Fruit of the Loom at ShirtStore — the proven classic for clubs, events and workwear

About Fruit of the Loom

Fruit of the Loom is an American mass-market textile brand and one of the oldest apparel brands in the world. Headquartered in Bowling Green, Kentucky (USA), the European hub is in Ireland. Founded in 1851 in Rhode Island, the brand has been a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary since 2002. With its iconic apple logo, a range from Valueweight to Original Hoodie and a GOTS-certified organic line (Iconic), Fruit of the Loom has been Europe's most-printed promotional textile brand for generations.

Key facts at a glance:

• Manufacturer: Fruit of the Loom, Inc. (Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA — EU hub in Ireland)
• Founded: 1851
• Market position: Mass-market classic for club, event and promo textiles across Europe
• Certifications: Fair Labor Association, OEKO-TEX Standard 100, GOTS (Iconic line)
• Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fruit_of_the_Loom
• Manufacturer website: fruitoftheloom.eu
• Main product lines: Valueweight T, Heavy Cotton T, Iconic (organic), Premium T, Original Hoodie

Fruit of the Loom × Category — Jump straight to your product

Fruit of the Loom covers the following categories at ShirtStore:

• 👕 Fruit of the Loom T-Shirts printed — Valueweight, Original, Heavy Cotton, Iconic (organic)
• 🧥 Fruit of the Loom Hoodies printed — Classic Hooded Sweat, Premium Hooded for clubs and schools
• 👔 Fruit of the Loom Polos printed — Premium Polo, 65/35 Polo for service teams
• 🎽 Fruit of the Loom Sweatshirts printed — Set-In Sweat, Classic Raglan for crew wear

Brand story — America's oldest textile brand

Fruit of the Loom was founded in 1851 in Rhode Island, making it one of the oldest textile brands in the world. What started as a small cloth weaving business in New England became one of the largest apparel producers in America during the 20th century, and is today a global player with European production and logistics in Ireland.

The brand name comes from the apple motif that appeared on the bolts of cloth as far back as the 19th century. The brand DNA has not changed since: reliable standard items, broad availability, fair pricing. Fruit of the Loom did not reinvent itself as a premium eco-brand, but positioned itself as the pragmatic classic for club shirts, event tees and everyday workwear. That is exactly why the brand has been the silent standard at every club celebration, every running event and every staff-action day for decades.

The range now also includes a GOTS-certified organic line (Iconic), which makes Fruit of the Loom attractive for eco-aware customers without giving up the brand's classic character.

Core range — the most important Fruit of the Loom models

Valueweight T — the most-printed classic

165 g/m², combed ring-spun cotton, classic cut. Valueweight T has been Europe's bestselling tee for club and event merchandise for years. Available in 30+ colours and sizes XS to 5XL.

Heavy Cotton T — the heavy standard tee

195 g/m², robust quality, slightly more substantial than Valueweight. Popular for workwear use and event tees with a higher comfort ambition.

Iconic T — the organic variant

150 g/m² of GOTS-certified organic cotton, more modern cut than the classic Valueweight. The brand's answer to the eco trend, popular for NGOs and school events with sustainability ambition. More on organic cotton.

Premium T — the higher-quality tee variant

180 g/m², finer fibre quality than Valueweight, more modern cut. The Premium T is ideal when you want a touch more quality without switching to a premium brand.

Original Hoodie and Classic Hooded Sweat

Original Hoodie is the standard hooded jumper at 280 g/m², Classic Hooded Sweat slightly heavier at 280-300 g/m². Both are workhorses for club hoodies, school sweatshirts and crew wear.

Set-In Sweat and Lightweight Hooded Sweat

Set-In Sweat is the classic crew-neck sweater (280 g/m²), Lightweight is the lighter variant (240 g/m²) for transitional weather.

Polo shirts (65/35 Polo, Premium Polo)

Classic polos in cotton blend or pure cotton, popular for service teams and clubs with a polo tradition.

Fruit of the Loom benefits at a glance

• Fair pricing — one of the most affordable brand options for club and event runs.
• Huge size range — XS to 5XL on many models, women's and children's lines available.
• Reliable availability — warehouse in Ireland, short replenishment lead times.
• Proven print quality — fabrics have been optimised for screen and transfer printing for decades.
• Member of the Fair Labor Association — controlled production standards.
• Organic variant available — Iconic T and Iconic Hoodie made from GOTS-certified organic cotton.

Finishing recommendation — what works on Fruit of the Loom?

The mainstream fabrics of Fruit of the Loom have been the standard against which print processes were developed for decades. From this it follows:

• Screen printing — the classic recommendation. Economical from 50 pieces, brilliant colours, very durable. Ideal for club shirts and event tees in mid-to-large runs.
• DTF printing — very good choice for multi-coloured designs in smaller quantities or for hoodies and sweaters.
• Flex printing — the classic for club shirts with names and numbers.
• Embroidery — available for polos and hoodies, especially for logo finishing.
• DTG — works well on lighter models; on dark colours DTF is usually superior.

Volume discount for Fruit of the Loom

Tiered for all Fruit of the Loom models at ShirtStore:

Free shipping from 100 pcs. Bulk orders above 500 pcs: please use the bulk inquiry — we calculate individually for clubs, schools, event agencies and resellers.

Use-cases — who buys Fruit of the Loom?

Sports clubs and teams

Clubs typically order 11 to 50 shirts — the sweet spot for Fruit of the Loom Valueweight T with screen printing or flex printing. Training hoodies and Set-In sweaters are also standard in club sport.

Event shirts in volume

Event shirts for trade shows, corporate runs, roadshows and promotional campaigns are the brand's discipline of choice. Quantities of 200 to 5,000 shirts are not unusual, and Fruit of the Loom delivers the economics that bulk orders need.

School hoodies and class shirts

School year groups, classes and clubs order Original Hoodies or Classic Hooded Sweats. The broad size range covers all age groups.

Workwear for everyday use

Heavy Cotton tees and 65/35 polos are standard in logistics, service teams and trade businesses that rely on affordable standard items.

Material specification table — the key Fruit-of-the-Loom models

Source: Fruit of the Loom Europe spec sheets 2025. Live availability in the configurator.

Print method comparison — what works on Fruit of the Loom?

Deeper dive: Screen print · DTF print · Embroidery · Digital print · Flex print.

Configurator workflow — a FOTL order in 5 steps

1. Pick the model. In the configurator, filter FOTL, then Valueweight T (61-036-0) for price-driven runs, Premium T (61-002-0) for clubs, Iconic T (61-430-0) for organic options or Premium Hooded Sweat (62-152-0) for hoodies.
2. Calculate sizes and colours. Mix per order — quantity ladder from 3 pcs (3 %), 100 pcs (25 %), 500 pcs (32 %). Sizes XS–5XL on most main models.
3. Upload the artwork. Vector SVG/PDF for screen print and embroidery. For club sponsorship: free sponsor-layout service (logos are professionally arranged on the back).
4. Pick finishing. For 200+ pieces single-colour: screen print. For multi-colour design under 100 pieces: DTF. For premium polos: embroidery. Jersey numbers: flex print.
5. Approve the preview. PDF preview before production. For Pantone sponsor colours a pre-press sample is recommended (€20–60, credited against main order).

Experience cases — three typical FOTL orders

Case 1 — Bavarian football club, 350 Premium tees for season opener

A football club in Bavaria ordered 350 Premium T (61-002-0) in royal blue for the season opener of three senior teams and the youth U17 (players, coaches, staff). Finishing: single-colour screen print (club logo on chest, player name + jersey number as flex print). Unit price at 350 pieces: €9.40 net (Premium T from €6.40 + one-sided screen print €1.90 + flex name/number €1.10). Delivery in two tranches (200 + 150 pieces) one week apart, because the youth coaches list wasn't final. Tranche 1 delivered after 8 working days, tranche 2 after 13 working days.

Case 2 — North German charity event, 120 Iconic T (organic) for charity run

A charity organisation in Schleswig-Holstein ordered 120 Iconic T (61-430-0) in white for a charity run. Organic standard was central (charity sponsor had sustainability criteria). Finishing: one-sided DTG print (logo + slogan, four-colour). Unit price at 120 pieces: €11.90 net (Iconic T from €5.90 + four-colour DTG approx. €6.00). Delivery 8 working days. The tees were then resold as merchandise in the charity webshop after the event.

Case 3 — Saxon summer camp, 200 hooded sweats for scout group

A scout group in Saxony ordered 200 Premium Hooded Sweat (62-152-0) in forest green for a summer camp and the subsequent annual celebration. Finishing: two-colour DTF print (scout symbol on chest + summer-camp date lettering on back). Unit price at 200 pieces: €19.40 net (Premium Hooded Sweat from €14.40 + two-sided DTF €5.00). Tranche delivery in two waves due to uncertain participant numbers at registration close.

What we do better than competitors

• 3 % quantity discount from 3 pieces — many competing finishers start the discount ladder at 10 or 25 pieces. We give small crews an incentive too.
• Club tranches at no surcharge — club orders from 200 pieces can be split into 2–3 tranches (e.g. men's, women's, youth) without worsening the quantity discount.
• Free sponsor-layout service — for club orders with sponsor backs we layout free of charge. You send the sponsor logos, we do the rest.
• Iconic organic line in stock — the FOTL Iconic line is permanently in stock in all main colours; many competitors only carry it on special order.
• EU finishing with BCI organic variant — the Iconic line combines Better Cotton Initiative organic with EU finishing. In one step you fulfil both sustainability and EU procurement requirements.

What makes ShirtStore special

• From 1 piece — we finish single units too; quantity discounts start at 3 pieces.
• Made in EU — finishing in our own facility, fair conditions.
• 24-48h dispatch — order by 2 pm on weekdays, in production the next day.
• Trusted Shops verified — buyer protection and money-back guarantee.

Ready for your Fruit of the Loom project?

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ShirtStore is your partner for Fruit of the Loom textiles across Germany and Europe. We carry the entire FOTL range — Valueweight tees, Heavy Cotton tees, Premium tees, Iconic organic tees, Original Hoodies, Classic Hooded Sweats, Set-In sweaters, Lightweight sweaters, 65/35 polos and Premium polos — and finish directly in our EU facility with screen printing, DTF, flex printing, digital printing (DTG) or embroidery. Fair pricing, the huge size range from XS to 5XL and reliable availability from the Irish central warehouse have made Fruit of the Loom the first choice for sports clubs, teams, school year groups, class trips, employee event tees, trade-show crews, promotional teams and event agencies with bulk orders from 100 or 1,000 pieces for decades. The GOTS-certified Iconic organic line is also available — for NGOs, eco-brands and school classes with sustainability ambition. Fruit of the Loom ShirtStore — from the classic club shirt to the printed event tee for thousands of attendees.