The Gildan 5000 Heavy Cotton tee comes in 83 colors, from White and Black to heathers, antiques, neons, and safety colors. The chart below groups every current color by family so you can find a shade fast. Most colors are 100% cotton, but a few, including Sport Grey, Ash, and the heathers, are blends, and that changes how they look and feel.
- Style
- Gildan 5000 Heavy Cotton T-Shirt
- Colors
- 83
- Fabric
- 100% US cotton (blend exceptions below)
- Weight
- 5.3 oz/yd²
- Yarn
- 20 singles
Gildan 5000 color chart
This is the full Gildan 5000 color list from the current distributor catalog, sorted into families. Colors come and go each season, so check stock with your supplier before you lock in an order for a big run.
| Color family | Colors |
|---|---|
| Whites and naturals | White, Off White, Natural, Sand, Prairie Dust |
| Grays and black | Ice Grey, Ash, Sport Grey, Gravel, Dark Heather, Graphite Heather, Charcoal, Tweed, Black |
| Browns | Brown Savana, Dark Chocolate, Russet |
| Reds | Red, Cardinal, Antique Cherry Red, Heather Red, Garnet, Maroon |
| Pinks and corals | Light Pink, Dusty Rose, Azalea, Heliconia, Berry, Safety Pink, Coral Silk, Heather Neon Coral |
| Oranges | Orange, Antique Orange, Texas Orange, Tennessee Orange, Tangerine, Sunset, Safety Orange |
| Yellows and golds | Cornsilk, Yellow Haze, Daisy, Gold, Old Gold |
| Greens | Irish Green, Antique Irish Green, Kiwi, Lime, Electric Green, Neon Green, Safety Green, Mint Green, Jade Dome, Antique Jade Dome, Fan Marine Green, Turf Green, Forest Green, Fan Dark Green, Military Green, Heather Military Green |
| Blues | Light Blue, Sky, Carolina Blue, Aquatic, Tropical Blue, Sapphire, Antique Sapphire, Heather Sapphire, Neon Blue, Iris, Cobalt, Royal, Fan Deep Royal, Indigo Blue, Blue Dusk, Midnight, Navy, Heather Navy |
| Purples | Lilac, Violet, Heather Radiant Orchid, Purple, Fan Dark Purple, Blackberry |
A few naming notes. The "Fan" colors (Fan Dark Green, Fan Deep Royal, and so on) are team shades meant to match school and sports colors. The "Antique" colors have a slightly mottled, heathered look. Safety Green, Safety Orange, and Safety Pink are the brightest options in the line.
Gildan shirt colors that are blends, not 100% cotton
When people search for Gildan t shirt colors, they usually assume every shirt is pure cotton. On the 5000, most are, but not all. Here's how the fabric breaks down:
- 100% cotton. All the solid colors not listed below.
- 99% cotton, 1% polyester. Ash.
- 90% cotton, 10% polyester. Sport Grey and the Antique colors.
- 50% cotton, 50% polyester. Dark Heather, Graphite Heather, every color with "Heather" in the name, Blackberry, Lilac, Midnight, Sunset, Tweed, and the Neon and Safety colors.
Why it matters: the 50/50 colors feel a little softer and drape differently than the heavy cotton solids, and they shrink less. If you're mixing colors in one order, say a team set in Navy and Heather Navy, expect a small difference in hand feel between them. Natural is also worth a note. It isn't dyed, so the small specks you see are cotton fibers and seeds, not defects.
Heathers also matter for print. Polyester picks up dye differently from cotton, which is what gives a heather its speckled look. For a closer look at two popular ones, see our post on Graphite Heather.
Most popular Gildan 5000 colors for DTF
These are the colors that show up again and again in custom orders. They're safe bets for stock, and they give your art a lot of room.
- Black. The default for bands, brands, and merch. Bright colors pop hard against it.
- White. Clean, cheap, and works for nearly any full-color design.
- Sport Grey. A light heather gray that flatters dark and bright art and hides wear.
- Navy. The go-to for schools, teams, and workwear.
- Charcoal and Dark Heather. Softer than black, still dark enough for white and pastel art.
- Red, Royal, Forest Green, Maroon. The core team colors.
- Sand and Natural. Warm neutrals that make earthy and vintage designs look right.
Design tips for Gildan colors
DTF prints a white ink layer behind your colors, so your design stays bright on dark shirts. That opens up the whole chart, but a few habits still help.
- Watch contrast, not just color. A mid gray design on Sport Grey or a dark red on Maroon will disappear. Squint at a mockup. If the art blurs into the shirt, push it lighter or darker.
- Don't print the shirt color. If part of your design matches the garment, delete it and let the shirt show through. The print will feel lighter and look cleaner.
- Use the heather on purpose. Heathers soften everything around the print. Bold, simple art reads best. Very fine line work can look busy against a speckled background.
- Match brand colors carefully. Screens and shirts don't line up perfectly. If you need a specific shade, order a test print and compare it to the actual blank.
- Prep the file right. Send a transparent PNG at 300 DPI at the size you want printed.
Pressing DTF on the Gildan 5000
The 5000 is a thick, sturdy cotton tee, and it presses easily. Our settings are the same whether you're pressing a 100% cotton solid or a 50/50 heather:
- Confirm your temperature. Plenty of presses read hotter or cooler than the dial. Check the platen with a probe or temp strips and get it to 300°F.
- Pre-press for 5 seconds. This pulls moisture out of the cotton and flattens wrinkles.
- Press at 300°F for 10 seconds with high pressure.
- Peel hot. Open the press and peel the film right away in one smooth, low motion.
- Post-press for 5 seconds. Cover the print with parchment or a Teflon sheet.
Want the full breakdown with troubleshooting? Read our DTF heat press settings guide.
Gildan 5000 vs other blanks
The 5000 is a heavier, boxier tee. If you want a lighter, softer shirt from Gildan, look at the Softstyle line in our Gildan Softstyle color chart. If you're comparing brands, our Comfort Colors vs Gildan breakdown covers the differences in feel and look.
FAQ
How many colors does the Gildan 5000 come in?
The current distributor catalog lists 83 colors. The lineup changes over time, so confirm stock with your supplier before ordering.
Is Sport Grey 100% cotton?
No. Sport Grey on the 5000 is 90% cotton and 10% polyester. Ash is 99% cotton and 1% polyester.
What's the difference between Dark Heather and Charcoal?
Charcoal is a solid dark gray and is 100% cotton. Dark Heather is a 50/50 cotton and polyester blend with a speckled heather look.
Can I press DTF on Gildan heather and neon colors?
Yes. Use the same settings: 300°F for 10 seconds with high pressure, then peel hot and post-press for 5 seconds.
Does Gildan publish hex codes for its colors?
Gildan shows swatches, but garment colors vary by dye lot and screen, so treat any on-screen swatch as approximate. For an exact match, look at a physical shirt.
Print on your Gildan blanks
Pick your colors, upload your art, and orders placed before 1PM PT ship the same business day.