UNSPSC 53101600: Shirts and blouses

UNSPSC 53101600 Shirts and blouses, a Class code, covers apparel sourcing and customization services that state and local governments buy for employee uniforms, student dress codes, promotional merchandise, and operational branding needs. Recent solicitations show state and local buyers purchasing ready-made and custom apparel — including polo shirts, button-up shirts, t-shirts, blouses, and related items — often bundled with embroidery, screen printing, heat-seal appliques, and graphic design services. The issuing-body mix spans school districts (San Antonio ISD, Laredo ISD, Magnolia ISD), cities (City of Richardson), and transit authorities (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority), with school districts appearing as the dominant repeat buyer across the recent opportunities.

Activity clusters in Texas and Massachusetts. The San Antonio ISD alone posted two separate apparel solicitations in early 2026 — one for customizable promotional products and incentives and a second for school uniforms across twelve specialty campuses serving approximately 7,000 students — both with March 2026 proposal deadlines. Magnolia ISD in Montgomery County, Texas issued RFP030226 for custom apparel on March 2, 2026, with proposals due April 16, 2026, seeking vendors to provide t-shirts, polo shirts, button-up shirts, hoodies, jackets, and related customization services for an initial one-year term with four optional renewals. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority issued RFP 194-25 on February 11, 2026, to procure uniforms and accessories for approximately 3,800 employees across multiple classifications, with a March 30, 2026 proposal deadline and mandatory pre-bid conference on February 17, 2026. The City of Richardson posted Solicitation 5526 on May 14, 2026, for an annual requirements contract for embroidered items with proposals due June 16, 2026. Evaluation typically weights price at 30–60 points alongside vendor qualifications, past performance, and alignment with buyer needs; Texas school districts frequently impose SWMBE (Small, Women-owned, and Minority-owned Business Enterprise) and HUB participation requirements, with San Antonio ISD mandating 20 percent participation by dollar value.