Comfort Colors 1717 is the heavyweight garment-dyed choice for vintage retail looks, Bella+Canvas 3001 is the soft fitted favorite for brands and merch, and Gildan 5000 is the durable budget workhorse for events and giveaways. All three print well, so the right blank comes down to feel, fit, color palette, and what the shirt is actually for.
These three tees cover most of the custom apparel market between them, and we print on all of them weekly. They also anchor three different price points and three different identities, which is why almost every quote conversation eventually lands on one of them. Here is the honest comparison.
What is the real difference between the 1717, 3001, and 5000?
Construction. The Comfort Colors 1717 is a 6.1 oz, 100% ring-spun cotton tee that is garment-dyed, meaning the finished shirt is dyed after sewing, which gives it those soft, washed, slightly faded colors no other process matches. The Bella+Canvas 3001 is a 4.2 oz combed ring-spun cotton tee with a modern side-seamed retail fit. The Gildan 5000 is a 5.3 oz heavy cotton classic: boxy, sturdy, and inexpensive.
| Spec | Comfort Colors 1717 | Bella+Canvas 3001 | Gildan 5000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fabric weight | 6.1 oz heavyweight | 4.2 oz lightweight | 5.3 oz midweight |
| Fabric | 100% ring-spun cotton, garment-dyed | 100% combed ring-spun cotton | 100% cotton (heathers blended) |
| Fit | Relaxed, boxy | Slim retail fit | Classic, roomy |
| Feel | Broken-in, substantial | Softest of the three | Sturdy, stiffer at first |
| Color style | Washed, muted, earthy | Bright and consistent | Bright and consistent |
| Best decoration | Screen print, discharge, DTG | Screen print, DTG | Screen print, DTG on solids |
Which shirt is softest and which fits best?
The 3001 is the softest out of the bag and the most fitted; it drapes like a retail shirt and runs slimmer, so some buyers size up. The 1717 is heavy and gets better with every wash, with a boxy relaxed cut that fits the current oversized trend. The 5000 is roomier and stiffer at first, softening over time. If your audience expects a fashion fit, choose the 3001; if they expect a thick vintage tee, the 1717; if the shirt is a uniform or a giveaway that needs to survive abuse, the 5000.
Fit is also the thing you cannot judge from a photo, so when a whole team or company will wear the shirt, order a sample of the finalists first. Because DTG has no minimum, you can get one printed sample of each blank, hand them around, and let the people who will actually wear them vote before you commit to a full run.
Is Comfort Colors Ivory or White better for printing?
Ivory is a garment-dyed off-white with a warm, vintage cast, and it is one of the most popular Comfort Colors shades for a reason: it makes earth-tone and retro designs look intentional. White is a brighter, cleaner white. Both print beautifully. Pick White when the design needs a true bright background or crisp brand colors, and Ivory when you want the whole shirt to read as soft and washed. If you are unsure, order one of each as DTG samples and compare them in person.
Can you sublimate on Comfort Colors shirts?
No. Sublimation only bonds with polyester, and the 1717 is 100% cotton, so sublimation dye would wash right out. For full-color artwork on a 1717, use DTG or screen printing, both of which love ring-spun cotton. If your project genuinely needs sublimation, it needs a polyester garment, and our sublimation vs DTF comparison covers that decision.
Which blank should you pick for screen printing vs DTG?
All three screen print well. The 1717 is the specialty pick: garment-dyed cotton pairs beautifully with discharge and water-based inks for that buttery vintage print. The 3001 is the DTG champion, since combed ring-spun cotton takes digital ink with the sharpest detail. The 5000 screen prints reliably in solid colors; just avoid DTG on its heather and sport grey shades, which contain polyester.
How do the prices compare?
The blank is only part of the cost; decoration method, quantity, and ink colors drive the rest. As a rule the 5000 is the budget option, the 3001 sits in the middle, and the 1717 costs the most, which is exactly the order their perceived value follows. Current decoration pricing by quantity is in our screen printing cost guide, and you can browse all three blanks with live pricing on our t-shirts page.
The fastest way to decide is to price your actual design on each shirt. Our quote builder comes preloaded with the Comfort Colors 1717, the Bella+Canvas 3001, or the Gildan 5000, garment and printing quoted together in about a minute. For a deeper look at the fashion-blank side of this decision, see our Bella+Canvas vs Gildan vs Next Level guide.
