What’s the difference between a shirt people wear to brunch and one they use to wash their car?

That’s exactly what Marc Vila from ColDesi tackles in this episode of the CAS Podcast, joined by Melissa Commanday from Next Level Apparel.

It’s a deep, no-fluff dive into why the quality of your blank apparel can make or break your brand, your print quality, and your customer retention.

This episode is for you if:

• You’re tired of selling shirts that don’t get worn

• You’ve ever had a customer disappear without complaining — and don’t know why

• You want to charge more for your work but can’t justify it with cheap blanks

• You’ve invested in great printing equipment and still wonder why your output looks average

Here’s what you’ll take away:

• Why “freebie-quality” blanks ruin premium designs: No matter how good your artwork or printer is, cheap shirts kill the final product. Marc breaks down how using low-end blanks leads to poor wash performance, bad drape, and print issues — all of which your customer blames on you.

• Cost-per-wear logic that boosts your margins: Melissa explains why premium shirts — even if they cost more up front — lead to repeat wears, brand visibility, and more referrals. That $1 difference per shirt? It’s likely your most profitable upgrade.

• The silent killer of small business growth: Not all unhappy customers complain. Many just never order again. Learn how to gather meaningful feedback and turn “meh” into loyalty.

• Real talk on rebranding and customer perception: Want your brand to be taken seriously? Then the tearaway tags, soft fabric, and retail-level fit of your blanks matter. Whether it’s your own brand or a client’s, people judge the final piece — not the price sheet.

• How better blanks = easier selling: If your customers wear the shirts proudly, they become walking billboards. Marc shares how a personal trainer literally gained new clients just by wearing a well-fitted branded tee.

If you’re a print shop, designer, or brand selling merch — and you’ve been choosing your blanks based on what’s cheapest on the distributor site that day — this episode will challenge that thinking hard.

Because shirts are more than just products. They’re emotional. They’re identity. They’re walking reviews.

Listen now if you’re ready to stop selling forgettable merch — and start delivering apparel people actually love.