Comfort Colors Island Green is a blue-green, a tropical teal-leaning green with a softened, garment dyed finish. It has historically been a direct/reactive dye color, but Comfort Colors says it's moving to pigment dye, so supplier stock may be a mix of both for a while.
- Color family
- Blue-green
- Brand
- Comfort Colors
- Dye type
- Reactive, transitioning to pigment
- Fabric (1717)
- 100% ring-spun cotton
- Closest Pantone (per Comfort Colors guide)
- 2243 C
What color is Island Green?
Island Green sits between green and blue. It's the color of shallow water over sand, or a painted beach shack. The Comfort Colors color guide lists Pantone 2243 C as its nearest match, and Pantone files that shade in its blue-green family. So if a customer asks "is it green or teal," the honest answer is a bit of both.
It's brighter and more saturated than the dusty greens on the Comfort Colors chart, like Sage or Hemp. It still has the soft hand and slightly relaxed look of a garment dyed tee, but it reads as a clear, confident color rather than a faded one.
The dye change: why your Island Green shirts might not match
This is the most important thing to know about Island Green right now. Comfort Colors' 2024 guide groups Island Green with its direct/reactive dye colors. Current S&S Activewear listings say Island Green is transitioning from reactive/direct dye to pigment dye, and that inventory will be mixed during the switch.
Why that matters:
- Reactive dye bonds into the cotton. The color looks more even and holds up well wash after wash.
- Pigment dye sits on the fiber surface. It gives a more washed, vintage look, more variation between shirts, and can fade slightly over time.
So an Island Green order today could include shirts dyed both ways, and they may not look identical side by side. For a one-off tee, no big deal. For a 50-piece team or event order where everyone stands in a group photo, ask your supplier which dye lot you're getting, or order the full quantity at once from the same source. Our garment dyed guide explains the difference in more depth.
Which styles come in Island Green?
At the time of writing, distributor listings show Island Green on:
- 1717. Garment-dyed heavyweight tee.
- 6030. Heavyweight pocket tee.
- 6014. Heavyweight long sleeve tee.
- 9018. Youth tee.
It isn't listed on the 9360 heavyweight tank or the 1566 crewneck sweatshirt right now. If you need a tank in a similar beachy tone, Island Reef is on the 9360 listing. Availability changes by season, so double check before you quote.
Island Green vs nearby Comfort Colors shades
Comfort Colors has several colors in the green-to-aqua range. A quick comparison by character:
| Color | How it differs from Island Green |
|---|---|
| Island Reef | Lighter and softer, more of a pastel than a saturated blue-green. |
| Seafoam | A pigment color with a more muted, washed look. |
| Emerald | Darker and deeper. |
| Light Green | A softer, grayed green without the strong blue lean. |
| Blue Spruce | Much darker, a deep evergreen. |
These names are fuzzy across every brand, so order a sample when color matters. See the Comfort Colors color chart for the full lineup, or compare with Light Green and Blue Spruce.
Design colors that work on Island Green
Island Green is a mid-value, saturated color. Contrast comes from going much lighter, much darker, or across the color wheel.
- White. Crisp and summery. The easy default for beach towns, swim teams, and vacation shirts.
- Coral, salmon, and hot pink. Warm pinks sit opposite blue-green. The combo screams tropical in the best way.
- Navy. Deep enough to read, and nautical. Keep shapes bold.
- Sunny yellow. Bright and playful. Good for kids' camps and fun runs.
- Black. Works for line art and bold type when you want a graphic, less beachy look.
Design colors that fail on Island Green
- Teal, turquoise, and aqua. Too close in hue. The art blends into the shirt.
- Mid greens and mid blues. Kelly green, royal blue, and similar values lose their edges.
- Grays. A mid gray on a saturated color looks dull and muddy.
- Orange-red at medium value. The contrast in hue is there, but the values match, so it can vibrate and strain the eye. Lighten or darken one side.
If you're designing for a school or team with specific colors, plug them into our Pantone color chart to see how they sit next to a blue-green.
Pressing DTF on Island Green
The dye change doesn't affect your press settings. Island Green on the 1717 is 100% cotton, so use the standard Infynite settings:
- Pre-press for 5 seconds. Clears moisture and flattens wrinkles.
- Press at 300°F for 10 seconds with high pressure. Confirm platen temperature with a heat gun.
- Peel hot. Peel right away in one smooth, low pull.
- Post-press for 5 seconds under parchment or a Teflon sheet.
Saturated colors can look a shade darker right after pressing where the heat pulled moisture out. It evens out as the fabric cools. For more troubleshooting, see DTF heat press settings.
FAQ
Is Comfort Colors Island Green teal?
It's a blue-green, so it leans teal. Pantone files its closest match, 2243 C, in the blue-green family.
Is Island Green pigment or reactive dyed?
Both, for now. It has been a reactive/direct dye color, and S&S Activewear notes it's transitioning to pigment dye with mixed inventory during the change.
Why don't my Island Green shirts match?
Likely the dye transition, plus normal lot variation. Order your full quantity together from the same supplier to keep shirts as close as possible.
What design colors pop on Island Green?
White, coral, hot pink, navy, and yellow. Avoid teals, aquas, and mid greens.
Print on Island Green
Planning a summer run of Island Green tees? Build your sheet, and orders placed before 1PM PT ship the same business day.