Price or performance, price or performance… it’s an age-old choice Team 365 and A4 ensure you don’t have to make.

If you need custom t-shirts that show off your designs while keeping both costs and body temperatures down, then there’s a good chance you will have to choose between these two popular custom apparel brands.

But does one offer better value than the other? We dove deep into each company’s most popular shirt models to find the answer.

Team 365 Shirts

Pros

• Tends to be slightly cheaper
• Super lightweight
• More available custom apparel options

Cons

• May be less durably constructed
• Not as many colors
• No public company profile

A4 Shirts

Pros

• High quality for the price
• Lots of color options
• Higher UV protection

Cons

• Can cost more
• Somewhat heavier
• Not as many custom apparel options

Team 365 vs. A4: Brand Comparison

To paint a full portrait of these two competing brands, let’s start with the broad strokes. Below, we’ll break down how each company differs on key characteristics including brand history, product lines, pricing, and sustainability.

Brand Overview

Team 365

Team 365 doesn’t really have a clear brand presence. The manufacturer has no website, Wikipedia page, or company story. The only way to purchase Team 365 shirts is via third-party printers like RushOrderTees.

A4

A4 is a family-owned athletic apparel company that designs, packs, and ships its wares from Los Angeles, California.

Takeaway: A4 has more transparent company information.

Products

Team 365

Team 365 offers basic custom activewear like tees, shorts, jackets, and hats. Most of these products are pretty typical athletic garments designed to help athletes perform at the top of their game or keep you cool while you’re running errands, doing yard work, or watching said athletes from the sidelines.

A4

While A4 specializes in activewear, the company manufactures a huge range of products. They produce custom gear for just about every major sport, including football, lacrosse, soccer, and softball for all age groups.

Takeaway: A4 produces a wider range of athletic products, though you’ll find more custom apparel options from Team 365.

Quality and Price

Team 365

For similar products, Team 365 tends to be a bit cheaper. For the custom athletic t-shirts we’ll compare below, for example, you could expect to pay over $2 more for a single unit of a comparable shirt from A4.

A4

While A4 t-shirts may be a bit more expensive on a product-for-product basis, they feature a wider range of offerings and price points. However, it’s worth noting that price differences can vary by product and get slimmer when you order in bulk.

Takeaway: Team 365 is cheaper on a per-unit basis for comparable products.

Sustainability

Team 365

Team 365 uses quality cotton and polyester materials in its garments, but makes no explicit claims about sustainable practices like achieving eco-friendly certifications or using recycled components.

A4

According to its website, A4 has a commitment to waste reduction and fabric recycling. The company also designs and ships stock products locally in the U.S.

Takeaway: A4 appears to have more sustainable manufacturing practices.

Team 365 vs. A4: The T-Shirt Matchups

Now, to get down to the nitty-gritty, we took a closer look at how some of these brands’ shirts compare feature-for-feature:

• The Short Sleeve: Team 365 Men's Performance T-Shirt vs. A4 Moisture Wicking T-Shirt
• The Long Sleeve: Team 365 Zone Performance Long Sleeve Shirt vs. A4 Moisture Wicking Long Sleeve Shirt

All things being equal, these options are fairly similar. You’ll find that many of their specifications are at least close to the same, if not identical.

It’s also worth reiterating that these are just some of the models available from these two brands. While you could find a product from one manufacturer with specs that are more aligned with your custom garment needs, these options are at least fairly representative of how each of these brands’ comparable products stack up.

The Short Sleeve: Team 365 Men's Performance T-Shirt vs. A4 Moisture Wicking T-Shirt

Team 365 Men's Performance T-Shirt | A4 Moisture Wicking T-Shirt

If you’re looking for a simple, affordable performance tee available in a multitude of colors (26 each, to be exact) for maximum customization potential, you’ll probably find yourself looking at these exact two products.

Both of these are textbook athletic shirts with moisture wicking properties. Made from 100% polyester and featuring UV protection, either could become a go-to pick for a day in the yard or a morning at the gym. Both options come in women’s and youth sizes as well as varying sleeve lengths.

If you want to split hairs to make a pick, Team 365’s shirt is a bit lighter, while the A4 shirt may be more durable with reinforced shoulder seams and double-needle cover-stitch hem.

Our recommendation: Team 365 Men’s Performance T-Shirt

Takeaway

Overall, the A4 Moisture Wicking T-Shirt (N3142) is the better quality shirt — but for the cost difference, it may be worth the savings for the Team 365 Men’s Performance T-Shirt (TT11). Team 365’s option is half an ounce lighter and costs about $2 less for a single unit. Even if it may be slightly less durable than A4’s option, it should be a pretty minor difference at this price point.

The Long Sleeve: Team 365 Zone Performance Long Sleeve Shirt vs. A4 Moisture Wicking Long Sleeve Shirt

Team 365 Zone Performance Long Sleeve Shirt | A4 Moisture Wicking Long Sleeve Shirt

Whether you’re customizing long-sleeve performance shirts for a worksite, an event, or anything else under the sun, Team 365 and A4 have comparable options to help you keep the rays at bay.

Both of these long-sleeve tees have decent UV protection, though A4’s (UPF 44+) has a slight leg up on Team 365’s (UPF 40). While their weights are quite close, Team 365 has a slight advantage at 3.8 oz compared to A4’s 4 oz, but you’re not likely to notice the difference in these 100% polyester shirts.

Another perk Team 365 has in its favor is catatonic dyes, which provide brightness for those who need these shirts to have maximum visibility. For its part, A4’s shirt is fade-resistant and boasts more color options at 23 to Team 365’s 13, including some very bright options that should still stand out.

Our recommendation: A4 Moisture Wicking Long Sleeve Shirt

Takeaway

The A4 Moisture Wicking Long Sleeve Shirt (N3165) gets the edge here for providing a slightly better value than the Team 365 Zone Performance Long Sleeve Shirt (TT11L). At a price difference of less than $1 for a single unit, A4’s durability and wider range of color options are worth exploring.

Team 365 vs. A4: Which Shirt Should You Choose?

In general, Team 365 tends to offer slightly better prices for similar garments, while A4 can have an advantage when it comes to color options and durability. Meanwhile, this A4 shirt also gets points for having a clearer brand story with notable sustainability practices, which Team 365 lacks.

At the end of the day, these are both bargain-priced manufacturers of custom tees, so your choice may just come down to which one offers the best value for your needs at scale.

That said, there are plenty of other fish in the custom t-shirt sea — these are just two of many apparel brands to explore from RushOrderTees.

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