Comfort Colors vs Gildan comes down to this: the Comfort Colors 1717 is a thicker, garment-dyed, broken-in tee with a vintage look and a premium price, while Gildan gives you the budget workhorse 5000 Heavy Cotton and the lighter, softer 64000 Softstyle. All three take DTF transfers well at the same settings. Pick based on the look and the price point your customer expects.
- Comfort Colors 1717
- 6.1 oz, 100% ring-spun cotton, garment dyed
- Gildan 5000
- 5.3 oz, 100% cotton (solids), 20 singles
- Gildan 64000
- 4.5 oz, 100% ring-spun cotton (most colors), 30 singles
- Same parent company
- Gildan acquired Comfort Colors in 2015
Quick answer: which one should you buy?
- Retail merch, boutiques, Greek life, trendy drops. Comfort Colors 1717. People recognize the look and will pay more for it.
- Events, giveaways, staff shirts, big cheap runs. Gildan 5000. Sturdy, simple, and the lowest cost of the three.
- Everyday tees that need to feel nice without the heavyweight price. Gildan 64000 Softstyle.
Fun fact: these aren't really rivals. Gildan bought Comfort Colors in 2015, so you are choosing between two lines from the same parent company.
Weight and fabric
| Spec | Comfort Colors 1717 | Gildan 5000 | Gildan 64000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 6.1 oz/yd² | 5.3 oz/yd² | 4.5 oz/yd² |
| Fabric (solids) | 100% ring-spun cotton | 100% cotton | 100% ring-spun cotton |
| Yarn | 20 singles | 20 singles | 30 singles |
| Dyeing | Garment dyed | Not garment dyed | Not garment dyed |
| Fit | Relaxed | Classic | Modern classic |
| Collar | Classic-width rib | Classic-width rib | Narrow-width rib |
| Price tier | Premium | Budget | Mid |
Specs are from S&S Activewear product listings. Gildan blends change on some colors: heathers, antiques, and Sport Grey on both Gildan styles contain polyester, so check the exact color before you buy if 100% cotton matters to you.
Feel and look
Comfort Colors 1717
The 1717 is the heaviest of the three, and it feels like it. Because the shirt is dyed after it's sewn and then washed, it comes out soft and slightly rumpled, like a tee you've owned for years. Most colors are pigment dyed, so they look faded and a little uneven on purpose. If you want the full story on that process, read what garment dyed means.
Gildan 5000 Heavy Cotton
The 5000 is the classic blank. It's thick enough to feel solid, a bit stiffer and rougher than ring-spun tees, and colors are flat and uniform. It doesn't try to look vintage. It just looks like a clean, new T-shirt.
Gildan 64000 Softstyle
Softstyle uses finer 30 singles ring-spun yarn, so it's thinner, smoother, and lighter than the 5000. It drapes more and runs a bit more fitted. It's the closest of the three to a "retail" feel at a lower price than Comfort Colors.
Fit
Comfort Colors runs relaxed and boxy, which is part of the appeal. The 5000 is a traditional classic fit. The 64000 is a little trimmer. Size charts change between styles, so pull the current chart from your distributor before you size a team order.
Color range
Comfort Colors offers 68 colors on the 1717 with a heavy lean on washed pastels and earth tones like Pepper, Moss, Ivory, and Blue Spruce. Gildan's palette is bigger and more traditional: brights, team colors, safety colors, and heathers. Browse every Comfort Colors shade on our Comfort Colors color chart, or the Gildan color chart for the other side.
Shrinkage
Comfort Colors says its garment dye and wash steps pre-shrink the shirts so they shrink almost nothing at home. Gildan tees are not garment washed, so expect some shrink on 100% cotton styles, especially if your customer runs them through a hot dryer. If you're between sizes on a Gildan cotton tee, size up.
How DTF presses on each
Good news: DTF doesn't care much which one you pick. The transfer carries its own white ink layer, so your colors stay solid on a faded Comfort Colors shade or a flat Gildan black. Infynite transfers use the same settings on all three shirts:
- Pre-press 5 seconds. This matters most on the heavy 1717, which holds more moisture.
- Press at 300°F for 10 seconds with high pressure.
- Peel hot. Pull the film right away in one smooth, low motion.
- Post-press 5 seconds with parchment or a Teflon sheet.
A few shirt-specific notes:
- Comfort Colors. The thick, slightly textured surface needs real pressure. Light pressure is the most common reason a transfer lifts at the edges. Comfort Colors also notes its neon colors are more heat sensitive, so make sure your press isn't running hot.
- Gildan 5000. Easy and forgiving. Stretch the shirt flat and lint roll it before pressing.
- Gildan 64000. Thinner fabric means a hard press can leave a visible box mark from the platen. A pressing pillow or pad inside the shirt helps.
- Gildan heathers. Blends with polyester take DTF fine at the same settings. More on that in DTF on polyester.
If a print won't stick on any of them, our DTF transfer not sticking guide walks through the usual causes.
Price tier and margin
We won't quote blank prices here because they change constantly, but the ranking is steady: Gildan 5000 is the cheapest, Softstyle is in the middle, and Comfort Colors costs the most per shirt. The transfer cost is the same on all three, since DTF is priced by size, not by shirt. That means Comfort Colors can still be the better margin play if your customer will pay a premium for the look. See DTF transfer pricing to run your numbers.
FAQ
Is Comfort Colors owned by Gildan?
Yes. Gildan Activewear announced its acquisition of Comfort Colors in 2015, and Comfort Colors runs as its own brand within Gildan.
Is Comfort Colors thicker than Gildan?
Yes. The 1717 is 6.1 oz/yd², compared with 5.3 oz for the Gildan 5000 and 4.5 oz for the 64000 Softstyle.
Which shrinks more, Comfort Colors or Gildan?
Gildan, generally. Comfort Colors shirts are pre-shrunk during the garment dye and wash, so they move very little at home.
Do I need different DTF settings for Comfort Colors and Gildan?
No. Infynite transfers press at 300°F for 10 seconds, high pressure, hot peel, on cotton, poly, and blends alike.
Ready to print?
Comfort Colors or Gildan, upload your art once and press it on whatever blanks you choose.