Comfort Colors Yam is a warm, muted orange with a brown, earthy edge, like the inside of a roasted sweet potato. It's a pigment dyed, garment dyed color, so it looks soft and sun faded rather than bright and loud. It's the orange you pick when safety orange feels like too much.
- Color family
- Muted orange, warm and earthy
- Brand
- Comfort Colors
- Dye type
- Pigment, garment dyed
- Pantone reference
- 167 C (Comfort Colors' nearest match)
- Fabric (1717)
- 100% ring-spun cotton
What color is Comfort Colors Yam?
Yam is orange, but a grown-up version of it. Comfort Colors matches it to Pantone 167 C, a burnt, slightly brownish orange. On the actual shirt, the pigment dye softens it further, so it reads like a well-worn fall tee even when it's brand new.
It's warm, cozy, and seasonal in the best way. Yam gets a lot of use for Thanksgiving and fall festival shirts, pumpkin patch merch, college and high school teams with orange in their colors, and anyone building a 70s inspired, earth tone palette.
Why pigment dye matters on orange
Comfort Colors lists Yam with its pigment dye colors, the group it describes as having a vintage look that stays for the life of the garment. On a warm color like Yam, that shows as a gentle variation in tone across the shirt and slightly deeper color at seams. No two shirts in a box will match perfectly, and that's the point. Read more in what is garment dyed.
Which Comfort Colors styles come in Yam?
At the time of writing, S&S Activewear lists Yam on the 1717 heavyweight short sleeve tee and the 6014 heavyweight long sleeve tee. We did not see it on the 6030 pocket tee, the 1566 crewneck, or the 1567 hoodie there. A Yam long sleeve is a nice option for fall events when it's too warm for a sweatshirt. Confirm stock with your supplier before ordering a big run.
Yam vs other Comfort Colors oranges
Comfort Colors has several oranges, and they are easy to mix up online. Here's how Yam fits in.
| Color | How it compares to Yam |
|---|---|
| Burnt Orange | Brighter and more saturated. Burnt Orange is the classic team orange. Yam is browner and calmer. |
| Terracotta | Pinker and more clay toned. Terracotta leans toward red-brown, Yam leans toward orange. |
| Bright Orange | A loud, clean orange. Not a close match. |
| Neon Cantaloupe and Neon Red Orange | Neon colors. Much brighter, built to glow. |
| Melon and Peachy | Lighter and softer, closer to peach and salmon. |
If your school or brand orange is bright, look at Burnt Orange first. If you want a vintage, faded orange, Yam is the better choice. See them all together on our Comfort Colors color chart.
Design colors that work on Yam
Yam is a mid tone. It's not dark enough for "anything light works," and not light enough for "anything dark works." Contrast takes a little thought.
- Cream and off-white. The go-to. Warm whites match the faded orange and read clearly.
- Dark brown and espresso. A rich, tonal pairing that looks like a vintage thrift find.
- Navy. A strong complementary color. Navy on orange has high contrast and a classic varsity feel.
- Black. Bold and very readable, great for Halloween and band style designs.
- Deep forest green. An autumn combo that feels outdoorsy without being too costume-like.
Colors that fail on Yam
- Other oranges, rust, and tan. They blend in. Even a different orange can turn into mush from a few feet away.
- Mustard and gold as main colors. Close in warmth and value. Fine for small accents, weak for headlines.
- Mid pinks and reds. They tend to clash with the brown undertone.
- Light gray. It looks dirty against a warm, earthy shirt.
Test contrast before you print
Here's a quick check. Make a mockup with Yam as the background, then turn the image to grayscale. If your design and the shirt turn into the same gray, people will struggle to read it. Push your art lighter or darker until it stands apart. Also check that your file is sharp at print size; our DPI checker helps.
Pressing DTF on garment-dyed Yam
Warm pigment dyed colors can darken a little while hot. Distributors note that Comfort Colors pigment and neon dyes are heat reactive, with a recommended maximum fabric temperature of 320°F. Our settings stay below that, so you're well within range.
- Confirm the actual platen temp. Use a temp gun. A press running hot is the most common cause of color shift.
- Pre-press for 5 seconds. Removes moisture from the heavyweight cotton.
- Press at 300°F for 10 seconds with high pressure.
- Peel hot. Open and peel immediately in one smooth, low motion.
- Post-press for 5 seconds. Cover the print with parchment or a Teflon sheet.
Let the shirt cool before you compare it to the rest of the stack. Full details are in our DTF heat press settings guide.
FAQ
What color is Yam in Comfort Colors?
A muted, earthy orange with a brownish edge. Softer and less bright than Burnt Orange.
Is Yam the same as Burnt Orange?
No. Both are pigment dye colors, but Burnt Orange is brighter and more saturated. Yam is browner and more faded looking.
What text color is easiest to read on Yam?
Cream, white, navy, and black all read well. Avoid other oranges, gold, and tan as your main color.
Does Yam come in a sweatshirt?
At the time of writing, S&S Activewear lists Yam on the 1717 and 6014 tees but not on the 1566 crewneck or 1567 hoodie. Check current options with your supplier.
Print on Yam
Get your fall art on a sheet, and orders placed before 1PM PT ship the same business day.