Wholesale prices for Fruit of the Loom look irresistible: tees from around €2 a piece. But the brand does not sell direct, most wholesalers only serve registered businesses, and the list prices exclude VAT. This guide explains who can buy wholesale, how VAT changes the maths, and when a retailer with quantity discounts is simply the cheaper and faster option.
Fruit of the Loom does not sell wholesale directly in Europe; Fruit of the Loom International supplies the trade through distributors. German wholesalers list tees from approx. €2.24–2.68, but often only for registered businesses, excluding VAT or with delivery limited to Germany and Austria. For buyers without a trade account, Marmalade Co. is the cheapest verified option: €6.26 per tee from 5 pieces, VAT included, €7 DHL shipping and delivery in 2–3 business days to 11 EU countries.
Yes, but not from the brand itself. Fruit of the Loom's European business is run by Fruit of the Loom International from Kaiserslautern, Germany, and it sells to the trade through a network of distributors and wholesalers. The official site, fruitoftheloom.eu, is a catalogue for business customers with an account login; it shows no consumer prices and points buyers to distributors. So "buying wholesale" in practice means one of three routes:
Which one is cheapest depends less on the headline price than on who you are, where you are and how many pieces you really need.
Wholesalers protect their trade prices with conditions. The typical requirements are:
Some shops blur the line: textilwaren24.eu sells to both private and business customers with prices including VAT, but delivers only to Germany and Austria. For a club in Ireland, a start-up in Portugal or a school in Finland, the classic wholesale route is often closed or costly once cross-border shipping is added.
No business account, no VAT maths: Marmalade Co. sells the full Fruit of the Loom range from one piece, takes 5 % off from 3 and 10 % off from 5 pieces of the same product, and ships to 11 EU countries for a flat €7 with DHL.
See Fruit of the Loom prices at Marmalade Co. →The table compares the routes for a standard Fruit of the Loom t-shirt. Wholesale from-prices apply to the cheapest colour and size (usually white S–XL), so coloured garments cost more.
| Route | Price per tee | VAT | Who can buy | Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marmalade Co. (marmaladeco.com) | €6.95; €6.26 from 5 pcs | Included | Anyone, consumers and businesses | €7 DHL, 2–3 business days, 11 EU countries |
| textil-grosshandel.eu | from approx. €2.27–2.61 | Excluded | Businesses only | Several carriers; account needed for terms |
| textilwaren24.eu | from approx. €2.24–2.68 | Included | Consumers and businesses | Germany and Austria only |
| Print / promo shop | typically €10–20 printed | Varies | Anyone, often with minimum run | Usually 1–2 weeks incl. printing |
On paper the wholesaler wins by a wide margin. In practice, add the VAT (19–25.5 % depending on the country), pick the colour you actually want, and add shipping to your country. For a German business with a VAT number ordering several hundred white tees, wholesale is clearly cheaper. For everyone else the gap narrows fast — and Marmalade Co.'s price guarantee matches an identical product you find cheaper elsewhere, within its terms. Our European price comparison lists more shops.
If you buy as a business from a supplier in another EU country and give a valid EU VAT number, the supplier does not charge VAT; you account for it in your own country under the reverse-charge rules (see the EU's Your Europe portal). That is why wholesale prices are shown net. Two consequences:
Retail prices at Marmalade Co. already include VAT, so the number on the product page is the number you pay, plus €7 shipping per order.
These are live prices at Marmalade Co. with the automatic quantity discount and one €7 shipping fee, updated every week. Sizes and colours of the same product can be mixed to reach the discount.
| Product | 1 pcs | 10 pcs | 50 pcs | 100 pcs | 250 pcs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-shirt | €13.95 €13.95 each | €69.55 €6.96 each | €319.75 €6.39 each | €632.50 €6.33 each | €1,570.75 €6.28 each |
| Polo shirt | €17.95 €17.95 each | €105.55 €10.56 each | €499.75 €9.99 each | €992.50 €9.93 each | €2,470.75 €9.88 each |
| Crewneck sweatshirt | €23.95 €23.95 each | €159.55 €15.95 each | €769.75 €15.39 each | €1,532.50 €15.32 each | €3,820.75 €15.28 each |
| Sweatpants | €18.95 €18.95 each | €114.55 €11.45 each | €544.75 €10.89 each | €1,082.50 €10.82 each | €2,695.75 €10.78 each |
| Hoodie | €27.95 €27.95 each | €195.55 €19.55 each | €949.75 €19.00 each | €1,892.50 €18.93 each | €4,720.75 €18.88 each |
Use the calculator to price your own mix:
Choose a product and quantity — the total includes the quantity discount (5 % from 3 pcs, 10 % from 5 pcs) and €7 shipping.
For 100 tees you land at approx. €6.33 per piece delivered, VAT included; 100 hoodies come to approx. €18.93 each. For a sense of what printing adds on top, see our guide to bulk t-shirts for printing.
Retailers have no minimum — Marmalade Co. sells from one piece. Wholesalers rarely set a hard minimum quantity but gate prices behind a business account and turnover tiers. Printers are where minimums bite: screen printing usually starts at around 10–25 pieces per design because of set-up costs, while DTG and embroidery shops often print single pieces at a higher price each.
Fruitotl.com is an independent guide and is not affiliated with Fruit of the Loom, Fruit of the Loom International or Berkshire Hathaway.
Blank Fruit of the Loom tees from €6.26 and hoodies from €18.86 each at 5+ pieces, VAT included, one flat €7 DHL fee and a price guarantee — Marmalade Co. is our top pick when you need wholesale-style volume without a trade account.
Start a volume order at Marmalade Co. →Not as a consumer or small buyer. Fruit of the Loom International, based in Kaiserslautern, Germany, sells to the trade through distributors and wholesalers, and fruitoftheloom.eu is a catalogue for business customers with an account login rather than an open shop. Individuals, clubs and small businesses buy through wholesalers, print shops or retailers such as Marmalade Co., which sells from one piece with VAT included.
Usually yes, or at least a registered business. Wholesalers such as textil-grosshandel.eu sell exclusively to commercial customers and quote prices excluding VAT. Across EU borders, a valid VAT number lets the supplier invoice without VAT under the reverse-charge rules. Without one, retailers with quantity discounts, where the price already includes VAT, are the practical route.
Most wholesalers do not set a fixed minimum quantity but require a business account and give better prices at higher annual turnover. Retailers have no minimum at all: Marmalade Co. sells from one piece and applies 5 % off from 3 and 10 % off from 5 pieces of the same product. Screen printers typically quote from around 10–25 pieces per design.
Not always. Wholesale from-prices of approx. €2.24–2.68 per tee apply to the cheapest colour, often exclude VAT and may only ship within Germany and Austria. Once VAT, colour and cross-border shipping are added, a retailer such as Marmalade Co. at €6.26 per tee from 5 pieces, VAT included with €7 shipping, can be competitive for orders under a few hundred pieces.
At Marmalade Co. 100 Fruit of the Loom tees cost approx. €625.50 with the automatic 10 % quantity discount, plus a flat €7 DHL fee — approx. €632.50 delivered, or about €6.33 per tee, VAT included, in mixed sizes and colours. Delivery takes 2–3 business days to 11 EU countries. Printing is extra and depends on technique and ink colours.
The Valueweight T (approx. 165 g/m², 100 % cotton) is the standard bulk tee for events, merch and staff. The Classic Hooded Sweat (280 g/m², 80/20) is the standard bulk hoodie, and the Premium Polo (approx. 180 g/m²) suits workwear. Keeping one model per order keeps sizing and colour consistent across the whole run and on reorders.
