look. Loved by breweries, creative studios, and lifestyle brands.
  • Next Level 3600 — Lightweight, fitted silhouette. Works well for women's sizing and lifestyle applications.
  • Gildan 8000 DryBlend — 50/50 poly-cotton blend. Moisture-wicking and affordable. Great for construction, trades, and outdoor teams.
Blue crew-neck t-shirts folded and ready for custom printing
Premium blank tees ready for decoration — the garment quality sets the foundation for the finished product.

Step 3: Understand Pricing and Minimums

Custom t-shirt pricing depends on five key variables: the blank you choose, number of print locations, colours in your design, quantity ordered, and decoration method.

  • Screen printing setup: A screen fee per colour (typically $15–$25/screen). One-time per order.
  • Per-unit pricing: Decreases significantly with quantity. 50 shirts costs far less per unit than 12.
  • Front + back printing: Each print location priced separately. Front-only orders are most economical.
  • DTG pricing: No setup fees, but higher per-unit cost. Usually most cost-effective under 24 pieces.

The best way to get accurate pricing: submit a quote request with your design, quantity, and garment preference.

Step 4: Prepare Your Artwork

The quality of your print starts with the quality of your artwork file.

  • Best formats: Vector files (AI, EPS, PDF with outlined text) scale to any size without losing quality.
  • Acceptable formats: PNG or JPEG files at 300 DPI or higher at the intended print size.
  • Avoid: Low-resolution logos pulled from a website — these rarely reproduce well.
  • Colours: Specify Pantone (PMS) colours if exact brand matching matters.

Don't have print-ready artwork? Our in-house design team can prepare or redraw your logo for a small fee.

Step 5: Review Your Proof and Approve

Before we produce a single shirt, we'll send a digital proof showing your design on the garment, placement, size, colours. You review, request any changes, then give a final sign-off. Production starts only after your explicit approval.

Custom printed t-shirts hanging on a rack ready for quality review
Every order goes through a proof and quality check before it ships — no surprises, no wasted product.

What to Expect: Turnaround Times in the GTA

Standard production runs 7–10 business days after artwork approval, with delivery across the GTA, Niagara, and the rest of Canada. Rush production is available for time-sensitive orders.

  • Start at least 2–3 weeks before your deadline
  • Have print-ready artwork ready when submitting your quote
  • Respond to proofs quickly — delays push the timeline
  • Plan ahead for seasonal rushes: spring (April–June) and fall (September–October)

Who Orders Custom T-Shirts in Toronto?

  • Corporate teams — Onboarding kits, team events, client gifts, trade show staff wear
  • Construction & trades — Durable branded workwear that looks professional on job sites
  • Restaurants & hospitality — Front-of-house uniforms and branded staff wear
  • Schools & nonprofits — Spirit wear, fundraising merchandise, volunteer uniforms
  • Sports teams & clubs — Practice wear, fan merch, and tournament gear
  • Startups & tech companies — Company swag, team culture wear, investor-ready merch kits

Why Order from Only Custom Apparel?

Based in Oakville, serving the GTA, Niagara, and clients across Canada:

  • Fast, reliable turnaround — 7–10 business days with rush options
  • Expert design support — We review artwork, flag issues, and fix problems before production
  • Flexible minimums — Whether you need 12 shirts or 1,200
  • Top brand blanks — Gildan, BELLA + CANVAS, Comfort Colors, Next Level, American Apparel, and more
  • Proof before production — Every order gets a digital proof. No surprises.

Ready to Order Custom T-Shirts in Toronto or the GTA?

Tell us about your project design, quantity, garment preference, and timeline, and we'll have a detailed quote back to you within one business day.

Request your free quote →

Have questions first? Reach out to our team , we're happy to help before you commit to anything.

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