Bear Grips Pro ShopsThe Best Blank Apparel for an Artist or Illustrator Merch Line
- Tees, hoodies, crewnecks, and hats cover most artist merch audiences.
- Cotton and triblend tees fit different art styles and price points.
- Hoodies and crewnecks carry the highest per-piece margin.
- Hats work well for line art and single-color logos.
Not every blank fits every illustration. A dense, painterly piece prints differently on a heavyweight hoodie than a clean single-line logo does on a snapback. Bear Grips Pro Shops carries a catalog built around apparel basics rather than novelty items, which keeps the lineup simple for an illustrator deciding what to launch first. Here is how the core categories fit different art styles and budgets.
Tees: the volume product for any art style
- Airlume Cotton Tee ($19.88): the everyday tee, soft and breathable, holds fine linework sharp.
- Triblend Crew Tee ($23.88-$25.88): a softer hand and slightly slimmer drape, good for painterly or gradient-heavy art.
Most artists launch with one tee first since it is the lowest price point and the widest audience match.
Hoodies and crewnecks: the highest margin pieces
- Comfort Soft Hoodie ($36.88): the everyday pullover, works with bold center-chest or full-back art.
- Champion Performance Hoodie ($45.88): the premium tier for a flagship design.
- Perfect Soft Crewneck ($34.88) and Champion Crewneck ($41.88): the cleaner-drape alternative for art that reads better without a hood or drawstring in the way.
One hoodie sale often clears the margin of two or three tees, which makes it the single highest-impact product to price right.
Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.Hats: best for line art and single-color logos
Hats do not hold detailed illustration well, since the print or embroidery area is small. They work best for:
- A simplified mascot or character mark
- A single-line signature or wordmark
- A recurring logo the audience already recognizes
Snapback, rope, and 5-panel styles run $25.86 to $29.86 base, printed or embroidered.
Pricing table across the core lineup
| Product | VIP base | Typical retail | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton tee | $19.88 | $28-32 | Any style, volume piece |
| Triblend tee | $23.88 | $32-38 | Painterly, gradient art |
| Comfort Soft hoodie | $36.88 | $55-65 | Bold graphic or full-back art |
| Crewneck | $34.88 | $52-58 | Cleaner full-chest layouts |
| Snapback hat | $29.86 | $30-38 | Simplified logos |
Building a three-piece starter drop
A tee, a hoodie, and a hat give fans a complete pickup range without overwhelming a first launch. See art merch design ideas for how to adapt one illustration across all three, and the artist merch overview for the full launch sequence.
Build Your Artist Merch Lineup
Tees, hoodies, crewnecks, hats. Pick three to start, no minimum, ships in a week.
Start FreeFrequently Asked Questions
Can the same illustration go on every product?
Yes, though it usually needs resizing or simplifying for smaller items like hats. Full-detail pieces work best on tees and hoodies.
Do you carry prints, posters, or stickers?
No, the catalog is apparel-focused. Prints and posters stay a separate side of an artist's business.
Which product has the best margin for a new artist?
Hoodies carry the widest margin per piece, but tees are the easiest first purchase for a new fan.
What size ranges are available?
XS through 3XL on most tees and hoodies, with youth and women's cuts available on several styles.
