The Comfort Colors 1717 comes in 68 colors in our catalog. White is a true bright white, Ivory is a warm off-white, Black is a deep washed black and Pepper is a faded charcoal. At French Press Custom in Santa Fe Springs, a one-color print is $16.34 per shirt on White or Ivory and $17.38 on Black or Pepper at 50 pieces.
The price gap is the white underbase we print under your ink on any color that is not clearly light. Below: the two big head-to-heads, the full color list with hex codes, ink pairings, and prices from our quote calculator.
What is Comfort Colors?
Comfort Colors is a tee brand known for garment dyeing: the shirt is sewn first and dyed afterward, which gives it a soft, broken-in feel and slightly faded, vintage color. Its flagship is the 1717, a 6.1 oz/yd² tee in 100% ring-spun cotton with a relaxed fit, sold in sizes S to 4XL, per the S&S Activewear catalog description. Our Comfort Colors guide covers the brand in depth and our Comfort Colors 1717 page has specs and live pricing.
Garment-dyed colors vary slightly between dye lots, so treat the hex codes here as a screen guide. We pull your whole order from one lot when stock allows.
Comfort Colors White vs Ivory: what is the difference?
White is a clean, bright white. Ivory is a creamy, warm off-white with a slight beige cast, the shade people pick when they want a vintage or natural look without going all the way to tan.
| White | Ivory | |
|---|---|---|
| Hex (supplier) | #FFFFFF | #E7CEB5 |
| Look | Bright, crisp | Warm cream, vintage |
| White underbase for screen print | No | No |
| 1-color screen print, 50 pieces | $16.34 | $16.34 |
| 2-color screen print, 100 pieces | $15.32 | $15.32 |
| DTG full-color front, 24 pieces | $25.91 | $25.91 |
Both are light shirts in our pricing, so they cost the same: no underbase, and DTG at the light-garment rate.
How to choose: pick White when your art has bright colors that must match a logo exactly, because a white shirt changes ink color the least. Pick Ivory for earthy palettes, vintage graphics and black or brown ink, where the warm base makes the print look aged on purpose.
Comfort Colors Black vs Pepper: which should you choose?
Black on a 1717 is a deep black with the softer, washed look garment dyeing gives every color. Pepper is a faded charcoal, lighter than Black, and it is the color most associated with the worn-in Comfort Colors look.
| Black | Pepper | |
|---|---|---|
| Hex (supplier) | #25282A | #4E4B48 |
| Look | Deep washed black | Faded charcoal, vintage |
| White underbase for screen print | Yes | Yes |
| 1-color screen print, 50 pieces | $17.38 | $17.38 |
| 2-color screen print, 100 pieces | $15.95 | $15.95 |
| DTG full-color front, 24 pieces | $30.91 | $30.91 |
Both are dark, so both get the underbase and the DTG dark rate, at the same price.
How to choose: Black gives the most contrast for white, metallic and neon ink, and it hides wear best on work and event shirts. Pepper suits merch, campus and brand drops where the faded look is the point.
Which Comfort Colors colors need a white underbase?
When we screen print, only colors that are clearly light skip the underbase. Our pricing reads the color name, and anything not clearly light, including every mid-tone, bright and pastel, gets the white layer. Of the 68 colors on the 1717:
- Light, no underbase (4): White, Ivory, Butter, Sandstone.
- Dark, underbase (7): Black, Pepper, Navy, True Navy, Midnight, Graphite, Espresso.
- Everything else, underbase (57): brights, pastels and mid-tones like Blue Jean, Sage, Chambray, Granite and Watermelon.
That last group surprises people. Ink printed straight onto a pastel like Chambray or Blossom takes on the shirt color, so a white base keeps a red logo red. Our quote adds that screen automatically.
On a 1717, a dark shirt costs the same as one extra ink color on a light shirt. At 50 pieces, DTG is $22.91 on a light shirt and $25.91 on a dark one.
| Print, 100 pieces | White or Ivory | Black or Pepper |
|---|---|---|
| 1-color front | $14.68 | $15.32 |
| 2-color front | $15.32 | $15.95 |
| 3-color front | $15.95 | $16.59 |
Butter and Sandstone price like White, and Blue Jean, Sage, Chambray and Granite price like Black. All prices are per shirt printed, before tax, sizes S to XL. Screen print setup is included in the per-shirt price. Sizes 2XL and up carry a supplier upcharge, which the calculator adds by size.
What ink colors look best on which Comfort Colors shirts?
A few rules of thumb from our press:
- Light shirts (White, Ivory, Butter, Sandstone): dark inks are the strongest choice. Black, navy, forest, brown and deep red print crisp with no underbase. Avoid white ink on these.
- Black and Pepper: white, cream, gold, bright yellow and neon inks pop. On Pepper, a cream or off-white ink gives a faded, vintage effect.
- Mid-tones (Blue Jean, Sage, Granite, Grey, Bay): white or cream ink is the safest single color. Black ink works too, with lower contrast.
- Brights and pastels (Watermelon, Chalky Mint, Blossom, Orchid): white ink, or a darker shade of the shirt color for a tone-on-tone look.
- Soft vintage prints on dark colors: water-based ink soaks into the cotton instead of sitting on top. Ask us before choosing discharge on a garment-dyed shirt, because results depend on the dye. See water-based and discharge printing.
If your art is full color or a photo, DTG printing has no color count and no minimum. It is brightest on White and Ivory.
The full Comfort Colors 1717 color list with hex codes
All 68 colors from our supplier catalog, light colors first, then dark, then everything else. Only White, Ivory, Butter and Sandstone skip the underbase. Hex values are the supplier's screen colors.
| Color | Hex | Color | Hex |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | #FFFFFF | Ivory | #E7CEB5 |
| Butter | #F5E1A4 | Sandstone | #A69F88 |
| Black | #25282A | Pepper | #4E4B48 |
| Graphite | #1D252D | Espresso | #533625 |
| Navy | #0C2340 | True Navy | #041E42 |
| Midnight | #1B365D | Granite | #7C878E |
| Grey | #716E6A | Khaki | #A09074 |
| Bay | #94A596 | Sage | #3E4827 |
| Moss | #22372B | Hemp | #1C4220 |
| Light Green | #5C7F71 | Emerald | #00685E |
| Blue Spruce | #004C45 | Island Green | #00957A |
| Island Reef | #8FE2B0 | Chalky Mint | #5CB8B2 |
| Seafoam | #487A7B | Lagoon | #05C3DE |
| Blue Jean | #647692 | Washed Denim | #6787B7 |
| Denim | #425563 | Chambray | #BDD6E6 |
| Hydrangea | #A7BCD6 | Ice Blue | #5B7F95 |
| Yankey Blue | #829CA5 | Royal Caribe | #0082BA |
| Sapphire | #007DBA | Flo Blue | #5576D1 |
| Mystic Blue | #5C88DA | Periwinkle | #485CC7 |
| China Blue | #002855 | Violet | #7474C1 |
| Neon Violet | #BF9BDE | Orchid | #C7B2DE |
| Grape | #211551 | Dusk | #735B6A |
| Berry | #7E4966 | Wine | #51284F |
| Rose Quartz | #E2ACD7 | Blossom | #F8BED6 |
| Neon Pink | #F04E98 | Crunchberry | #EF4A81 |
| Watermelon | #F4364C | Red | #C8102E |
| Paprika | #CE0037 | Crimson | #A4123F |
| Brick | #8A1538 | Chili | #893C47 |
| Neon Red Orange | #FF585D | Bright Salmon | #FF6D6A |
| Neon Cantaloupe | #FFBBA4 | Melon | #FA9370 |
| Terracotta | #E3775E | Peachy | #D46C36 |
| Yam | #BE531C | Bright Orange | #FF6900 |
| Burnt Orange | #FF6900 | Citrus | #FFC27B |
| Mustard | #F2CD00 | Neon Lemon | #EFF4A4 |
Specs and live pricing are on our Comfort Colors 1717 page.
What are the best Comfort Colors colors to print?
There is no single best color, but the 1717 shines in three groups:
- Neutrals for any logo: White, Ivory, Black, Pepper, Grey and Granite.
- The vintage look: Pepper, Blue Jean, Sage, Bay, Khaki, Espresso and Brick, where garment dyeing shows most.
- Bright and pastel for spirit and merch: Watermelon, Chalky Mint, Blossom, Butter, Lagoon and Neon Lemon.
For how the 1717 stacks up against other blanks, see Comfort Colors 1717 vs Bella+Canvas 3001 vs Gildan 5000.
Comfort Colors G1717 vs C1717: are they different shirts?
The Comfort Colors style number is 1717, and that is how our supplier lists it. Some retailers add a letter in front, and you will see listings for both C1717 and G1717. We could not find a Comfort Colors source that explains the prefixes, so we do not treat them as different specs. When comparing listings, check the weight (6.1 oz/yd² for the 1717 we stock) and size range (S to 4XL).
Our take
When a customer cannot decide between Black and Pepper, we print one of each from their art. Holding the two side by side usually settles it, because Pepper changes the mood of the art, not just the shirt. Our other habit: on light 1717s we steer white-ink designs toward Pepper or Black, since white ink is the one color that disappears on White, Ivory and Butter.
Ordering from Los Angeles or Orange County
- Where we are. 14130 Rosecrans Ave, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670, serving Los Angeles and Orange County.
- Minimums. DTG none, DTF 12, embroidery 24, screen printing 36 pieces per design.
- Timing. About 2-3 weeks after art approval. Rush available depending on the schedule. Tell us your date.
- Contact. Mon-Fri 8am-4pm PT, (562) 407-3800, sales@frenchpresscustom.com.
Price your Comfort Colors 1717 now, or read more about screen printing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Comfort Colors White and Ivory?
White is a bright, true white (supplier hex #FFFFFF) and Ivory is a warm cream (#E7CEB5). They print at the same price: a one-color screen print is $16.34 per shirt at 50 pieces on either.
Is Comfort Colors Pepper the same as black?
No. Pepper is a faded charcoal (#4E4B48), noticeably lighter than Comfort Colors Black (#25282A). Both get a white underbase on screen prints and cost the same, $17.38 per shirt for a one-color print at 50 pieces.
How many colors does the Comfort Colors 1717 come in?
Our supplier catalog lists 68 colors for the 1717. Four print as light shirts (White, Ivory, Butter, Sandstone) and the other 64 get a white underbase on screen prints.
What are the most popular Comfort Colors colors?
Comfort Colors does not publish sales rankings in our supplier data. For printed orders, neutrals like White, Ivory, Black and Pepper are the safest picks, and Pepper, Blue Jean and Sage give the classic vintage look.
Do dark Comfort Colors shirts cost more to print?
A little. On a 1717, a dark or mid-tone shirt costs the same as one extra ink color on a light shirt because of the white underbase: a one-color print at 100 pieces is $14.68 on White and $15.32 on Black.
What ink color looks best on a Pepper Comfort Colors shirt?
White, cream, gold and bright yellow show best on Pepper. A cream or off-white ink gives the softest vintage effect.
