Falk&Ross Group Europe GmbH blog

From Waste to Wardrobe: Recycled Fibres

F&R — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 11:26:49 GMT

Certified recycled fibres are now found across blank apparel, from t-shirts and sweatshirts to outerwear, performance wear and bags. But what does ‘recycled’ really mean — and how can you evaluate the claims behind a product?

Recycled fabrics begin with existing materials

Depending on the fibre, these can include plastic bottles, industrial waste, old fishing nets, discarded textiles or cutting scraps. After collection, sorting and processing, the recovered material is transformed into new fibres and yarns.

Certification helps make that journey traceable.

The Recycled Claim Standard (RCS) and Global Recycled Standard (GRS), developed by Textile Exchange, both provide third-party verification of recycled materials and chain of custody. This helps confirm that the claimed recycled content has been tracked through the supply chain. GRS goes further, adding requirements covering social and environmental practices and chemical use during processing.

Which recycled fibres are used in apparel?

Recycled polyester is widely used in printwear, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, fleece, jackets and bags. It can be made from post-consumer PET bottles or production waste and is valued for its durability, colour retention and versatility.

Recycled nylon, commonly sourced from industrial waste and items such as discarded fishing nets, produces smooth, strong yarns particularly suited to outerwear, bags and performance apparel.

Recycled cotton can give cutting waste and post-consumer textiles another use. Because recycling shortens the cotton fibres, it is often blended with recycled polyester or other cotton to improve strength, softness and consistency.

What does this mean for decoration?

Fibre content and fabric construction still matter when choosing a decoration technique. Screen printing, DTG, DTF, sublimation, heat transfer and embroidery can all work successfully on certified recycled apparel, but suitability depends on the individual garment and blend. Always check the product and decoration guidance before production.

Certification does not automatically make every product identical in quality or impact. What it provides is something increasingly valuable: independent verification behind the recycled content claim.

At Falk&Ross you can discover certified recycled apparel, outerwear and accessories from across our curated multibrand collection.

Discover recycled styles

Branded Merch as Advertising

F&R — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 11:26:39 GMT

Digital advertising can reach the right audience in seconds, but it can disappear just as quickly. Branded merchandise works differently — it enters people’s everyday lives.

A T-shirt is worn. A hoodie becomes a favourite. A tote bag travels from the commute to the supermarket and beyond. Each use creates another brand interaction, not as an interruption, but as part of everyday life.

Now think about a great branded hoodie, T-shirt or bag.

Researchers at Vienna University of Economics and Business have called this effect ‘silent persuasion’. In controlled experiments, people responded more positively to an unfamiliar brand after casually using its promotional merchandise, even when they had not consciously noticed the logo. Equivalent visual exposure to a poster was less effective.

“Consumers react more positively to an unfamiliar brand after incidentally using its merchandise.”
Source: Silent Persuasion: Incidental use of promotional merchandise benefits unfamiliar brands. International Journal of Advertising.

That gives us a different way to think about apparel as advertising. The product does not simply carry the message — it becomes part of it.

The feel of a fabric, the fit of a sweatshirt, the usefulness of a tote bag and the quality of the decoration all shape the impression a brand leaves behind. A product that feels considered can make the brand feel considered too. One that is uncomfortable, impractical or quickly discarded tells a very different story.

So the aim should not be just to create merchandise that lasts, but to create merchandise that stays in use. That means looking beyond the logo.

Who will receive it? Where will they wear or use it? Would a heavyweight oversized T-shirt suit the audience better than a classic style? Could a premium hoodie build a sense of belonging? Would a tote bag travel further if it’s not only intended for one event?

It’s not about replacing digital or conventional advertising. Recent research suggests that promotional products can make the wider media mix more effective, strengthening advertising rather than competing with it. Merchandise adds something other channels cannot: a physical brand experience that continues after the event or campaign interaction has ended.

Source: Improving the media mix: how promotional products enhance advertising impact. Journal of Marketing Communications, 2023.

At Falk&Ross you can find a curated collection of apparel, bags and accessories to match the needs of every kind of merchandise project — from music merch to brand promotions, corporate sponsorships, retail and more.

Because the best branded merchandise is not only seen. It is experienced, kept and chosen again.

Discover our merch collection

The Anatomy of a Great Printable T-Shirt

F&R — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 11:26:26 GMT

Two blank T-shirts can look almost identical. The real difference appears after the first print, the first wash or the first repeat order.

So what makes a good printable T-shirt? The best blank tees combine a smooth, stable fabric with the right weight, construction and labelling for the intended decoration technique. Getting those elements right helps deliver sharper prints, easier production and consistent results.

Which fabric is best for T-shirt printing

The fabric forms the surface beneath every design. Smooth, high-quality ring-spun cotton is a popular choice for screen printing, direct-to-garment printing (DTG) and direct-to-film (DTF) transfers because its even surface can support clean edges and fine detail.

Blends and performance fabrics can also produce excellent results, but the fibre composition, fabric finish and chosen decoration method must work together.

  Fabric
  
  Ring-spun cotton
 
  Best for
  
  Screen print, DTG, DTF
 
  Surface
  
  Smooth, even

Does T-shirt construction affect printing?

Yes. A well-constructed printable tee should sit evenly on the platen and remain stable during decoration. Shoulder seams, neck tape and quality finishing can also help the garment retain its shape.

Tubular T-shirts provide an uninterrupted body, while side-seamed styles can offer greater control over fit. Neither is automatically better — the right construction depends on the project.

What T-shirt weight should you choose?

Lightweight blank T-shirts work well for promotions, events and high-volume orders. Heavier tees provide a more substantial base for large graphics and can give branded merchandise a premium, retail-influenced feel.

Fabric weight also affects drape, comfort and how the finished product is perceived, not simply how it prints.

Why do labels matter?

Label-free and tear-away label T-shirts make rebranding easier. They leave room for custom neck prints, woven labels and customised branding, allowing the garment to belong fully to your customer’s brand.

Finding the right printable T-shirt

There is no single best printable tee for every job. At Falk&Ross, our curated multibrand T-shirt range gives you a wide choice of fabrics, weights, fits, constructions and price points for screen-printing, DTG, DTF, sublimation and transfers.

Discover our T-shirt range

Welcome to the Falk&Ross Blog

F&R — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 11:26:05 GMT

When we launched the Falk&Ross Magazine in early 2026, we wanted to offer something different. Content that goes beyond products to explore the ideas, trends and opportunities shaping the world of blank apparel.

From market developments and new decoration techniques to creative applications and fresh product inspiration, the magazine is designed to be both useful and enjoyable. Something to browse, return to and share with your team. Most importantly, it was created to help turn products into possibilities.

Now, we’re continuing that conversation online with the new Falk&Ross Blog.

This blog will give us more opportunities to share ideas throughout the year. Expect practical advice, trend insights, product stories, decoration guidance and inspiration for your upcoming projects and campaigns. We’ll also take a closer look at the people, brands and developments influencing our industry.

The magazine will remain a place to discover a curated collection of stories and ideas in one inspiring edition. The blog will build on that approach, bringing you new content more regularly, allowing us to respond to what is happening in the market right now.

Together, they give you two ways to explore what’s new, what’s useful and what could help you win more business. Whether you’re looking for the right product, a business solution or simply the spark for your next project, this is where new ideas begin.

Start by discovering the latest Falk&Ross magazine, and keep coming back to the blog for more ideas, expertise and inspiration.

Discover the Falk&Ross Magazine