The T-Shirts

The blank you choose determines whether your custom shirt becomes somebody's favorite or a dust rag. We carry four tee options and each one exists in our lineup for a specific reason. There is no filler here. These are the shirts we stand behind.

Bella Canvas 3001

4.2 oz. 100% Airlume combed and ring spun cotton. Side seamed. Retail fit. Shoulder taping. Tear away label. 86+ colors. XS through 5XL.

This is the most requested blank in the screen printing industry and it earned that spot. The 3001 is the shirt that changed the conversation about what a custom tee should feel like. Before Bella Canvas pushed ring spun cotton into the mainstream most custom shirts were stiff and boxy and people tolerated them because they did not know better existed. The 3001 proved that a printed shirt could feel like something you would actually buy off a rack.

The Airlume cotton is what makes it work. Bella Canvas combs and ring spins their cotton to remove the short rough fibers before the yarn is even made. That gives you a smoother tighter weave which translates directly to a better print surface. Ink sits cleanly on the fabric and fine detail holds without bleeding into the weave. When we are printing small text, thin lines, or tight registration between colors this is the blank that gives us the most control on press.

The side seam construction is worth understanding because it affects how the shirt fits on a body. The 3001 is cut from two separate panels and sewn at the sides which gives it a contoured tapered shape instead of a straight tube. That is what Bella Canvas means by retail fit. It looks and feels like something from a clothing brand and not a promotional giveaway. We hear it constantly. People say the fit is the best they have gotten on a printed shirt, that the sleeves hit right, that it is softer than they expected. One customer told us it felt like they did not even have a shirt on. That is the 3001.

There are a couple things worth knowing. The cut is slimmer than a traditional unisex blank. People who are used to a standard Gildan fit sometimes feel like it runs small. It does not run small. It just fits differently. If your audience skews toward a roomier preference size up in your recommendations. The 4.2 oz weight is also lighter than a lot of people expect. Some folks feel the white is a touch thin. That is a fair point and it is by design. The tradeoff is that softness and a print that moves with the fabric instead of sitting on top like a sticker. With 86+ colors including shades like Dusty Blue, Heather Mauve, and Autumn the palette is deep enough to match almost any brand.

We recommend the 3001 for retail merchandise, brand apparel, employee uniforms where appearance matters, and events where you want people wearing the shirt long after the event is over. If you are a brewery or a restaurant or a gym or a band selling merch to customers this is probably your shirt. You can see plenty of 3001 prints in our project gallery.

Bella Canvas 3001CVC

4.2 oz. 52% Airlume combed and ring spun cotton, 48% polyester. Side seamed. Retail fit. Shoulder taping. Tear away label. 80+ heather colors. XS through 5XL.

Same shirt as the 3001 in terms of fit, weight, and construction. Same side seams, same retail cut, same tear away label. The difference is the fabric blend and the color palette. CVC stands for Chief Value Cotton which refers to a cotton dominant cotton and polyester blend. That 48% polyester is what creates the heathered look, those subtle flecks of color throughout the fabric that give each shirt a visual depth you cannot get with straight cotton.

The poly blend does some practical things beyond the aesthetics. It resists shrinkage better than 100% cotton, wrinkles less, and holds its shape longer through repeated wash cycles. For screen printing the blended surface is smooth and vibrant. Colors pop hard on the lighter heather shades where darker ink creates strong contrast.

One thing to be aware of with any poly blend is dye migration. On darker heather colors the polyester fibers can release dye under heat which means light ink can shift in tone during the curing process. We manage this by controlling our flash and cure temperatures carefully but it is inherent to blended fabrics and worth knowing so expectations are set up front. We go deeper on dye migration and how to spot it in our print quality guide.

The heather look has been extremely popular for years and it is not slowing down. Heather Dusty Blue, Heather Mauve, Heather Forest, and Heather Cement are consistently some of our most ordered colors across all clients. If you want solids go with the standard 3001. The CVC line is specifically the heather and blended color range. Same quality, different fabric composition to achieve that look.

Comfort Colors 1717

6.1 oz. 100% ring spun cotton. Garment dyed. Relaxed fit. Tubular body. Twill taped neck and shoulders. Double needle hems. 60+ colors. S through 4XL.

The 1717 is a completely different experience from the Bella Canvas options and that is the entire point. Where the 3001 is modern and tailored the 1717 is thick and broken in and feels like you have owned it for five years the first time you put it on. People describe it as feeling like a brand new version of your favorite old shirt and that nails it perfectly.

The garment dye process is what sets this apart from everything else on the list. Instead of dyeing the fabric before it is cut and sewn Comfort Colors dyes the entire finished garment. The whole assembled shirt goes into the dye bath after construction. That produces those rich, slightly muted, sun faded looking colors you cannot replicate with standard piece dyeing. It also pre shrinks the shirt during the process so what comes out of the bag is essentially the size it is going to stay. Customers love that. Almost no shrinkage at home.

At 6.1 oz this is a heavyweight tee. You feel the substance when you pick it up. The fabric hangs well without clinging to the body. It drapes with a relaxed boxy fit that is the opposite of the 3001 silhouette. The tubular construction uses a single tube of fabric rather than side seamed panels which gives it that classic unstructured shape. People who wear Comfort Colors tend to become loyal to Comfort Colors. They talk about the thickness, the material, the way the colors stay rich wash after wash. They build wardrobes around this shirt.

From a printing standpoint the 1717 requires specific consideration. The garment dye process creates slight color variation from shirt to shirt. That is intentional and part of the look but it means the shade will not be perfectly uniform across every piece in an order. Darker colors can absorb more pigment during the dye bath which occasionally makes them run a hair smaller than lighter colors in the same size. We also adjust our ink approach and flash times because garment dyed fabrics react to heat differently. We thin our ink and use reduced deposits to get a soft hand feel that matches the vintage character of the shirt instead of fighting against it.

This is the shirt for anyone chasing a coastal, vintage, college bookstore aesthetic. Beach bars, surf shops, breweries with an outdoor vibe, college organizations, summer events, lifestyle brands. The 1717 carries a garment upcharge in our pricing because the blank costs more but the perceived value is significantly higher. When the person wearing it feels like they got something premium the return on that investment multiplies. Check the quote calculator to see exact per-piece pricing with the 1717 at your quantity.

Gildan 64000

4.5 oz. 100% ring spun cotton (solid colors). Pre shrunk enzyme washed jersey. Modern classic fit. Tubular body. Taped neck and shoulders. Tear away label. 60+ colors. XS through 5XL.

Gildan carries some baggage. A lot of people hear the name and think of the stiff cardboard shirts from twenty years ago and they write off the entire brand. The 64000 Softstyle is not that shirt. Gildan completely rebuilt this line with ring spun cotton, enzyme washing for softness, and a high stitch density that creates a noticeably smoother print surface. One reviewer put it well when they said they were skeptical a Gildan could compete with a Bella Canvas but the Softstyle made a compelling case. We agree with that take.

Is it as soft as the 3001? Side by side you can feel the difference. The 3001 has a more refined hand. But the 64000 is significantly better than budget blanks, it prints well, and it comes in at a lower price point that makes a real difference on volume orders. When you are ordering 100 or 250 custom shirts for a company event or a 5K or a team building day that per piece savings adds up fast. The money you save on blanks can go toward an extra print color or more pieces or a second design entirely.

The high stitch density is specifically worth mentioning for screen printing. Tighter knit means a smoother surface which means cleaner ink laydown. One detailed review found that colors pop on the 64000 more than on most other samples in a multi shirt comparison and that the print quality was among the best in the test group. That has been our experience too. The 4.5 oz weight gives it a touch more body than the 3001 without feeling thick. People say it is soft and breathable, that it holds up well in the wash, and that the fit lands in a comfortable middle ground. Not as slim as Bella Canvas, not boxy like old school Gildan. Just a solid shirt that does the job.

The 64000 is our most affordable tee option and we recommend it every time a client needs a quality shirt at the best possible price without sacrificing the print. Large volume orders for events, team shirts, promotional runs, school organizations. This is the workhorse.

The Fleece

Fleece is where a print job goes from a shirt to a statement piece. The margins are higher, the perceived value jumps, and people hold onto a quality hoodie or crewneck for years. We carry six fleece options across two brands and each one serves a different purpose. All fleece products carry a surcharge in our pricing that covers the higher blank cost and the extra print considerations that come with thicker fabric. If you are looking for premium fleece beyond what is listed here, check out our Lane Seven breakdown for their three-end fleece lineup.

Bella Canvas 3719 Pullover Hoodie

7 to 8 oz. 52% Airlume combed and ring spun cotton, 48% polyester sponge fleece. Side seamed. Retail fit. White drawcord. Kangaroo pocket. Ribbed cuffs and waistband. Tear away label. 30+ colors. XS through 3XL.

If you love the way the 3001 fits as a tee the 3719 is the hoodie version of that same philosophy. Bella Canvas developed a fabric they call sponge fleece which is plush and airy on the inside without being bulky. It is a midweight hoodie that works as a layering piece when it is cold and a standalone on a mild Virginia fall or spring day.

The retail fit carries over from the tee line. This is not an oversized hoodie that hangs off the frame. It is contoured with side seams that give it shape and a clean silhouette. The white drawcord and construction details give it a retail quality look that separates it from generic blanks. That matters when the hoodie itself is the product you are selling. Coffee shops, fitness studios, bands, and retail brands all need a hoodie their customers would be proud to buy and the 3719 delivers.

For printing the solid colors have 100% cotton face yarn on the outer surface which is the layer that receives the ink. That gives us clean adhesion and minimizes dye migration concerns on most colorways. People praise the softness across the board. Some note minor pilling over time which is common with sponge fleece blends but it does not affect the print. This is our lightest fleece option which means it wears well across seasons but will not provide the warmth of a heavier weight hoodie.

Bella Canvas 3739 Full Zip Hoodie

8 oz. 52% Airlume combed and ring spun cotton, 48% polyester sponge fleece. Side seamed. Retail fit. Full zip with white taping. Kangaroo pockets. Ribbed cuffs and waistband. Tear away label. 20+ colors. XS through 3XL.

Same sponge fleece as the 3719 pullover. Same retail fit. Same construction quality. The difference is the full zip front with white zipper taping that gives it a polished branded look straight out of the box.

Full zip hoodies change the print placement conversation. The zipper splits the front panel so a large centered chest design does not work the way it does on a pullover. You are looking at left chest logos, full back prints, or sleeve placement instead. That actually makes the 3739 a strong choice when you want a more subtle professional look rather than a bold front graphic. Corporate apparel, employee outerwear, and team jackets all work well in a zip up format where the branding is present but not dominant.

The color range is smaller than the pullover at around 20 options so check availability if you have a specific color in mind.

Independent Trading Co. SS4500 Pullover Hoodie

8.5 oz. 80/20 ring spun cotton and polyester blend fleece with 100% cotton face yarn. Standard generous fit. Jersey lined hood. Heavy gauge drawcord with metal eyelets. 1x1 ribbing at cuffs and waistband. Split stitch double needle sewing. Tear away label. 30+ colors. S through 3XL.

The SS4500 is a different animal than the Bella Canvas fleece. Where the 3719 is refined and retail fitted the SS4500 is built for substance. The 80/20 cotton poly blend produces a hoodie that is noticeably weightier and more structured. The fit runs generous with room to layer underneath. And the construction tells you everything you need to know about the intent behind this garment. Metal eyelets. Heavy gauge drawcord that will not fray. Split stitch double needle sewing on every seam. This is a hoodie that was built to take a beating and come back for more.

Independent Trading Co. was founded in 1987 in the action sports world and that heritage shows. People who own this hoodie talk about the softness, the quality holding up over time, and how it quickly becomes the one they reach for every single day. We have had roofers tell us the material is strong enough for a job site and grandparents tell us their grandkids will not stop wearing theirs. That is a wide range of people arriving at the same conclusion about the same hoodie. One shop calls it their best printing fleece item and we would not argue with that.

The 100% cotton face yarn is the key detail for us as printers. Even though the blend is 80/20 the outer surface that receives the ink is all cotton. The print comes out sharp and vibrant and the ink bonds cleanly. The jersey lined hood sits comfortably against the head and neck instead of the scratchy brushed fleece interior you get on cheaper blanks. The 30+ color range includes modern options like Alpine Green, Sandstone, Dusty Pink, Bone, and Lavender alongside the standard blacks and navys.

We recommend the SS4500 for streetwear brands, skate shops, construction companies, schools, outdoor businesses, and anyone who tells us they want a thick quality hoodie that is going to last.

Independent Trading Co. SS4500Z Full Zip Hoodie

8.5 oz. 80/20 ring spun cotton and polyester blend fleece with 100% cotton face yarn. Classic fit. Jersey lined hood. Number 5 metal kissing zipper. Heavy gauge drawcord with metal eyelets. 1x1 ribbing at cuffs and waistband. Tear away label. 20+ colors. S through 3XL.

Everything that makes the SS4500 pullover great carries over here. Same cotton face yarn for clean printing, same 8.5 oz weight, same metal hardware, same double needle construction. Just with a zip front.

The metal kissing zipper is a detail worth knowing about. Kissing zipper means the two sides meet flush when zipped which keeps it from snagging on fabric and gives the front a cleaner line. It is a small thing but you notice it the first time you zip it up and it separates a quality blank from a cheap one.

Same print placement considerations as any full zip. Left chest, back panel, and sleeve prints are the standard approaches. Color range is more limited than the pullover so plan accordingly.

Independent Trading Co. SS3000 Crewneck Sweatshirt

8.5 oz. 80/20 ring spun cotton and polyester blend fleece with 100% cotton face yarn. Standard fit. 1x1 ribbing at collar, cuffs, and waistband. Split stitch double needle sewing. Twill neck tape. Tear away label. 25+ colors. S through 3XL.

Crewneck sweatshirts have been surging for the past few years and the SS3000 is the blank that delivers on that trend without cutting corners. Same 8.5 oz fleece as the SS4500 hoodie. Same 100% cotton face yarn. Same durable construction. Just no hood and no pocket.

The clean silhouette of a crewneck gives you the largest uninterrupted print area of any fleece garment. Front, back, and sleeves are all wide open for your design. There is no drawcord, no hood shadow, no zipper breaking up the chest. Just the print. If your artwork is the focal point and you want maximum visual impact the crewneck is often the strongest choice.

The ribbed collar maintains its elasticity and shape over time. People mention that the neck stays snug instead of stretching out which is a common failure point on cheaper sweatshirts. The twill neck tape adds comfort and structural reinforcement at the collar seam. The SS3000 tends to run a touch more affordable than the hooded options since there is no hood, drawcord, or pocket to construct.

We see crewnecks ordered for brand merchandise, vintage inspired designs, college organizations, and corporate casual wear. They work year round as layering pieces and they photograph extremely well for social media and lookbooks.

Independent Trading Co. SS4600QZ Quarter Zip

8.5 oz. 80/20 ring spun cotton and polyester blend fleece with 100% cotton 32 singles face yarn. Standard fit. Number 5 metal exposed zipper. 1x1 ribbing at cuffs and waistband. Split stitch double needle sewing. Twill neck tape. Tear away label. 10+ colors. S through 3XL.

The quarter zip occupies a space in custom apparel that nothing else on this list touches. It is more polished than a hoodie, less formal than a jacket, and versatile enough to cross from casual to business casual without looking out of place. Independent Trading describes it as a resort wear staple and we think that is accurate.

This is the garment corporate clients gravitate toward. Real estate offices, law firms, tech companies, professional service firms, golf events, company stores. The quarter zip silhouette communicates professionalism in a way that a hoodie simply cannot. Left chest logos and embroidery are the most common placements though full back prints work well too. The exposed metal zipper adds a quality touch that is visible from across a room and photographs well for branded content.

Same 8.5 oz fleece platform from the hoodie and crewneck lines with the same 100% cotton face yarn for sharp print results. The color range is the most limited in our fleece lineup at around 10 options so this works best when you are looking for classic versatile colors like Black, Grey Heather, Classic Navy, and Alpine Green.

How to Choose the Right Blank

There is no single best blank. There is only the best blank for your project. If fit and softness matter most for retail merchandise the Bella Canvas 3001 or 3001CVC for tees and the 3719 for hoodies are where we point people first. If you want the vintage garment dyed aesthetic nothing else on this list replicates what the Comfort Colors 1717 does. If budget matters on a large volume run the Gildan 64000 gives you ring spun cotton quality at the most accessible price point we offer. If you need durable substantial fleece the Independent Trading lineup prints beautifully and holds up to serious wear. And if you need something polished enough for a client meeting the SS4600QZ quarter zip or SS3000 crewneck will get you there.

Every one of these products is something we have printed hundreds of times. We know how the ink sits, how the fabric reacts under heat, how the garment holds up after fifty washes. We are not guessing. We are telling you what thirteen years on press has taught us. We print all of these blanks for businesses, brands, and organizations across Richmond, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and the rest of Virginia. Reach out if you want help picking the right blank for your project, or jump straight to the calculator and start building.