Company clothing is one of the cheapest forms of visibility a business can buy, and Fruit of the Loom is the garment most European teams end up wearing under the logo. This guide picks the right model for each role, settles the print-or-embroidery question and works out a real cost per employee in 2026.
The standard Fruit of the Loom workwear set is the Valueweight T (approx. 165 g/m²) or Heavy Cotton T, the 65/35 Polo for customer-facing staff, the Classic Set-In Sweat and Classic Hooded Sweat (both 280 g/m²). Blanks at Marmalade Co., the cheapest verified option with EU-wide delivery, cost €6.95 (tee), €10.95 (polo), €16.95 (crewneck) and €20.95 (hoodie), 10 % less from 5 pieces — approx. €42 per employee for two tees, a polo and a hoodie including €7 DHL shipping. Embroider polos and sweats; screen-print tees from 25 pieces.
Look at the staff in a café, a warehouse, a garden centre or a trade fair stand anywhere in Europe and there is a good chance the tee or polo under the logo is Fruit of the Loom. Three things make it the default for workwear with a logo:
| Garment | Recommended model | Why | Blank price at Marmalade Co. (5+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-shirt, everyday | Valueweight T (61-036), approx. 165 g/m² | Smooth print surface, tubular, 16 colours | €6.95 (€6.26) |
| T-shirt, heavy use | Heavy Cotton T (61-212), approx. 195 g/m² | Thicker, boxier, survives years of washing | approx. €6.95–8.95 |
| Long-sleeve tee | Valueweight Long Sleeve T (61-038) | Cooler months, under a fleece | €8.95 (€8.06) |
| Polo, customer-facing | 65/35 Polo (63-402) or Premium Polo (63-218, 100 % cotton, approx. 180 g/m²) | Piqué holds embroidery; 65/35 keeps shape, 100 % cotton feels softer | €10.95 (€9.86) |
| Crewneck | Classic Set-In Sweat (62-202), 280 g/m² | Tidier than a hoodie, ideal chest logo | €16.95 (€15.26) |
| Hoodie | Classic Hooded Sweat (62-208), 280 g/m² | Warehouse, outdoor and events; large back print | €20.95 (€18.86) |
| Zip hoodie | Classic Hooded Sweat Jacket (62-062) | Easy on/off over a polo; premium look with embroidery | €27.95 (approx. €25.16) |
Prices are incl. VAT; the 5+ column reflects the automatic 10 % quantity discount on most products. For fit and cut details see our polo shirt guide and hoodie guide.
| Technique | Best on | Advantages | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Embroidery | Polos, crewnecks, zip hoodies — chest logo | Most professional look, outlasts the garment, survives industrial washing | Priced per stitch; keep logos simple and under approx. 10 cm |
| Screen print | Tees and hoodies, 25+ pieces | Lowest cost per piece at volume, large prints possible | Set-up cost per colour; less premium on polos |
| DTG | Small runs, full-colour logos on light tees | No set-up, any colour count | Higher per piece, best on light 100 % cotton |
| Vinyl / transfer | Names, roles, numbers | Cheap personalisation, quick | Shorter life; slight plastic feel |
The simple rule used by most uniform suppliers: embroider what customers see up close, print what needs to be big or cheap. A café team gets embroidered polos; a warehouse team gets screen-printed tees and hoodies; a trade-fair crew gets printed tees for the week. Our printing guide goes deeper on each technique.
Building a staff wardrobe? Marmalade Co. sells Fruit of the Loom polos from €10.95, crewnecks from €16.95 and hoodies from €20.95 with 10 % off from 5 pieces, €7 DHL delivery in 2–3 business days and a price guarantee.
See workwear basics at Marmalade Co. →Here is a realistic costing for a team of ten, blanks only, using Marmalade Co.'s prices and the 10 % discount that applies from five pieces of the same product. Decoration is quoted separately by your local embroiderer or printer and varies by country, so we show it as a range to expect rather than a fixed number.
| Item | Qty | Unit (5+) | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valueweight T | 20 (2 each) | €6.26 | €125.20 |
| Original polo | 10 | €9.86 | €98.60 |
| Classic hoodie | 10 | €18.86 | €188.60 |
| DHL shipping | 1 parcel | €7.00 | €7.00 |
| Total blanks | 40 pieces | — | approx. €419.40 |
| Per employee, before logo | 4 pieces | — | approx. €42 |
Add an embroidered chest logo on the polo and hoodie and a one-colour print on the tees, and most European suppliers land the complete kit somewhere in the region of €70–100 per employee — still less than many single branded softshell jackets. The larger the run, the smaller the decoration share, because set-up costs are spread across more pieces.
Smaller than you think. Blanks have no minimum: Marmalade Co. sells from one piece, and the quantity discount already starts at three. Decoration is the constraint — embroiderers often accept from about 6–12 pieces, screen printers from about 10–25 because of set-up, while DTG and vinyl work from a single piece. A five-person start-up can therefore have embroidered polos within two to three weeks; a 200-person company gets the best per-piece price with screen printing and embroidery combined.
For ongoing needs, save the logo file and the size list, and reorder in batches of five or more so every order qualifies for the 10 % discount and a single €7 shipping fee. If a wholesaler in your own country quotes less for the identical product, Marmalade Co.'s price guarantee lets you ask for a match rather than opening another supplier account.
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, polos, crewnecks and hoodies in matching colours, 10 % off from 5 pieces, one €7 DHL fee and a price guarantee — Marmalade Co. is our top pick for company clothing in Europe.
Order staff basics at Marmalade Co. →| 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 |
| 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 |
Choose a product and quantity — the total includes the quantity discount (5 % from 3 pcs, 10 % from 5 pcs) and €7 shipping.
Blanks first: two Valueweight tees, one polo and one Classic hoodie per person cost approx. €42 each for a team of ten at Marmalade Co. (€6.26, €9.86 and €18.86 with the 10 % quantity discount, plus one €7 DHL fee). Add embroidery on polo and hoodie and a one-colour print on the tees and most European suppliers land the complete kit around €70–100 per employee.
Embroidery for anything customers see up close — polos, crewnecks, zip hoodies — because it looks premium and survives industrial washing. Screen printing for tees and hoodies in runs of 25 or more, where it is cheapest per piece and allows large prints. DTG suits small full-colour runs on light tees, and vinyl is for names and roles.
The 65/35 Polo (63-402) for hard daily use: the polyester share keeps the shape and colour through frequent 40 °C washes and the piqué holds embroidery well. The Premium Polo (63-218, 100 % cotton, approx. 180 g/m²) feels softer and suits front-of-house teams, but it can shrink a few percent if washed hot. Both cost around €10.95 blank at Marmalade Co.
Blanks have no minimum — Marmalade Co. sells from one piece and discounts from three. The decoration sets the floor: embroiderers commonly accept from about 6–12 pieces, screen printers from about 10–25 because of set-up costs, and DTG or vinyl from a single piece. A five-person team can be fully kitted out with embroidered polos within two to three weeks.
Collect chest measurements and use the Fruit of the Loom chart: S 89–94 cm, M 95–100, L 101–106, XL 107–112, 2XL 113–118, 3XL 119–124. Order all garments in the same size for each person unless they say otherwise, and keep a spare M and L of each item for new starters so you do not pay shipping for a single replacement piece.
With normal care — 30–40 °C washes inside out, no hot tumble drying — the 280 g/m² Classic sweats and 65/35 polos typically last several years of regular wear, and embroidered logos outlast the fabric. Tees are the consumable: budget to replace Valueweight tees every one to two years for staff who wear them daily, which at €6.26 each is a small line item.
