About Stedman Collection
Stedman Collection is a European promo and workwear textile brand with roots since 1953, today part of the US-based Next Level Apparel Group. European distribution runs through Stedman GmbH (Germany); the brand has been producing basics for the print-decoration market for over 70 years. Unlike the big US brands (Gildan, Fruit of the Loom), Stedman is closer to European confection sizes — slimmer cuts, less "boxy", more reliable fit in S-M-L. Production runs under documented social standards.
Key facts at a glance:
- Manufacturer: Stedman GmbH (Germany) — part of the Next Level Apparel Group
- Founded: 1953
- Market position: Mid mass-market segment for European promo basics
- Certifications: OEKO-TEX Standard 100, Amfori BSCI, PETA-Approved Vegan, Stedman Proofed Quality (SPQ)
- Manufacturer website: stedman.eu
- Main product lines: Classic-T ST2000, Comfort-T 185, Lux Polo Men/Women, Kids-T
Stedman × Category — Jump straight to your product
Stedman Collection covers the following categories at ShirtStore:
- 👕 Stedman T-Shirts printed — Classic-T ST2000, Comfort-T 185, Kids-T for promo and events
- 🧥 Stedman Hoodies printed — Active Hooded Sweat for club and school crews
- 👔 Stedman Polos printed — Lux Polo Men/Women as premium promo polo
Brand story — the European mass-market promo brand
Stedman Collection is a European brand since 1953, today part of the Next Level Apparel Group, that produces promo and workwear basics for the finishing market. Unlike the big US brands (Gildan, Fruit of the Loom), Stedman is closer to European confection sizes and cuts — slightly slimmer in cut, less "boxy", also more reliable in German standard sizes S-M-L.
Stedman produces under documented social standards. The brand is OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified — meaning all fabrics are tested for harmful substances, free from health-concerning chemicals. Stedman is also a member of Amfori BSCI for supply-chain social standards and PETA-Approved Vegan. The brand-owned SPQ system (Stedman Proofed Quality) secures reproducible workmanship.
Compared to premium brands like Stanley/Stella or Mantis, Stedman is in the middle mass-market segment — affordable enough for high quantities, quality enough for clean brand appearances and multi-year crew wear.
Core range — the most important Stedman models at ShirtStore
Stedman Collection covers four worlds: Classic-T basics (ST2000), Comfort-T premium basics, polos (Lux Polo Men/Women) and women's and kids' lines.
Stedman ST2000 — Classic-T Unisex
The promo basics t-shirt par excellence. 100% cotton, 155 g/m² fabric weight (single jersey), crew neck with ribbed neck. Slim modern unisex cut — fits men and women equally. Available in 20+ colors (Black, White, Navy, Red, Royal Blue, Forest Green, Burgundy, Sand and more). The typical promo basis for city festivals, club promo actions, sponsor crew wear and charity events.
Stedman Comfort-T 185
Premium promo basis with higher fabric weight. 185 g/m² cotton, firm hand, longer wear time. Slightly thicker than the Classic-T, therefore more wash-resistant and less transparent for light colors. Popular for crew wear, ice hockey fan shirts, shipping reception and multi-year branding appearances.
Stedman Lux Polo Men
Classic promo polo for men. 100% cotton piqué, 200 g/m², 3-button closure, ribbed collar and sleeve cuffs. Slim modern cut in 12+ colors. From affordable in the quantity scale price. The typical hotel reception, restaurant service and event crew choice when premium embroidered polo doesn't fit the budget.
Stedman Lux Polo Women
Women's cut polo with slightly tapered cut, slightly shorter hem and narrower sleeves. Same material as the men's model (cotton piqué 200 g/m²). Important for mixed crews where the women's cut makes a recognizably more valuable impression than the unisex model.
Stedman Classic-T Fitted Women
Tapered women's t-shirt with body-close cut. 100% cotton, 155 g/m² — like the ST2000, but with feminine cut (narrower waist, longer hem). Popular for fitness studios, wellness reception teams and women's sport crews.
Stedman Classic-T Kids
Kids' variant of the ST2000. 100% cotton, 155 g/m², in children's sizes 98-164. Popular for school sports days, kindergarten summer festivals, kids' club promo and family events.
Other Stedman models
Stedman range also includes long-sleeve t-shirts (for transition seasons), tank tops (for festival and summer promo), sweatshirts (Comfort Sweatshirt with brushed inside) and long-sleeve polos. Currently many Stedman models are available with us on order rather than stock — delivery 3-7 working days. For larger crew orders B2B inquiry for direct ordering at the manufacturer.
Material properties — what makes Stedman special
Slim European cut. While Gildan and Fruit of the Loom prefer US confection (rather boxy, broad), Stedman models fit closer to the European standard size table. Important for crews with mixed size distribution and mixed gender.
OEKO-TEX Standard 100. All Stedman fabrics are tested for over 100 harmful substance parameters — important for kids' shirts, skin-sensitive wearers and crews with allergy proportion.
Amfori BSCI. Stedman's BSCI membership documents social standards along the entire supply chain. Audits regularly inspect workshops and document wage levels.
Finishing suitability. Stedman fabrics have a smooth surface — ideal for large-area screen printing (e.g. city festival logos on the chest, sponsor wall on the back) and for flex printing details (names, player numbers, event dates).
Finishing recommendation — what suits Stedman?
Screen printing is the mass-market choice for Stedman. On the Classic-T ST2000 and the Comfort-T 185 large-area logos can be printed cleanly — up to A3 format with plastisol printing. Stedman fabrics tolerate the screen printing process well, the print stays after 30-50 washes. Quantity advantage: from 25+ pieces significantly cheaper than flex or transfer printing.
Flex printing is suitable for small runs (1-20 pieces), individual lettering (e.g. player names on club shirts) and fine detail designs. Premium flex films are wash-resistant up to 60°C.
Recommendation Lux Polo: Embroidery or flex printing — no screen printing on the piqué material, as the print looks unclean. For premium polos: left chest embroidered (7 cm logo), for mass-market polos: flex printing left chest.
Volume discount for Stedman
Tiered for all Stedman models at ShirtStore:
| Quantity | Discount |
|---|---|
| from 3 pcs | 3 % |
| from 20 pcs | 10 % |
| from 50 pcs | 15 % |
| from 100 pcs | 25 % |
| from 200 pcs | 30 % |
| from 500 pcs | 32 % |
Free shipping from 100 pcs. Bulk orders above 500 pcs: please use the bulk inquiry — we calculate individually for event agencies, promo campaigns, clubs and resellers.
Use cases — who orders Stedman at ShirtStore?
City festivals, club events and charity actions
ST2000 Classic-T in color + Comfort-T 185 as crew wear. City festival logo via screen printing on the chest, sponsor list on the back. Quantities from 50 pieces significantly cheaper than premium brands.
School and kindergarten events
Classic-T Kids for sports festivals, summer festivals and class trips. OEKO-TEX certificate makes the shirt safe for children. Logo via screen printing or flex printing.
Hotel and restaurant reception teams
Lux Polo Men + Lux Polo Women as mixed crew wear. Hotel logo embroidered left chest, possibly with employee name patch.
Fitness studios and wellness reception teams
Classic-T Fitted Women for personal trainers, studio reception and wellness crews. Tapered cut model looks sporty-modern.
Club promo and sponsoring crews
ST2000 + Comfort-T 185 as 2-tier crew wear: Standard for members, premium variant for trainers and board. Both compatible in print design.
Material specification table — the key Stedman models
| Model | Article no. | Fabric weight | Fibre content | Cut | Colours | Size range | Care |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic-T unisex | ST2000 | 155 g/m² | 100 % cotton (single jersey) | Slim modern unisex | 20+ | XS–5XL | 40 °C, inside out |
| Comfort-T 185 | ST2100 | 185 g/m² | 100 % cotton (single jersey) | Classic, slightly thicker | 18 | S–4XL | 40 °C, inside out |
| Classic-T fitted women | ST2600 | 155 g/m² | 100 % cotton | Tailored | 15 | XS–2XL | 40 °C, inside out |
| Classic-T kids | ST2200 | 155 g/m² | 100 % cotton | Regular kids | 14 | 98–164 | 40 °C, inside out |
| Lux Polo Men | ST3000 | 200 g/m² | 100 % cotton (piqué) | Classic | 12+ | S–3XL | 30–40 °C, medium iron |
| Lux Polo Women | ST3600 | 200 g/m² | 100 % cotton (piqué) | Tailored | 10 | XS–2XL | 30–40 °C, medium iron |
| Active hooded sweat | ST5610 | 280 g/m² | 70 % cotton / 30 % polyester | Classic | 12 | XS–3XL | 30 °C, inside out |
| Long-sleeve T | ST2500 | 155 g/m² | 100 % cotton | Classic | 10 | S–2XL | 40 °C, inside out |
Source: Stedman spec sheets 2025. Live availability in the configurator.
Print method comparison — what works on Stedman?
| Method | Min. quantity | Durability | Cost/pc 25 pcs | Cost/pc 100 pcs | Cost/pc 500 pcs | Suitable for | Not suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen print | 25 pcs | 80+ washes | approx. €4.40 | approx. €2.80 | approx. €1.80 | ST2000/ST2100 100+ pcs, single-colour logos, sponsor backs | photo motifs, polos (piqué) |
| Flex print | 1 pc | 40 washes | approx. €5.90 | approx. €4.40 | approx. €3.40 | mass-market polos (ST3000), club names, jersey numbers | photo motifs, multi-colour designs |
| DTF print | 1 pc | 50+ washes | approx. €5.40 | approx. €3.90 | approx. €2.40 | multi-colour designs on ST2000/ST2100, hoodies | very fine photo gradients |
| Embroidery | 10 pcs | 100+ washes | approx. €7.90 | approx. €5.90 | approx. €4.40 | Lux Polo, hoodies, premium look | photo motifs, very fine type |
| DTG | 1 pc | 30–50 washes | approx. €6.90 | approx. €4.90 | not economical | small runs with photo motif | polo piqué, polyester blends |
Deeper dive: Screen print · DTF print · Embroidery · Flex print · Digital print.
Configurator workflow — a Stedman order in 5 steps
- Pick the model. In the configurator, filter Stedman, then ST2000 for promo crews, ST2100 for premium promo, Lux Polo for hotel/restaurant reception, ST5610 for hoodies.
- Calculate sizes and colours. ST2000 runs up to 5XL — important for town-festival crews with size mixes. Quantity ladder from 3 pcs (3 %), 100 pcs (25 %), 500 pcs (32 %).
- Upload the artwork. Vector SVG/PDF for screen print and embroidery. For town-festival orders with sponsor back: free sponsor-layout service.
- Pick finishing. For 100+ pieces single-colour on ST2000/ST2100: screen print (cheapest unit cost in mass market). For multi-colour design: DTF. Lux Polo always embroidery or flex (no screen print on piqué).
- Approve the preview. PDF preview before production. OEKO-TEX certificate PDF on request for compliance auditing (e.g. public tenders with substance requirements).
Experience cases — three typical Stedman orders
Case 1 — South German town festival, 380 ST2000 with sponsor layout
A town-festival committee in south Germany ordered 380 ST2000 in heather light grey for helpers, stand staff and sponsor guests. Finishing: one-sided screen print chest (festival logo three-colour) plus back (8 sponsor logos in grid layout). Unit price at 380 pieces: €7.40 net (ST2000 from €4.40 + two-sided screen print €2.40 + sponsor-layout service free + Pantone pre-press sample €45 credited). Delivery 9 working days in one tranche.
Case 2 — Lübeck hotel chain, 75 Lux Polo Men + 50 Lux Polo Women for reception
A hotel chain in Lübeck ordered 125 Lux polos (75 men ST3000 + 50 women ST3600) in hotel brand colour sand for four site reception crews. Finishing: embroidery left chest (hotel logo, 7 cm, Pantone gold thread). Unit price at 125 pieces mixed: €16.90 net (Lux Polo from €10.90 + one-sided embroidery approx. €6.00). Pantone match (sand) had to be aligned with the hotel brand manual — pre-press sample with embroidery (€78, credited) confirmed the match accuracy. Delivery 12 working days.
Case 3 — Bremen sports charity, 220 Classic-T Kids for school sports day
A regional sports charity in Bremen ordered 220 Classic-T Kids (ST2200) in royal blue for a primary-school sports day with three schools. OEKO-TEX certificate was mandatory for school procurement. Finishing: one-sided DTF (charity logo + sports-day date, four-colour). Unit price at 220 pieces: €6.40 net (ST2200 from €3.40 + one-sided DTF €3.00). OEKO-TEX certificate PDF included. Delivery 10 working days.
What we do better than competitors
- Pantone-match service with pre-press sample — for town-festival, club and hotel orders with brand colour we offer pre-press samples at €20–80 (credited against main order). No colour surprise in the bulk run.
- OEKO-TEX certificate PDF on request — for public tenders, school procurement and kindergarten orders we supply the current OEKO-TEX certificate as PDF with the delivery. Industry standard is only on request and with delay.
- Free sponsor-layout service — town-festival and club orders get the sponsor back layouted free of charge. Industry standard is €80–150 layout flat fee.
- Women's / kids' sizes from one order — mix of Lux Polo Men + Lux Polo Women + Classic-T Kids in one order with the same quantity ladder. Many competitors calculate the quantity ladder per article line.
- Tranche delivery without surcharge — for multi-year sponsoring crews we deliver in quarterly tranches on request without harming the overall order quantity ladder.
What makes ShirtStore special
- Most important Stedman models in stock or short-term orderable — Classic-T ST2000, Comfort-T 185, Lux Polo Men/Women, Classic-T Kids
- Made in EU finishing — own screen printing and flex printing in EU workshop
- Volume scale prices — from 3 pieces (3 %) significantly cheaper per piece
- OEKO-TEX certificate available — on request for compliance documentation
- Trusted Shops verified — buyer protection and money-back guarantee
Ready for your Stedman order?
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ShirtStore is your partner for Stedman Collection promo basics and textile finishing in Germany and Europe. We offer the most important Stedman models — ST2000 Classic-T Unisex, Comfort-T 185, Lux Polo Men, Lux Polo Women, Classic-T Fitted Women, Classic-T Kids as well as long-sleeves, tank tops and sweatshirts — as raw goods for wholesalers and resellers or directly finished for city festivals, club promo actions, charity events, school sports days, kindergarten summer festivals, hotel reception teams, restaurant service, fitness studios, wellness reception teams and multi-year branding appearances. European brand (Stedman GmbH, Germany) with Amfori BSCI membership and OEKO-TEX Standard 100. Production in Bangladesh and Turkey under documented social standards. Screen printing and flex printing from our own EU finishing. ShirtStore.de — from the 50-piece city festival shirt to the 1000-piece sponsor crew order.
