Building an unforgettable custom-printed merchandise order requires a lot of attention to detail in multiple areas. That includes the print quality, your handling of order fulfillment, and the quality of the products you’re printing on. When it comes to product quality, you can usually step things up a notch by offering your customers higher-end blank goods than the standard ones they’re used to.

You can recommend premium products to virtually all customer categories, including one that shops don’t always consider– the childrenswear market. Whether it’s for businesses like a daycare or bigger orders like school events, sometimes these customers aren’t even aware that there are upgrades they can take advantage of, so you benefit by presenting them with these options.

It’s a win-win: you sell your top-notch services and a product that will last your customer longer and, ideally, stay out of the landfill. 

A change in demand

Over the past decade, the demand for better-made apparel has ramped up. Durability, quality, and even ethical practices are qualifiers for some customers. In recent years, some apparel manufacturers have launched lines of shirts designed to last longer, and some made entirely of recycled materials, like the BELLA + CANVAS EcoMax Tee.

Now, we’re not suggesting that you can guarantee your customers a printed shirt or hoodie that’ll last forever. But it’s worth tapping into a trend where customers want more than a boxy T-shirt or a cheap hoodie that gets them through one season. 

Start by considering some of these factors when you’re choosing blanks suppliers:

Fabric construction: We’ve come a long way since the scratchy 100% cotton shirts of yesteryear. Many big names offer softer blends in a variety of silhouettes for men and women.

Everyone from Hanes and Gildan to Next Level and Los Angeles Apparel (plus plenty of smaller brands) offers varieties of poly and tri-blend shirts with retail-inspired looks and enhanced comfort.

Alternative fabrics: If you’re interested in leaning heavier into non-traditional blends, there are now shirts made of everything from recycled bottles to hemp.

Manufacturing transparency: Thanks to social media and calls for more ethical practices in apparel manufacturing, you can typically find out where a manufacturer produces their blanks. Many companies now have a section on their website with full details about their manufacturing facilities so you can get a better sense of how they operate.

Opening new doors

So, of all the categories of customers to offer high-end goods to, why childrenswear and school markets? These customers are often accustomed to budget shirts and swag, and they may not even realize there’s a higher-end option. That’s where you can step in and show them possibilities.

At PrintHustlers Conference, Cassie Stanczyk from Bella + Canvas talked quite a bit about these niches. It’s an overlooked area, rife with opportunities for print shops; she pointed out in her presentation. 

Watch this video to learn more:

Customers to target 

You can offer high-end apparel and promo goods to customers like: 

Schools: Especially elementary schools and middle schools, these customers are typically offered the budget option when it comes to spiritwear, team apparel, and swag for school clubs.

Higher-end products help incentivize parents and other buyers because they’ll be interested in something they know will last longer. Plus, a nicer product will also be something students are more excited to wear or display, ultimately helping to strengthen school spirit. 

If you’re worried that slightly pricier options won’t sell to school customers, check out this story about a Houston-area shop that’s succeeded with the experiment. 

Plus, if the school you’re working with has a successful sales campaign because you upsold them on nicer products, there’s a solid chance they’ll tap your shop for next year’s job.

Preschools: Parents will also be more inclined to purchase branded goods from an online school store if the products are nicer and they’ll enjoy outfitting their kids in. 

Since some preschools are private businesses, promoting high-end apparel and swag to these companies also serves as the perfect advertising vehicle. People see that logo on shirts, hats, tote bags, water bottles, etc., all over town, and the name gets more recognition. If they get more signups thanks to your high-quality products, that’s another repeat customer you can add to your roster.

Afterschool programs: Afterschool programs are an excellent opportunity for establishing repeat business since your customers will need fresh merchandise every school year. And you’ll get the chance to offer a fresh design every year if they want to switch up the theme.

Here’s an idea of what those online stores can look like:


PRO TIP: If your customer has a larger order, you can also use InkSoft stores to build an online order form and save them some paperwork. Find out how to do that here.

Combine it for a bigger impact 

For an even more significant impact, you can offer high-end options to customers and combine them with other revenue-boosting tools like:

  • Merch Bundles: For example, combine a higher-end hoodie with a retail-inspired T-shirt. Adding smaller products like water bottles, drawstring bags, stickers, keychains, and other promo goods can also add value to the bundle without costing your shop much out of pocket.
  • Swag for parents: Most parents like to show their support for the school or programs their kids are part of. Offering printed goods that also come in adult sizes gives you a whole other line of high-end apparel.
  • Online stores: If your customer needs to sell those printed goods to parents, one of the easiest ways to do that is with an online store.

    Use InkSoft’s online stores to set up a simple online store for your customers to showcase their high-end apparel. That could be a seasonal spiritwear store solution, a fundraiser store, or an ongoing storefront for year-round businesses like daycare facilities.

    These mobile-optimized, secure storefronts allow your customers to sell merchandise 24/7 and keep orders organized so your shop knows exactly what to print. 

The timing of it all

Offering high-end apparel to school and childrenswear customers isn’t just about promoting during the school year. There are other seasonal opportunities that are perfect for these products, like: 

  • Summer camps
  • Retreats
  • Sponsored events hosted by preschools
  • School fundraisers 

Providing your customers with long-lasting, higher-quality products isn’t just an intelligent way to keep your shop on their radar. It’s also a practical way for you to boost your bottom line. Premium goods mean you can charge a premium price, and your customer can charge more for their products to their end customers.

If you can combine that service with a powerful e-commerce option like a spiritwear store solution or a company store, you’ll have customers that keep coming back year after year.