The Gildan 2000 is the Ultra Cotton tee: a 6 oz. per square yard, 100% U.S. cotton shirt with a classic fit, sold in S to 5XL and 60 colors. It is the heaviest of Gildan's everyday short sleeve tees, and it takes a DTF transfer about as easily as any blank on the market. If you want a thick, boxy, budget shirt that feels like it will last, this is it.
- Fabric
- 100% U.S. cotton (heathers and safety colors are 50/50)
- Weight
- 6 oz./yd²
- Sizes
- S to 5XL
- Colors
- 60, including PFD White
- Fit
- Classic
What the Gildan 2000 actually is
Gildan sells several cotton tees, and people mix them up. The 2000 is Ultra Cotton. The 5000 is Heavy Cotton, which is lighter. The 64000 is Softstyle, which is lighter again and ring-spun. When a customer says they want "the thick Gildan," they usually mean the 2000.
Per the S&S Activewear listing, the body is 18 singles yarn. That is a coarser yarn than the 30 and 32 singles you see on fashion tees. Coarser yarn is why the 2000 feels sturdy and a little stiff out of the box. It softens with washing, but it never feels like a Next Level or Bella+Canvas tee. That is not the goal.
Construction details
- Classic width rib collar
- Taped neck and shoulders
- Tear-away label, so you can relabel with a printed tag
- Body and sleeve lengths cut a little long to allow for shrinkage
- Classic fit, roomy through the chest and straight down the body
The tear-away label matters if you sell under your own brand. Pull the tag, then press a printed tag inside the back neck. Our guide to custom neck tags covers sizing and placement for that.
Fabric by color
Most colors are 100% cotton, but not all. This is the part people miss when they order a mixed batch.
| Color group | Fabric |
|---|---|
| Most solids | 100% U.S. cotton |
| Ash | 99% cotton, 1% polyester |
| Sport Grey | 90% cotton, 10% polyester |
| Antique Cherry Red, Antique Irish Green, Antique Royal | 90% cotton, 10% polyester |
| Dark Heather, Heather Cardinal, Heather Indigo, Heather Navy, Heather Sapphire | 50% cotton, 50% polyester |
| Safety Green, Safety Orange, Safety Pink | 50% cotton, 50% polyester |
| PFD White | 100% cotton with cotton thread, no optical brighteners |
Gildan 2000 size chart
These are the garment measurements published on the S&S Activewear listing, in inches, measured flat. The listing gives a tolerance of plus or minus 1 inch on both chest and length, so two shirts of the same size can differ a little.
| Measurement (in) | S | M | L | XL | 2XL | 3XL | 4XL | 5XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chest width (flat) | 18 | 20 | 22 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 |
| Body length | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 |
The quick way to size: double the chest width to get the shirt's full chest, then compare it to a shirt the wearer already likes. The 2000 runs true to a classic fit. People used to slim fashion tees often size down. For the rest of the Gildan lineup, see our Gildan size chart.
Colors worth knowing
Sixty colors is a lot. A few are worth calling out because they come up in DTF orders all the time.
- Black, Navy, Charcoal, Maroon, Forest. The workhorse darks. Full color DTF art pops on all of them because the transfer carries its own white underbase.
- Sport Grey and Ash. The two light grays. Sport Grey is darker and has more polyester. Ash is nearly all cotton and very light.
- Sand, Natural, Tan, Prairie Dust. The warm neutrals. Good for vintage-style art and earthy palettes.
- Safety Green, Safety Orange, Safety Pink. Hi-vis shades. S&S lists Safety Green as compliant with ANSI/ISEA 107 for high visibility color.
- PFD White. Prepared for dyeing, with no optical brighteners. Most DTF customers want regular White instead.
Our Gildan color chart lays the full palette out side by side, which helps when a client asks for "the light blue" and you need to know whether they mean Light Blue, Carolina Blue, or Sky.
Who buys the Gildan 2000
This shirt shows up anywhere the budget is real and the shirt still needs to feel substantial.
- Work crews and contractors. Thick cotton holds up to job sites, and the safety colors cover hi-vis needs.
- Schools, churches, and events. Large runs in one or two colors where price per shirt drives the decision.
- Streetwear on a budget. The boxy, heavier hand reads more like a vintage tee than a thin fashion shirt.
- Family reunions and group trips. A size range up to 5XL means nobody gets left out.
How DTF presses on the 2000
Cotton is the easiest fabric for DTF, and a 6 oz. cotton tee is close to ideal. The adhesive grabs the fibers, the shirt can take the heat, and there is no polyester dye to bleed through on most colors. Use the standard settings from our DTF heat press settings guide: 300°F, high pressure, 10 seconds, peel hot, then a 5 second post-press.
- Pre-press for about 5 seconds. Heavy cotton holds moisture. Pre-pressing drives it out and flattens the knit so the film sits flat.
- Lint roll the print area. Coarse cotton sheds fuzz. Loose fibers trapped under the film show up as tiny bumps.
- Press, peel hot, post-press. The post-press with a cover sheet pushes the ink into the texture and softens the shine.
What to watch for
- Texture shows through. The 2000's knit is coarser than a ring-spun tee. Large solid fills can show a faint grain. Halftones and distressed art hide it.
- Heathers and safety colors are half polyester. Treat Dark Heather or Safety Orange like a blend. Keep to 300°F and don't stack extra press cycles.
- Shrinkage. Gildan cuts the body long to allow for it. Placement measured on a new shirt will move a little after the first hot wash.
FAQ
Is the Gildan 2000 the same as the Gildan 5000?
No. The 2000 is Ultra Cotton at 6 oz. per square yard. The 5000 is Heavy Cotton, which is lighter. Both are classic fit cotton tees, but the 2000 feels thicker.
Does the Gildan 2000 have a tear-away label?
Yes. The S&S listing calls out a tear-away label, which makes the 2000 easy to relabel with a printed neck tag for your own brand.
What is the biggest size the Gildan 2000 comes in?
5XL. The published chest width for 5XL is 32 inches flat, which is 64 inches around.
Should I order PFD White for DTF?
Usually not. PFD White skips optical brighteners so dye takes evenly, which matters for dyeing, not for DTF. Regular White looks brighter under a print.
Ready to print on Ultra Cotton
Lay out your art on a gang sheet, press it at 300°F for 10 seconds, and the 2000 will do the rest. Need help picking a size for the chest print? Check the DTF transfer size chart.