The 5 best brands for kids’ wholesale clothing
Whether you’re kitting out a school sports team or club, stocking a retail range or ordering uniforms, sourcing children’s clothing in bulk can be a tricky operation if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for. But get it right and find a reliable supplier, and it becomes a breeze. This quick guide covers what to look for when choosing kids’ wholesale clothing, followed by our pick of five of the best brands available through Screen Textiles.
how to choose kids' wholesale clothing
When you’re starting your search for brands, it’s a good idea to create a checklist of requirements and tick off the ones that fit the bill. You might end up with a single option, which makes your choice all the simpler. But even if you narrow it down to two or three options, you’ll know that you can’t make the wrong choice based on the fundamentals. Here are the things to look out for.
Safety and compliance
Let’s get the most important requirement out of the way first. Children's garments sold in the UK must meet strict safety requirements, including compliance with UK General Product Safety Regulations and UKCA marking where applicable. Pay special attention to drawstrings on hoods and necklines, as EU and UK standards limit them for young children. If a brand overlooks this rule, it may disregard others as well.
Additionally, REACH regulations govern the use of harmful chemicals in textiles. A reputable brand will be transparent about compliance, so it’s essential to research brands and check for any concerning media coverage, especially when buying for schools or nurseries with strict duty-of-care obligations.
comfort
Children’s skin is much more sensitive than adults’. Kids will quickly complain about garments that are irritating, itchy, ill-fitting, or too warm or too cold for their intended use. It’s simply not worth the hassle of responding to complaints from children and parents when a quick search could increase your odds of getting comfy gear.
For everyday basics like T-shirts, sweatshirts and PE kits, look for a mid-weight cotton or cotton-rich blend. It’s all about finding the right balance of softness, breathability, and durability while staying within budget. For outdoor clothing or sportswear, look for moisture-wicking, quick-drying fabrics.
size range and fit
Some children grow quickly, and others like to take their time, and they come in all sizes. Finding a brand with a wide, consistent size range across its products will help you enormously.
It’s also worth checking whether brands offer half-sizes or age- and height-based sizing, which tends to be more accurate for younger children. If you’re stocking up for retail, think about how parents would view the clothing. They will often go for more generous cuts for growing kids, not a “perfect fit” that’ll be too tight in six weeks.
Customisation and branding
It’s not uncommon for kids’ wholesale clothing to be decorated with a school badge, club logo, team name or sponsor details. If your clothing is destined for customisation, make sure it’s printable and suitable for embroidery.
Smooth, consistent fabric surfaces take screen printing and DTG (direct-to-garment) printing well. But loose weaves or textured fabrics simply can’t be printed that way, although embroidery is often an option.
Minimum order quantities and pricing
Some wholesalers set high minimum order quantities (MOQs), and all items must be the same to qualify for bulk discounts. Others, like Screen Textiles, are much more flexible and are priced to appeal to people making mid-sized orders.
There will always be someone cheaper, but customers usually find out the hard way why they’re cheap, and it could be dispatch times, hidden costs, return policies, item consistency or a host of other pitfalls. Find one you trust, and you’ve got a partner for life.
Sustainability
Everyday people are much more aware of the sustainability and ethical policies of brands, and it has never been easier to find out. If this matters to you or your organisation, look for brands with certifications such as GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard), OEKO-TEX Standard 100, or membership of the Better Cotton Initiative.
the 5 best brands for kids' wholesale clothing
We’ve looked at the factors that should feed into your decision, so now it’s time for our five recommendations. This hasn’t been an easy decision, because honestly, we only stock reputable brands that fulfil all the requirements above for the age groups in question. But based on cost and availability – and hundreds of past orders from satisfied customers – we’d probably go with the following brands.
1. fruit of the loom
Fruit of the Loom is one of the world’s most recognised and trusted names in wholesale basics, and its children’s range is a particular favourite. Their kids’ T-shirts and sweatshirts are made of classic cotton-rich fabrics that have hardly changed over the years. That is deliberate, as consistency is important. Buyers return year after year because they know exactly what they’re getting in terms of weight, fit and finish. Fruit of the Loom’s children’s range covers ages from toddler upwards. Sizing is reliable across batches, which school and club uniform buyers love, especially when they need to reorder halfway through a year. Pricing also makes them accessible for budget-tight organisations.
For print and decoration, Fruit of the Loom is about as close to an industry standard as it’s possible to be. The smooth, medium-weight jersey takes screen printing really well, making them a popular base for decorated school and club wear. Their choice of colours is legendary, too. For buyers who need reliable, decoration-ready kids’ basics, Fruit of the Loom remains a hard brand to beat.
2. gildan
Gildan has grown into one of the world’s largest garment manufacturers, and this scale helps to make it consistent and competitive. The brand is best known for its heavier-weight T-shirts and fleeces, and the kids’ range follows those specs. Gildan makes solid, durable clothing at a price point that makes large orders financially sensible. Where Gildan really excels is in the breadth of its colour palette, and yes, that extends to the children’s range too (some brands ignore children when it comes to colours). The brand is also a world leader in sustainability, traceability and ethical labour practices. Because of the slightly heavier fabric weight, garments hold their shape well after repeated washes, which is a real benefit for school uniforms and club kits that get dirty and see heavy use. If you’re looking for value, colour range and durability, Gildan is a natural choice.
3. russell
It’s fair to say that Russell occupies a slightly higher position in the market than Fruit of the Loom or Gildan, with an even stronger focus on quality construction and durability. Much of this comes from its sportswear heritage, which makes Russell a good choice for quality kids’ clothing. Russell’s children’s range includes T-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies and performance tops, making it a great option if you’re looking for both everyday wear and activewear. The fabric quality is noticeably good. Russell uses combed cotton in many of its children’s garments, and that produces a softer hand feel and a finer, more consistent surface. This makes the garments ideal for embroidery, making the brand a popular choice for schools and clubs that use embroidered badges.
Russell’s sizing tends to be slightly more generous than some brands', which parents do appreciate. Quality seam construction and collar shaping also contribute to finished garments that look polished and smart, which matters for schools and clubs looking to project a professional image. We’d say Russell is a step up in quality, but the costs are still affordable.
Shop Fruit of the Loom kids' clothing, here.
Shop the Gildan kids' range here.
For kids' Russell clothing, shop here.
Shop Just Hoods' for kids, here.
To shop Regatta for kids, click here.
4. just hoods
Just Hoods by AWDis is a specialist hoodie and sweatshirt brand (despite their name), and in that niche, it can be hard to beat for kids’ wholesale. The range is focused but deep. They make children’s hoodies, zipped hoodies and sweatshirts in a good range of sizes and colours, using fabric that’s softer and perhaps more fashion-focused than standard wholesale items. The brand’s children’s hoodies have become a go-to for school leavers, youth club wear, and sports teams because the quality feels premium while the pricing is still affordable. Just Hoods’ clothes also handle decoration very well, as the smooth surface is ideal for print. If you’re thinking about decoration, consider hoodies with the kangaroo pocket, as it gives a lovely big canvas to work on
Colour availability is decent too, but look out for seasonal additions that strengthen the core palette even further. If hoodies and sweatshirts are prominent in your mix, Just Hoods could be your first choice.
5. regatta
When you’re looking for outdoor wholesale clothing for kids, Regatta definitely deserves your consideration. Regatta’s children’s range fits the bill perfectly if you’re getting kitted out for outward-bound trips, Scouts or Guides, sports clubs or activity holidays. Best of all, they come without the eye-watering price tags that performance clothes often have attached.
Particular favourites include Regatta’s softshell jackets, fleeces, waterproof outerwear and base layers, because they’re designed for genuine outdoor use. The children’s range mirrors the adult range pretty closely, too, so if you’re looking for features like taped seams, underarm ventilation, and packable clothing for the young ones, you’ll find them in this range. That also makes the clothing great for mixed-age groups, where you want to keep the team spirit alive.
ready to order?
We always have large collections of these five brands in stock and ready to ship. Hopefully this article has helped you to decide which to choose, but if you need more help choosing, don’t hesitate to get in touch.