The global T-shirt market is growing at six per cent and is expected to register significant growth with rising disposable incomes and a rapidly shifting trend toward customized T-shirts. In addition, advances in technology have led to the introduction of advanced inkjet heads that are compatible with a variety of inks from different suppliers. In addition, fine embroideries with a faster output rate have also been developed significantly. The industry has been aligning its research and development activities taking into account the dynamic nature of fashion trends demanding shorter production cycles and high-quality prints.

Cotton is the most common and preferred fabric for T-shirts. However, other materials such as linen, Lycra, polyester, rayon, and blends of two or three materials are also used for manufacturing T-shirts. T-shirts made from Lycra and polyester are generally used for athletic apparels, while cotton and linen T-shirts are preferred for daily casual wear.

Based on ink type, the T-shirts market is classified into dyes ink, sublimation ink, pigment ink and others. The emergence of advanced alternative techniques such as sublimation printing is a major driving factor for custom T-shirt printing and the dyes and inks involved in printing the T-shirts. Printing technology and advanced machines capable of creating flawless embroidery have also helped the overall T-shirt industry to flourish.