- ShirtSpace wins for small orders with no minimums and solid per-unit pricing under 72 pieces, but loses ground on larger bulk orders.
- S&S Activewear is the pro's choice for serious volume, brand variety, and fast shipping, but their minimum order requirements shut out hobbyists and small sellers.
- Jiffy Shirts is the speed king with free shipping on every order and fast turnaround, but their pricing runs higher and their brand selection is narrower.
Why This Comparison Matters
If you buy blank apparel for printing, decorating, or reselling, you've probably heard all three of these names. ShirtSpace, S&S Activewear, and Jiffy Shirts are the big three online blank apparel distributors that most people consider when they're getting started (or switching suppliers). They all sell the same brands. They all ship across the U.S. And they all claim to have the best prices.
But they're built for different buyers. Picking the wrong one means overpaying on every order, dealing with unnecessary hassles, or getting stuck with minimum order requirements you can't meet. This comparison breaks down exactly where each one excels and where each one falls short.
The Contenders at a Glance
ShirtSpace
- Founded: 2003
- Minimum order: None (buy one shirt if you want)
- Free shipping: Orders $79+
- Brands carried: 100+
- Best for: Small to mid-size orders (1 to 100 pieces)
S&S Activewear
- Founded: 1988
- Minimum order: Varies by account type (typically case-pack or dollar minimums)
- Free shipping: Orders $200+ (standard ground)
- Brands carried: 100+
- Best for: Large volume buyers, established print shops, and businesses
Jiffy Shirts
- Founded: 2004
- Minimum order: None
- Free shipping: Every order (no minimum)
- Brands carried: 50+
- Best for: Quick one-off orders and buyers who hate paying for shipping
Pricing: Who's Actually Cheapest?
This is what everyone wants to know, and the answer is: it depends on how many shirts you're buying. Let's look at real pricing for the most popular blank in the business, the Bella+Canvas 3001 Unisex Jersey Tee in white.
Buying 6 shirts:
- ShirtSpace: ~$5.20 each ($31.20 total)
- S&S Activewear: ~$4.90 each ($29.40 total), but you may need a wholesale account
- Jiffy Shirts: ~$5.50 each ($33.00 total), free shipping included
Buying 36 shirts:
- ShirtSpace: ~$4.40 each ($158.40 total)
- S&S Activewear: ~$4.10 each ($147.60 total)
- Jiffy Shirts: ~$4.80 each ($172.80 total), free shipping included
Buying 72 shirts:
- ShirtSpace: ~$4.10 each ($295.20 total)
- S&S Activewear: ~$3.80 each ($273.60 total)
- Jiffy Shirts: ~$4.50 each ($324.00 total), free shipping included
The pattern is clear. S&S Activewear is cheapest at volume. ShirtSpace is competitive in the middle. Jiffy Shirts is the most expensive per unit but offsets some of that with free shipping on every order.
For a small order of six shirts, the total cost difference between ShirtSpace and Jiffy Shirts is less than $2 once you factor in ShirtSpace's shipping. At that scale, Jiffy's free shipping actually makes them competitive or even cheaper on the total order. But once you're buying 36 or more, the per-unit pricing at ShirtSpace and especially S&S Activewear pulls ahead by a meaningful margin.
Winner for small orders (under 12): Jiffy Shirts (free shipping closes the gap). Winner for mid-size orders (12 to 72): ShirtSpace (best balance of price and no minimums). Winner for bulk orders (72+): S&S Activewear (lowest per-unit pricing by a clear margin).
Brand Selection: Who Stocks What?
All three carry the essentials: Gildan, Hanes, Bella+Canvas, Next Level, Comfort Colors, and Port & Company. If you're buying mainstream blanks, you'll find them everywhere. The differences show up in specialty brands and depth of inventory.
S&S Activewear has the broadest selection by a significant margin. They carry over 100 brands including premium options like Nike, Adidas, Under Armour, Champion, The North Face, and Columbia. If you need branded athletic wear as blanks, S&S is often the only option. They also stock niche brands that smaller distributors skip, like Threadfast Apparel, LAT, and Boxercraft.
ShirtSpace is a close second with 100+ brands. They carry most of the same mainstream and mid-tier brands as S&S. Their athletic brand selection is decent but not as deep. You'll find some Nike and Adidas products, but not the full catalog. Where ShirtSpace holds its own is in craft-focused and DTF-friendly blanks. They stock a good range of soft, smooth-surface tees that Cricut crafters and DTF printers love.
Jiffy Shirts has the narrowest selection, carrying around 50+ brands. They focus on the most popular styles from the biggest brands. You'll find your Gildan G500s, your Bella+Canvas 3001s, and your Comfort Colors 1717s. But if you're looking for something niche or a specific performance brand, you might come up empty. Jiffy prioritizes having their core styles always in stock over carrying everything under the sun.
Winner: S&S Activewear. If brand variety matters to you, nobody beats S&S. ShirtSpace is a solid runner-up, and Jiffy Shirts covers the basics without the depth.
Shipping Speed: Who Gets It There Fastest?
Shipping speed can make or break a blank apparel supplier. When a customer needs shirts by Friday and it's already Tuesday, you need a supplier that moves fast.
Jiffy Shirts is the clear winner here. They ship same-day on most orders placed before a reasonable cutoff (typically 2 PM EST on weekdays). And with free shipping on every single order, regardless of size, you're not paying extra for that speed. Most Jiffy orders arrive in 2 to 4 business days. Some customers in regions close to their warehouses get orders in one day.
S&S Activewear is fast too. They operate six warehouses across the U.S. and ship same-day on orders placed before their cutoff time. Standard ground shipping is free on orders over $200. Transit time is typically 2 to 5 business days depending on your location relative to their warehouses. If you're near one of their hubs (they have facilities on both coasts and in the Midwest), you can get orders shockingly fast.
ShirtSpace is a step behind. They ship from multiple warehouses, which is good for coverage but can result in split shipments. Your order might arrive in two or three packages on different days. Standard shipping takes 3 to 7 business days, and tracking updates can lag by 24 to 48 hours after your order is placed. They're not slow, but they're not going to win any races against Jiffy or S&S.
Winner: Jiffy Shirts. Free shipping on every order with same-day dispatch and 2 to 4 day delivery is hard to beat. S&S is a close second with fast fulfillment from multiple warehouses.
Minimum Orders: Who Lets You Buy What You Need?
This is where the three suppliers really diverge.
ShirtSpace and Jiffy Shirts both have no minimum order. You can buy a single shirt from either one. This is a massive advantage for small sellers, crafters, and anyone who doesn't want to tie up cash in inventory. Need three shirts for a sample order? Done. Need one shirt to test a new printing method? No problem.
S&S Activewear is a different story. To set up an account, you typically need to provide a resale certificate or business documentation. Their pricing is structured around case-pack quantities, and they prefer that you order in full cases (usually 36 to 72 pieces per style and color). They do allow smaller orders, but you won't get their best pricing unless you're buying in volume. Some products have firm minimums.
For hobbyists, Etsy sellers doing 10 to 20 orders per month, or anyone testing new products, S&S's requirements are a barrier. You can work around them, but it adds friction. ShirtSpace and Jiffy Shirts are built for the “buy what you need, when you need it” approach.
Winner: Tie between ShirtSpace and Jiffy Shirts. Both let you buy one shirt at a time with zero hassle. S&S is for established businesses that can meet volume requirements.
Website and Ordering Experience
Jiffy Shirts has the best website of the three. It's clean, fast, and easy to search. Product pages are well-organized with clear images, size charts, and pricing. The checkout process is simple. You can have shirts in your cart and ordered in under two minutes. For people who just want to find a shirt and buy it without fuss, Jiffy wins.
S&S Activewear has a professional, feature-rich site that's designed for business buyers. Filtering is excellent, and you can search by brand, style number, fabric content, certification, and more. They also offer real-time inventory levels at each warehouse, which is incredibly useful for large orders. The downside? It's built for pros. If you're new to buying blanks, the interface can feel overwhelming.
ShirtSpace has a functional site that falls between the other two. The filtering works, the product pages have the information you need, and the pricing is clearly displayed. But the search is inconsistent (different spellings and brand name formats return different results), the mobile experience is clunky, and the overall design feels a few years behind. It works. It's just not as polished as Jiffy or as powerful as S&S.
Winner: Jiffy Shirts for ease of use. S&S Activewear for power users who need detailed filtering and inventory data.
Customer Service
S&S Activewear has the strongest customer service reputation. They have dedicated account managers for larger clients, phone support during business hours, and generally responsive email. If you're spending serious money with them, they treat you well. Their team also understands the industry, so you can ask specific questions about fabric compatibility, printing methods, and product recommendations.
Jiffy Shirts is responsive but limited. Email and phone support are available. Response times are usually within 24 hours. They handle order issues and returns efficiently. But don't expect deep product knowledge or printing advice. They're a retailer, not a consultant.
ShirtSpace gets mixed reviews on customer service. Some buyers report quick, helpful responses. Others describe slow email replies and difficulty reaching someone by phone. It seems inconsistent, which is frustrating when you have a time-sensitive order issue. This is probably ShirtSpace's biggest weakness compared to the other two.
Winner: S&S Activewear. Professional support backed by industry knowledge. Jiffy is good for basic order issues. ShirtSpace is a coin flip.
Which One Should You Use? (And When)
Here's the straightforward answer. You'll probably end up using more than one of these. Most experienced apparel decorators use two or even all three depending on the order. But here's when each one makes the most sense:
Use ShirtSpace When…
- You need 12 to 72 shirts and want competitive per-unit pricing without minimums
- You're an Etsy or Shopify seller doing small-batch custom orders
- You want access to a wide brand selection without setting up a wholesale account
- You're ordering for events, churches, teams, or nonprofits
- You want volume discounts that start at just six pieces
Use S&S Activewear When…
- You're ordering 72+ shirts of a single style regularly
- You run a print shop and need consistent, high-volume supply
- You need premium athletic brands (Nike, Adidas, Under Armour) as blanks
- You want real-time warehouse inventory data for production planning
- You have a resale certificate and can set up a business account
Use Jiffy Shirts When…
- You need a small order (1 to 12 shirts) fast and don't want to pay for shipping
- You're testing a new blank and want a single sample shipped free
- Speed is your top priority and you need same-day shipping
- You're a hobbyist or crafter buying occasionally, not in bulk
- You want the simplest possible ordering experience
The Verdict by Category
Best overall pricing: S&S Activewear (for volume). ShirtSpace (for mid-size orders).
Best for small orders: Jiffy Shirts. Free shipping on every order plus no minimums is unbeatable for small batches.
Best brand selection: S&S Activewear. Nobody else carries as many premium and athletic brands.
Best shipping: Jiffy Shirts. Free on every order, same-day dispatch, 2 to 4 day delivery.
Best customer service: S&S Activewear. Professional, knowledgeable, and responsive.
Best website: Jiffy Shirts for simplicity. S&S for features.
Best for beginners: ShirtSpace. The no-minimum ordering, decent pricing, and wide selection make it the most accessible entry point for someone just starting a custom apparel business.
The Bottom Line
There's no single winner here because these three suppliers serve different needs. S&S Activewear is the best choice for established businesses doing serious volume. Their pricing at scale is unmatched, their brand catalog is the deepest, and their customer service actually knows the industry. But they're not built for the person buying 10 shirts for an Etsy order.
Jiffy Shirts is the winner for convenience and small orders. Free shipping on everything, a fast and simple website, and same-day dispatch make them ideal for quick buys and sample orders. You'll pay a bit more per shirt, but the total cost on small orders is often the lowest once shipping is factored in.
ShirtSpace sits in the middle, and that's actually its strength. If you're a small business, crafter, or growing print shop doing orders in the 12 to 72 range, ShirtSpace gives you the best combination of reasonable pricing, no minimums, and brand variety. It's the most flexible option for buyers who aren't ready for the commitments S&S requires but want better pricing than Jiffy offers at volume. For most small to mid-size blank apparel buyers, ShirtSpace is the smartest place to start, with S&S as the upgrade when your business outgrows it.
