A long sleeve tee needs everything a short sleeve tee needs, plus three decisions: the full sleeve length, the cuff, and where the print goes on the sleeve. Our long sleeves run from 150 to 330 GSM in the catalog, and our tech pack prices them in our T-shirt fabrics from 160 to 300 GSM. State the sleeve's starting point and finished length on every size so the sample and bulk are measured the same way.
Which measurements does a long sleeve tee need?
On top of the body measurements (chest, length, shoulder, neck), a long sleeve tee needs:
- Sleeve length, from the shoulder point to the end of the cuff. Say where you start: from the shoulder point on a set-in sleeve, or from the neck on a raglan.
- Bicep, measured flat, 2.5 cm below the armhole.
- Elbow, if the sleeve tapers.
- Cuff width relaxed, and cuff height if it has a rib.
Our short sleeve size charts don't cover long sleeves, so a long sleeve starts from your numbers or from a tee you send us. Send one you like and tell us its size; we use it as the sample.
On a long sleeve, the measuring point is everything. A sleeve measured from the shoulder seam and a sleeve measured from the neck differ by several centimeters. We once refunded a full order of raglan zip hoodies because our pattern maker and our sales team read the sleeve measurement differently. Write the point next to the number.
Rib cuffs or a hemmed sleeve?
Choose rib cuffs for a sleeve that stays at the wrist, and a hemmed sleeve for one that hangs open.
- Rib cuff: a separate band of rib knit sewn onto the sleeve end. It stretches over the hand and springs back, and it stays put when the sleeve is pushed up the arm. Common on heavyweight and streetwear long sleeves.
- Hemmed sleeve: the sleeve end folded and stitched, like a short sleeve. Lighter and cleaner, common on basics.
Write the cuff type and height in the tech pack.
Where can a print go?
A long sleeve gives you print space a short sleeve doesn't: down the sleeve and near the wrist, as well as the chest and back. Each position is priced on its own.
A print down the sleeve is a long, narrow strip. Give its width, its length and how far below the shoulder seam it starts. Keep it above the cuff: a print running onto a rib cuff stretches and cracks.
We print by screen print, DTG or DTF in our own print shop in Zhongshan. DTF can be the lower-cost choice on a small run, but it doesn't suit tees that go into a hot tumble dryer: the heat can crack or peel a DTF print. If your buyers use a hot dryer, discuss another print method or test the sample with that care routine.
Which fabric weight?
Choose by season and look. Our catalog long sleeves run from 150 to 330 GSM:
- Around 160–200 GSM: a layering tee, worn under a jacket or a shirt.
- Around 220–260 GSM: an everyday long sleeve that holds its shape. Our most-ordered tee weights are 210 to 230 GSM.
- 280 GSM and up: a heavyweight long sleeve that works as an outer layer. Heavyweight for tees starts at 240 GSM.
Remember sleeves add fabric: a long sleeve tee costs more than the same tee with short sleeves, and weighs more to ship.
What should you check on the sample?
Put the sample on a person who wears the base size, with their arms relaxed and then bent. Check where the cuff sits in both positions. A sleeve can meet the number on the chart when laid flat yet feel short once the wearer moves.
Measure the sample from the same starting point written in the tech pack. Record the relaxed cuff opening, then wash the sample using the care method planned for the finished tee and measure it again. If the print runs down the arm, check its distance from the shoulder and cuff after washing. Send any changes back as measurements, not only as a comment that the sleeve "looks short."
How long, how many and how much?
Full custom starts at 100 pieces per style and per color, sizes split inside. A plain sample takes about 3 to 7 days; with a print, about 10. Bulk is 7 to 20 working days after you approve the sample (as of November 2026).
At 100 pieces, a blank long sleeve tee in 235 GSM cotton was listed at $8.60 to $10.70 a piece on our T-shirt tech pack on October 31, 2026. The short sleeve tee in the same fabric was $6.70 to $8.80. Prices can move with the exchange rate; we quote your chosen fabric, print and cuff.
FAQ
Can you make a long sleeve with thumbholes?
Ask us with a photo. It changes the cuff construction.
Can the sleeves be raglan?
Yes. See raglan T-shirts for the colors and measuring point.
Will a long sleeve shrink in length?
Cotton can. Ask for the shrinkage result of your chosen fabric. On a long sleeve, check the sleeve length after washing as well as the body length.
Do you have long sleeve tees in stock?
We have one stock long sleeve tee on our stock blanks page, from 50 pieces.
Next step
Send a long sleeve tee you like with its size, or your measurements with the sleeve's starting point, plus the cuff type and print positions. See our styles on the custom long sleeve T-shirt page or start a T-shirt tech pack.
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