Comfort Colors 1717 vs Gildan 5000: Which Blank T-Shirt Is Best?

1. Difference Between Gildan and Comfort Colors at a Glance

The primary difference between Gildan and Comfort Colors lies in cotton processing, fabric weight, and dyeing techniques. Comfort Colors 1717 is crafted from 100% combed ringspun cotton weighing 6.1 oz per square yard, yielding a soft, thick handfeel that mimics high-end vintage tees.

The Gildan 5000 uses 5.3 oz carded open-end cotton. It feels lighter and noticeably stiffer out of the shipping box. While Gildan 5000 is the industry king for budget-friendly screen printing runs, Comfort Colors 1717 dominates the premium creator and streetwear merchandise market.

• Comfort Colors 1717: 6.1 oz heavyweight ringspun cotton, garment-dyed, pre-shrunk, relaxed boxy cut, vintage muted palette.
• Gildan 5000: 5.3 oz midweight carded cotton, piece-dyed, standard tubular fit, ultra-low cost, bright vibrant colors.

2. Who Owns Comfort Colors? The Gildan Connection Explained

A common question among shoppers and print shops is: who owns Comfort Colors? Comfort Colors was originally founded in 1975 by Barry Chouinard in Vermont. In 2015, Gildan Activewear acquired Comfort Colors for approximately $100 million.

Although Gildan owns Comfort Colors, the manufacturing and dyeing processes remain separate. Gildan preserved Comfort Colors' proprietary garment-dye facility in North Carolina to maintain the authentic washed aesthetic that fans love, while scaling global distribution through Gildan's massive supply chain.

3. Fabric & Dyeing: Garment Dye vs. Traditional Piece Dye

Dyeing is where the visual contrast between comfort colors vs gildan is most apparent. Comfort Colors 1717 undergoes garment-dyeing, meaning the t-shirt is fully cut, sewn, and washed before being soaked in dye. This creates subtle fading along seams, eliminates factory shrinkage, and produces comfortable, broken-in pastel hues.

Gildan 5000 uses piece-dyeing, where huge bolts of fabric are dyed prior to cutting and sewing. Piece-dyeing produces uniform, highly saturated primary colors that do not fade, but the fabric lacks the tactile character and softness of garment-dyed cotton.

4. Shrinkage and Washing Durability

Shrinkage is a major factor when ordering blank tees. Because Comfort Colors 1717 shirts are washed and pre-shrunk multiple times during the garment-dyeing process, they experience virtually zero shrinkage (under 1-2%) when machine washed in cold water.

In contrast, the Gildan 5000 is not pre-shrunk. You can expect standard open-end cotton shrinkage of roughly 3% to 5% in total length and chest width after the first warm wash and tumble dry cycle.

5. Fit, Silhouette & Sizing: Streetwear Boxy vs. Standard Cut

Comfort Colors 1717 features a trendy, slightly boxy drop-shoulder cut with thick 1-inch ribbed collar bands that do not stretch out or bacon-fold over time. It drapes naturally over the torso without clinging.

Gildan 5000 has a classic tubular cut without side seams, fitting more like a traditional utility undershirt. For modern styling, pair a washed pepper or terracotta Comfort Colors tee with relaxed utility trousers or chinos. Explore our guide on [what color shirt goes with olive green pants](/blog/what-color-shirt-goes-with-olive-green-pants) or test earthy color combinations on our [interactive color wheel tool](/color-matcher).

6. Price vs. Value Comparison

At wholesale volume, a Gildan 5000 blank tee typically costs between $2.50 and $4.00, making it unbeatable for charity runs, corporate giveaways, and budget screen printing. Comfort Colors 1717 blanks cost between $8.00 and $11.50 wholesale, retailing anywhere from $22 to $35 as finished streetwear merch.

If you want maximum profit margin on a promotional giveaway, Gildan wins. If you want customers to wear and love your apparel for years, the Comfort Colors 1717 is well worth the extra investment.