Next Level Tees for Startup and Small Business Swag: A Buying Guide

A founder searching for Next Level tees is usually trying to solve one problem: make company swag look like something a person would actually wear in public, not a leftover giveaway shirt stuffed in a drawer. Next Level built its name on a softer, more fitted, more retail-feeling blank, which is exactly why it comes up so often once a small business starts taking its apparel seriously. This guide walks through the fabric and fit questions from a small business owner's seat, not a print shop's.

Why Small Businesses and Startups Search for Next Level Tees

A basic promotional tee reads as a giveaway. A Next Level tee, printed with your logo, reads closer to something a customer, employee, or job candidate would choose to wear again. That difference matters most at the moments a small business is trying to make an impression: a demo day, a hiring event, a first round of employee swag. The fabric is the same brand a growing company would eventually pay a designer to source, minus the sourcing headache.

Fabric and Fit Are Two Different Questions

Fabric	Feel	Best for
100% cotton	Familiar, solid-color friendly	Everyday office wear, printed handouts
CVC blend	Lighter drape, resists shrinking	Frequent-wear team shirts
Triblend	Softest, heathered only	Founder-facing events, demo days

Fit is a separate decision. The catalog's Next Level styles run a fitted unisex crew cut and a fitted women's cut. There is no dedicated boxy, oversized, or cropped Next Level style listed. Customers who want a roomier, boxier feel from the same fitted style should size up rather than expect a different silhouette.

Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.

What Bear Grips Pro Shops Actually Prints on Next Level

• Premium Cotton Crew Tee. 100% cotton, unisex fit, $23.88 VIP base.
• Premium CVC Jersey Tee. CVC blend, unisex fit, $24.88 VIP base.
• Men's Premium Triblend Crew Tee. Triblend, $23.88 VIP base.
• Women's Premium Cotton Tee and Women's Premium Triblend Tee. Fitted women's cuts, $23.88 and $24.88 VIP base.
• Ladies Racerback Tank and Women's Premium Triblend Racerback Tank. $19.88 and $25.88 VIP base.

Matching the Cut to the Event or Team

For daily office wear and printed handouts, the 100% cotton crew tee is the safe, versatile default. For a founder-facing moment like a demo day or investor meeting, the triblend crew tee's softer, more premium hand feel reads better up close. For a hiring event or job fair where the shirt needs to survive frequent handling and washing, the CVC style holds its shape and color the longest of the three.

Setting Up a Startup Swag Shop in a Few Minutes

1. Sign up for the Free plan (3 live products, $0/mo) to test one design, or Self-Service VIP ($59/mo, 200 products) once you know you will reorder.
2. Upload your logo as a transparent PNG.
3. List one or two Next Level styles based on the use case above.
4. Set a price, or $0 markup if the company is covering the cost as a perk.
5. Share the shop link in your onboarding doc or team chat.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Bear Grips carry a boxy or oversized Next Level tee?

Not as a separate style. The catalog's Next Level tees run a fitted unisex or fitted women's cut. For a boxier, roomier feel, order one size up from your usual fit.

What is the softest Next Level fabric for a founder-facing event?

Triblend, on the Men's Premium Triblend Crew Tee or Women's Premium Triblend Tee. It has the softest hand feel of the three fabrics, though it is heathered only, not available in flat solids.

Can a five-person startup order without hitting a minimum?

Yes. Every Next Level style in the catalog prints one piece at a time, so a five-person team orders exactly five shirts, no case minimum.

Do employees have to pay for their own swag?

No. The vendor sets the price. Many companies set it to $0 markup so employees pay only the base cost, or nothing at all if the company covers it directly.