Custom Garment-Dyed T-Shirts & Hoodies

Comfort Colors wrote the playbook on garment-dyed t-shirts. Founded in the early 1990s, the brand pioneered the technique of dyeing finished garments to achieve that soft, sun-washed aesthetic that no other process can match. Today, Comfort Colors Canada is the most requested garment-dyed brand by print shops, university bookstores, and custom apparel buyers from Toronto to Vancouver — and T-Shirt Elephant carries the full line.

Comfort Colors C1717 — The Flagship Garment-Dyed Tee

The Comfort Colors C1717 Garment-Dyed Heavyweight T-Shirt is the cornerstone of the entire garment-dyed category. Built from 6.1 oz ring-spun cotton, it delivers a substantial, premium hand feel that lightweight fashion blanks cannot match. Available in over 60 colours — from classic neutrals to bold seasonal shades — the C1717 is the blank of choice for custom garment dyed printing across Canada. Screen printers in Calgary and Montreal rely on this shirt for everything from brewery merchandise to sorority event tees.

Comfort Colors 6014 — Long Sleeve Garment-Dyed

The Comfort Colors 6014 Garment-Dyed Long Sleeve T-Shirt extends the C1717 formula into a long-sleeve silhouette. Same 6.1 oz ring-spun cotton, same garment-dye process, same broken-in feel — but with full-length sleeves for cooler weather. The 6014 is a top seller for fall campus events in Ottawa and winter pop-up shops in Edmonton. Available in 30+ colours, it pairs perfectly with discharge printing for that vintage tshirts aesthetic.

Why Comfort Colors Dominates Garment-Dyed

Three factors set Comfort Colors apart from competitors. First, the colour range — no other garment-dyed brand offers 60+ colours, giving designers and brands unmatched creative flexibility. Second, the heavyweight 6.1 oz construction — this is not a thin fashion tee that pills after three washes. Third, consistency — the C1717 has been in production for decades, so printers in Toronto, Vancouver, and across Canada know exactly how it will perform on press. When customers search for Comfort Colors Canada, they are looking for this specific combination of quality, colour selection, and print reliability.

Comfort Colors 1566 & 1567 — Garment-Dyed Sweatshirts

Beyond t-shirts, Comfort Colors extends the garment-dyed treatment to fleece. The Comfort Colors 1566 Crewneck Sweatshirt and the Comfort Colors 1567 Hooded Sweatshirt deliver the same soft, washed-down aesthetic in a mid-weight fleece body. Both styles are built from ring-spun cotton and garment-dyed for that signature lived-in look that buyers in Calgary, Montreal, and Ottawa expect from the Comfort Colors name.

ATC (Authentic T-Shirt Company) has built a compelling garment-dyed lineup that offers Canadian print shops a domestically distributed alternative to imported brands. The ATC Earth Wash and Authentic Colours collections deliver the same washed-down, pigment dyed aesthetic that customers expect — but with the advantage of Canadian warehouse inventory, faster shipping to Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and every city in between, and pricing in Canadian dollars.

ATC6040 — Earth Wash Everyday Tee

The ATC ATC6040 Earth Wash Everyday Tee is ATC's answer to the Comfort Colors C1717. It is a garment-dyed cotton tee with a relaxed, lived-in feel right out of the box. The Earth Wash process gives each shirt subtle colour variations along the seams and hems — exactly the aesthetic that makes garment dyed tshirts so popular for custom printing. Available through Canadian distributors, the ATC6040 ships faster to Edmonton, Ottawa, and Montreal than imported alternatives.

ATCF6400 — Earth Wash Tourbillon Fleece Crewneck

The ATC ATCF6400 Earth Wash Tourbillon Fleece Crewneck brings the garment-dye treatment to mid-weight fleece. The Tourbillon fleece interior provides a soft, looped texture against the skin while the exterior displays the characteristic washed-down colour of the Earth Wash process. This crewneck is a strong choice for custom garment dyed sweatshirts — particularly for brands in Toronto and Vancouver looking for a premium blank that prints and embroiders cleanly.

ATCF6500 — Earth Wash Tourbillon Fleece Hoodie

The ATC ATCF6500 Earth Wash Tourbillon Fleece Hoodie is the hooded version of the ATCF6400. Same Tourbillon fleece construction, same Earth Wash garment-dye process, but with a lined hood and front kangaroo pocket. For custom apparel programs in Calgary, Edmonton, and Ottawa that want a garment-dyed hoodie without importing from the US, the ATCF6500 is the obvious choice.

The Canadian Supplier Advantage

Ordering garment-dyed blanks from ATC means faster turnaround and lower freight costs for Canadian print shops. ATC warehouses inventory domestically, eliminating cross-border delays, brokerage fees, and currency conversion headaches. For high-volume custom apparel operations in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, and Calgary, ATC's Earth Wash line delivers the garment dyed tshirts and fleece your customers want — sourced and shipped entirely within Canada.

Independent Trading Co. brings a streetwear sensibility to the pigment dyed category. While Comfort Colors pioneered the garment-dye aesthetic and ATC delivers Canadian distribution, Independent Trading Co. focuses on heavyweight construction and contemporary silhouettes that appeal to fashion-forward brands, streetwear labels, and premium custom apparel programs across Canada.

PRM4500 — Heavyweight Pigment-Dyed Hoodie

The Independent Trading Co. PRM4500 Heavyweight Pigment-Dyed Hoodie is built for brands that want their custom hoodies to look and feel like retail product. The heavyweight fleece body is pigment dyed after construction, producing rich, muted tones with natural colour variation at the seams and edges. The PRM4500 features a crossover hood, metal eyelets, and a thick drawcord — details that separate it from basic fleece hoodies. Custom apparel buyers in Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal choose the PRM4500 when standard blanks are not premium enough for their brand.

PRM3500 — Heavyweight Pigment-Dyed Crewneck

The Independent Trading Co. PRM3500 applies the same pigment dyed treatment to a crewneck silhouette. The heavyweight fleece construction and garment-dye process create a premium blank that sits comfortably in the retail-quality tier. For streetwear brands and boutique labels in Calgary and Edmonton that sell custom crewnecks alongside their hoodie programs, the PRM3500 provides the same washed-down aesthetic without the hood.

Streetwear-Grade Quality

What sets Independent Trading Co. apart in the pigment dyed space is build quality. These are not lightweight promotional hoodies — they are thick, heavy garments with reinforced seams, high-quality hardware, and the kind of substantial hand feel that streetwear customers expect. When a brand in Ottawa or Vancouver wants to sell custom garment dyed hoodies at a retail price point, Independent Trading Co. delivers the blank quality that justifies the markup.

Printing on garment-dyed t-shirts produces results that standard blanks simply cannot replicate. The pre-washed, broken-in fabric gives printed designs an instant vintage quality — as if the shirt and its artwork have been worn together for years. This is why custom garment dyed apparel has become the preferred choice for breweries, coffee roasters, resort shops, and lifestyle brands across Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary.

The Vintage Print Aesthetic

When you print on a garment-dyed blank like the Comfort Colors C1717, the ink interacts with the pre-softened cotton in a way that looks organic and intentional. Edges soften slightly, colours blend into the fabric rather than sitting stiffly on top, and the overall effect is the kind of vintage tshirts look that customers pay premium prices for. Print shops in Montreal, Ottawa, and Edmonton report that garment dyed tshirts outsell standard blanks in retail settings by significant margins.

Best Ink Types for Garment-Dyed

Discharge printing is the gold standard for garment-dyed t-shirts. Discharge ink chemically removes the garment dye from the cotton and replaces it with new pigment, producing a print that lives inside the fabric rather than on top of it. The result is an incredibly soft hand feel with zero texture — the design feels like part of the shirt itself. Water-based inks are the second-best option, offering a soft hand feel with vibrant colour on lighter garment-dyed shades. Puff ink adds a raised, three-dimensional texture that contrasts beautifully against the flat, matte surface of pigment dyed blanks.

Print Placement on Garment-Dyed Blanks

The relaxed fit and soft drape of garment-dyed t-shirts influence print placement decisions. Left-chest logos print cleanly on the C1717's substantial cotton panel. Oversized back prints take advantage of the garment's natural drape to create a relaxed, contemporary look that customers in Toronto and Vancouver love. For brands ordering custom garment dyed tees, we recommend centring designs slightly higher than on standard blanks, as the heavier cotton tends to hang lower on the body. Our design team provides free mockups so you can see exactly how your artwork will sit on the finished garment.

The garment-dyed treatment is not limited to t-shirts. Some of the most compelling custom apparel in the category is fleece — crewneck sweatshirts, hooded sweatshirts, and quarter-zip pullovers that deliver the same soft, washed-down aesthetic in a warmer silhouette. For Canadian businesses, campus bookstores, and lifestyle brands in Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver, garment-dyed fleece commands higher retail prices and stronger customer loyalty than standard sweatshirts.

Comfort Colors Garment-Dyed Fleece

The Comfort Colors 1566 Crewneck Sweatshirt is the fleece equivalent of the C1717 — ring-spun cotton, garment-dyed, and available in a wide range of the brand's signature muted colours. The Comfort Colors 1567 Hooded Sweatshirt adds a jersey-lined hood for layering versatility. The Comfort Colors 1580 Quarter-Zip offers a polished, collared silhouette that works for both casual branding and corporate events. And the Comfort Colors 1467 Lightweight Fleece Hoodie delivers a lighter-weight option for transitional seasons in Montreal, Ottawa, and Edmonton.

ATC Earth Wash Fleece

For Canadian-sourced garment-dyed fleece, ATC's Earth Wash Tourbillon line delivers. The ATCF6400 Crewneck, ATCF6500 Hoodie, and ATCF6700 Quarter-Zip all feature the Tourbillon fleece interior with an Earth Wash garment-dye exterior. These ship from Canadian warehouses, making them the fastest option for custom orders in Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary.

Independent Trading Co. Pigment-Dyed Fleece

The Independent Trading Co. PRM4500 Pigment-Dyed Hoodie and the PRM3500 Pigment-Dyed Crewneck sit at the premium end of the garment-dyed fleece spectrum. Heavyweight construction, metal hardware, and a streetwear-influenced silhouette make these blanks the choice for brands in Edmonton and Ottawa that sell custom hoodies at retail price points.

Embroidery and Print Options

All garment-dyed fleece accepts embroidery, screen printing, and heat transfer decoration. Embroidery is particularly effective on fleece — the dense fabric supports detailed stitch work, and the garment-dyed background provides a rich, muted canvas that makes thread colours pop. For screen printing, discharge and water-based inks produce the best results on garment-dyed sweatshirts, maintaining the soft hand feel that makes these garments special.

Colour is what sets garment-dyed t-shirts apart from every other blank on the market. The garment-dye process produces colours that are impossible to achieve through conventional fabric dyeing — muted, earthy, sun-washed tones with a depth and warmth that looks like the shirt has already lived a full life. This distinctive palette is the primary reason brands in Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary choose garment dyed tshirts over standard blanks.

What Makes These Colours Special

Standard fabric-dyed t-shirts produce flat, uniform colour. Garment-dyed shirts absorb colour unevenly by design — the flat panels take on slightly more dye than the seams, the collar sits a shade lighter than the body, and subtle tonal variations emerge across the entire surface. The result is colour with dimension and character. Each garment-dyed shirt is technically unique, with micro-variations in shade that give a handcrafted quality to mass-produced blanks. This is why vintage tshirts collectors and modern brands alike gravitate toward the garment-dyed aesthetic.

Popular Garment-Dyed Colours

Certain Comfort Colors shades have become iconic in the custom apparel world. Pepper — a rich charcoal with warm undertones — is the single most popular garment-dyed colour for custom printing in Canada. Blue Jean delivers a washed denim blue that evokes weekend casual. Yam is a burnt orange with terracotta warmth that dominates fall collections. Chalky Mint provides a soft seafoam green that reads fresh and contemporary. Berry offers a muted magenta that sits between pink and plum. And Ivory gives brands a warmer, more inviting alternative to stark white. These six colours account for a significant share of custom garment dyed orders processed through our Toronto and Montreal production facilities.

Seasonal Trends in Garment-Dyed

The garment-dyed colour palette shifts with the seasons. Spring and summer orders from Vancouver and Ottawa trend toward Chalky Mint, Butter, Orchid, and Chambray — light, airy tones that complement the season. Fall drives heavy demand for Yam, Crimson, Blue Spruce, and Pepper across Calgary, Edmonton, and Toronto. Winter orders spike for Pepper, True Navy, and Ivory as brands build holiday merchandise programs. Comfort Colors Canada releases limited-edition seasonal colours throughout the year, giving custom apparel buyers access to trendy shades that differentiate their products from competitors using standard colour palettes.

Screen printing on garment-dyed t-shirts requires different techniques than printing on standard blanks. The pre-washed, softened fabric and reactive dyes interact with inks in specific ways that experienced printers leverage to produce stunning results. T-Shirt Elephant's production facility has printed hundreds of thousands of garment dyed tshirts for clients across Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and every major city in Canada — and we have refined our process to maximize print quality on these premium blanks.

Discharge Printing — The Premium Choice

Discharge printing is purpose-built for garment-dyed apparel. The ink contains an activating agent that chemically removes the garment dye from the cotton fibres and simultaneously deposits new pigment in its place. The result is a print that literally lives inside the fabric — zero texture, zero hand feel, and a soft, breathable design that is indistinguishable from the unprinted fabric by touch. On a Pepper Comfort Colors C1717, a discharge-printed design appears to glow from within the fabric. This is the technique that produces the vintage tshirts aesthetic that premium brands in Montreal, Ottawa, and Edmonton demand.

Water-Based Inks — Soft Hand, Vibrant Colour

Water-based inks are the second most popular choice for garment-dyed t-shirts. These inks absorb into the cotton fibres rather than sitting on top, producing a soft hand feel with good colour vibrancy. Water-based printing works best on lighter garment-dyed shades — Ivory, Butter, Chambray, and Chalky Mint — where the ink colour does not have to compete with a dark background. For multi-colour designs on light garment dyed tshirts, water-based inks deliver excellent results at a lower cost than discharge.

Plastisol Inks — Bold and Opaque

Traditional plastisol inks sit on top of the fabric surface, producing bold, opaque colours with a slightly raised texture. While plastisol lacks the soft hand feel of discharge and water-based options, it offers the widest colour gamut and the most consistent colour matching across different garment-dyed shades. For designs that require exact PMS colour matching — corporate logos, franchise branding, and sponsor artwork — plastisol on garment-dyed t-shirts ensures colour accuracy that other ink types cannot guarantee.

How Prints Age With the Fabric

One of the most compelling qualities of printing on garment-dyed apparel is how the print ages alongside the garment. As the garment-dyed fabric softens and lightens with each wash, discharge and water-based prints evolve with it — maintaining their visual harmony with the base colour rather than looking artificially bright against a fading shirt. This synchronized aging is what creates the authentic vintage tshirts look that resale markets and brand-conscious customers in Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary value so highly.

Garment-dyed t-shirts have become the blank of choice for businesses that want their branded apparel to feel premium rather than promotional. The soft hand feel, muted colour palette, and lived-in aesthetic elevate custom garment dyed merchandise above the standard promotional tee — and customers notice the difference. Businesses across Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal increasingly choose garment dyed tshirts because the finished product looks like something people would actually buy in a retail store, not something they received for free at a trade show.

Premium Perception and Retail Value

A garment-dyed t-shirt on a Comfort Colors C1717 blank communicates quality before anyone even reads the logo. The heavyweight cotton, the soft washed colour, the relaxed drape — these are visual and tactile cues that signal premium product. Businesses that sell branded merchandise — brewery taprooms, coffee shops, surf and ski retailers — report higher sell-through rates and higher price points when they switch from standard blanks to garment-dyed. A branded tee on a garment-dyed blank can retail for $35–$45 and customers in Edmonton, Ottawa, and Toronto will pay it gladly because the garment justifies the price.

Brewery and Craft Beverage Merchandise

Craft breweries and beverage brands are the single largest business category ordering custom garment dyed apparel through T-Shirt Elephant. The muted, earthy colour palette of garment dyed tshirts aligns perfectly with craft branding — artisanal, authentic, and intentionally imperfect. A discharge-printed brewery logo on a Pepper or Blue Jean Comfort Colors tee has become the unofficial uniform of the Canadian craft beverage scene, from taprooms in Toronto's west end to brewpubs in Vancouver's East Van and Calgary's Inglewood neighbourhood.

Coffee Shops and Lifestyle Retail

Independent coffee shops and lifestyle retailers in Montreal, Ottawa, and Vancouver use garment-dyed merchandise as a revenue stream and a branding tool. A well-designed logo on a garment-dyed hoodie or tee becomes a walking advertisement that customers actually want to wear — unlike a cheap promotional shirt that ends up in a drawer. The vintage tshirts aesthetic of garment-dyed blanks fits the curated, Instagram-friendly visual identity that modern coffee shops and boutique retailers cultivate.

Resort, Tourism, and Greek Life

Resort gift shops, tourism operators, and university Greek life organizations are major buyers of custom garment dyed apparel. Resorts in Banff, Whistler, and Muskoka sell garment-dyed t-shirts as premium souvenirs that tourists keep and wear for years. University sororities and fraternities in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and Edmonton order Comfort Colors Canada tees and hoodies for rush events, philanthropy drives, and chapter merchandise — the garment-dyed aesthetic has become the default look for Greek life apparel across Canadian campuses. These organizations value the premium feel of garment dyed tshirts because their members will actually wear them, extending the brand visibility far beyond the initial event.

Garment-dyed apparel has become the unofficial uniform of Greek life across Canadian universities. Sororities, fraternities, and student organizations choose Comfort Colors and pigment-dyed tees for rush events, bid day celebrations, chapter retreats, and philanthropy fundraisers — because nothing else delivers the same effortlessly cool, lived-in aesthetic that campus culture demands.

Comfort Colors as the Campus Standard

Walk through any university campus in Canada — from Western to UBC to McGill — and you will see Comfort Colors 1717 tees everywhere. The oversized, garment-dyed look has become a status symbol in Greek life. Chapters order matching sets in colours like Butter, Chambray, Berry, and Seafoam for recruitment week, mixers, and formal events. The vintage wash aesthetic photographs beautifully for social media, which matters when your chapter is promoting events and attracting new members.

Sorority and Fraternity Merchandise

Greek organizations typically order custom garment-dyed apparel multiple times per semester — bid day shirts, intramural jerseys, philanthropy event tees, and spring formal merchandise. The soft hand feel and relaxed fit of garment-dyed cotton makes these shirts the ones members actually wear long after the event. Screen-printed Greek letters, chapter crests, and event-specific designs on Comfort Colors blanks are the gold standard for campus merchandise.

University Bookstores and Campus Brands

University bookstores and student-run apparel brands increasingly stock garment-dyed merchandise as their premium tier. A garment-dyed hoodie with a subtle embroidered university crest outsells standard fleece alternatives because students want apparel that looks and feels like retail quality. The Comfort Colors 1566 crewneck and 1567 hoodie are top sellers for campus bookstore programs across Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia.

Budget-Friendly Campus Option

For student organizations working with tighter budgets, the ATC Earth Wash ATC6040 starting at $7.12 delivers a similar garment-dyed aesthetic at nearly half the cost of Comfort Colors. It is an excellent choice for orientation week giveaways, residence floor shirts, and club merchandise where volume matters more than brand name recognition.

Garment-dyed apparel is the natural fit for resort towns, tourism operators, and beach culture merchandise. The sun-washed, relaxed look of garment-dyed cotton captures the laid-back energy that vacationers associate with their favourite destinations — and it turns a souvenir t-shirt into something people actually want to wear back home.

Vacation and Destination Merchandise

Tourism-driven businesses in Tofino, Muskoka, Banff, Prince Edward Island, and the Okanagan rely on custom garment-dyed tees as their premium souvenir offering. A Comfort Colors 1717 printed with a minimalist destination graphic outsells cheap tourist tees because visitors recognize the quality difference immediately. The garment-dyed texture communicates authenticity — it feels like the shirt already has a story, which is exactly what tourists want from a keepsake.

Surf Shops and Outdoor Outfitters

Surf shops, paddle board rental operations, and outdoor adventure companies choose garment-dyed apparel because it aligns perfectly with their brand identity. The faded, worn-in look mirrors the aesthetic of life spent outdoors. Screen-printed logos on pigment-dyed blanks in Ocean, Seafoam, Sandstone, and Terracotta create merchandise that looks like it belongs on a boardwalk or mountain trail.

Resort Gift Shops and Hotel Merchandise

Upscale resorts and boutique hotels use custom garment-dyed hoodies and tees as branded merchandise that guests purchase as premium souvenirs. The Comfort Colors 1567 hoodie with an embroidered resort logo becomes a wearable memory that guests reach for on cool evenings long after checkout. This is merchandise that promotes your brand every time it is worn — not merchandise that gets buried in a drawer.

Seasonal and Limited-Edition Runs

With no minimum order requirement, tourism businesses can produce limited-edition garment-dyed collections for specific seasons, festivals, or anniversary milestones. A summer-only colourway on a garment-dyed tee creates urgency and exclusivity that drives sales at point-of-purchase displays in gift shops and visitor centres.

Craft breweries, independent coffee shops, and restaurant brands have adopted garment-dyed apparel as the standard for branded merchandise. The vintage, artisanal feel of garment-dyed cotton mirrors the handcrafted identity that these businesses cultivate — and it turns customers into walking brand ambassadors.

Taproom and Brewery Merchandise

Craft breweries across Canada — from microbreweries in the Kootenays to taprooms on the Halifax waterfront — sell garment-dyed tees and hoodies as premium merchandise alongside their beer. A Comfort Colors 1717 printed with a brewery logo in a single colour on Pepper, Ivory, or Blue Spruce looks like a vintage find from a beloved local institution. Brewery merchandise on garment-dyed blanks commands higher price points and better margins than standard tees.

Barista and Staff Apparel

Coffee shops use garment-dyed tees as staff uniforms that double as brand marketing. Baristas wearing a pigment-dyed tee with the shop logo feel authentic to the craft coffee aesthetic. The soft, broken-in feel means staff actually enjoy wearing them through long shifts. The natural colour variations in garment-dyed fabric make each shirt subtly unique — just like the pour-over coffee they serve.

Restaurant Branded Merchandise

Restaurants with a cult following — from neighbourhood pizza joints to farm-to-table destinations — use custom garment-dyed apparel as a revenue stream and loyalty driver. A Comfort Colors pocket tee (6030) with a restaurant logo printed on the pocket is the kind of subtle, tasteful merchandise that food enthusiasts wear proudly. The pocket tee format at $15.25 adds perceived value while keeping production costs manageable.

Event and Seasonal Merchandise

Beer festivals, coffee cupping events, and restaurant pop-ups order limited-run garment-dyed merchandise to commemorate special occasions. The ATC Earth Wash ATC6040 at $7.12 is perfect for event giveaways and promotional runs where budget matters. For premium anniversary or collaboration merchandise, the Comfort Colors 1566 crewneck at $34.40 creates a collectible piece that customers treasure.

Transparent pricing is a core value at T-Shirt Elephant. When you order custom garment-dyed apparel, you see real-time pricing in our online designer — no hidden fees, no surprise setup charges. Our garment-dyed blank pricing starts at $7.12 CAD and scales down with volume.

Garment-Dyed Blank Pricing

Decoration Pricing

Decoration costs are added to the blank garment price. Screen-printed designs typically add $3–10 per garment for 1–2 colour prints. Embroidered logos add $5–12 per placement. DTF (direct-to-film) transfers are available for full-colour photographic designs. All pricing updates in real time in our online designer as you build your custom garment-dyed apparel.

Volume Discounts

The more garment-dyed apparel you order, the less you pay per unit. Pricing tiers adjust automatically: 12+ standard team pricing, 24+ moderate volume discount, 48+ best published tier, 100+ contact us for wholesale quotes. Breweries, coffee shops, and organizations ordering branded merchandise in bulk see significant savings at the 48+ tier.

Free Shipping Over $250 CAD

All orders over $250 CAD ship free anywhere in Canada. A typical order of 24 Comfort Colors 1717 tees with single-colour screen printing clears this threshold easily — meaning free delivery on top of volume pricing.

Sizing garment-dyed apparel correctly is essential — especially because the garment-dyeing process can cause slight shrinkage compared to standard blanks. Understanding how each brand fits helps you order confidently for yourself or your entire team.

Comfort Colors Sizing — Runs Slightly Small

The Comfort Colors 1717 is a heavyweight 6.1 oz ringspun tee that runs slightly smaller than standard blanks due to the garment-dyeing process. The hot-water dye bath causes 3–5% shrinkage during manufacturing, which means a Comfort Colors Large fits closer to a standard Medium-Large. We recommend sizing up one size for a true-to-size fit, or ordering your regular size if you prefer the popular oversized, relaxed look that Comfort Colors is known for.

Comfort Colors Size Chart (C1717)

ATC Earth Wash and ATC1700 Sizing

The ATC Earth Wash (ATC6040) and ATC Garment-Dyed Heavyweight (ATC1700) follow standard North American sizing and run true to size. ATC garment-dyed blanks experience less shrinkage than Comfort Colors during the dyeing process, so you can order your normal size with confidence. Available in S through 4XL for maximum inclusivity.

Size-Up Recommendation

Our general advice for garment-dyed apparel: if you are between sizes or prefer a relaxed fit, size up one. This is especially important for Comfort Colors products. The oversized, relaxed silhouette is part of the garment-dyed aesthetic — most customers intentionally order one size up for that coveted vintage, broken-in look. For ATC blanks, standard sizing applies and no adjustment is typically needed.

Sweatshirt and Hoodie Sizing

The Comfort Colors 1566 crewneck and 1567 hoodie follow the same slightly-small pattern as the 1717 tee. Size up one for a standard fit. The ITC PRM4500 pigment-dyed hoodie and ATC Earth Wash crewneck (ATCF6400) run true to size. When ordering for a group, collect sizes and remind your team about the Comfort Colors size-up recommendation to avoid returns.

Three brands dominate the garment-dyed apparel market in Canada, and each serves a different purpose. Here is an honest comparison to help you choose the right blank for your project.

Comfort Colors — The Premium Standard

The Comfort Colors C1717 is the most recognized garment-dyed tee in North America. At $11.60, it commands a premium — but delivers on it. The 6.1 oz ringspun cotton is heavyweight and substantial. The garment-dye process produces rich, saturated colours with a soft, vintage hand feel from the first wear. Comfort Colors offers the widest colour palette of any garment-dyed brand, with colours like Butter, Chalky Mint, Blue Spruce, Berry, and Pepper that no other brand matches. Choose Comfort Colors when brand recognition matters, you need a specific colour match, or you are producing retail-quality merchandise.

ATC Earth Wash — The Value Leader

The ATC Earth Wash ATC6040 at $7.12 is the budget-friendly entry point to garment-dyed apparel. At nearly 40% less than Comfort Colors, it delivers a legitimate garment-dyed look and feel on a lighter-weight blank. The colour range is more limited than Comfort Colors, but covers the most popular earth tones and neutrals. The ATC1700 Garment-Dyed Heavyweight at $12.95 bridges the gap — heavier weight and broader colours, positioned between the ATC6040 and Comfort Colors. Choose ATC when budget is the primary driver, you are ordering in high volume, or you need a garment-dyed look without the premium price.

ITC Pigment-Dyed — The Premium Alternative

The ITC (Independent Trading Co.) PRM4500 pigment-dyed hoodie at $52.95 targets the premium streetwear and fashion-forward market. ITC uses a pigment-dyeing process that produces a slightly different aesthetic than traditional garment-dyeing — more muted, more fashion-forward, with a smoother surface texture. ITC blanks are popular with streetwear brands, high-end merchandise lines, and retailers who want a distinctive look that separates them from the Comfort Colors mainstream. Choose ITC when you want a premium fashion-forward aesthetic, your brand targets a streetwear or lifestyle audience, or you need a hoodie that competes with retail brands.

Quick Comparison

Garment-dyed apparel requires slightly different care than conventionally dyed clothing. Understanding these care basics ensures your custom garment-dyed tees, hoodies, and sweatshirts maintain their intended look for years — while continuing to develop the character that makes garment-dyed products special.

First Wash — Expect Colour Bleeding

The first wash of any garment-dyed product will release excess dye. This is completely normal and expected — it is a natural result of the garment-dyeing process. Wash new garment-dyed items separately or with similar colours for the first 2–3 washes. Dark colours like Pepper, True Navy, and Crimson will bleed more than lighter shades. Do not wash new garment-dyed items with whites or light-coloured clothing until the excess dye has been fully released.

Wash Cold, Every Time

Always wash garment-dyed apparel in cold water. Hot water accelerates colour loss and can cause additional shrinkage beyond the initial garment-dyeing process. Cold water preserves the colour depth and prevents premature fading. Use a gentle or normal cycle — heavy-duty cycles with aggressive agitation are unnecessary for cotton garments and can accelerate wear.

Colours Fade by Design

Gradual fading is a feature of garment-dyed apparel, not a defect. Each wash cycle softens the colour slightly, creating a more vintage, worn-in appearance over time. This is the entire appeal of garment-dyed products — they develop character and personality with wear. A Comfort Colors 1717 that has been washed 50 times looks different from one washed 5 times, and both look intentional. If you want to slow the fading process, turn garments inside out before washing and avoid prolonged direct sunlight when line-drying.

No Bleach — Ever

Never use chlorine bleach or oxygen bleach on garment-dyed products. Bleach reacts unpredictably with garment dyes and will cause blotchy, uneven colour removal rather than uniform lightening. Even colour-safe bleach alternatives can cause spotting on garment-dyed fabrics. If you need to remove a stain, spot-treat with a mild detergent and cold water before washing.

Drying Recommendations

Tumble dry on low heat or hang dry. High heat accelerates both shrinkage and colour fading. Garment-dyed cotton is pre-shrunk during the dyeing process, but excessive heat can still cause minor additional shrinkage. For the best results with custom garment-dyed apparel, remove from the dryer while slightly damp and allow to finish air-drying. This minimizes wrinkles and preserves the garment shape.

T-Shirt Elephant ships custom garment-dyed apparel to every province and territory in Canada. Whether you are ordering Comfort Colors tees for a sorority in Kingston, garment-dyed hoodies for a brewery in Victoria, or pigment-dyed caps for a surf shop in Tofino — we deliver coast to coast with reliable tracking and professional packaging.

Free Shipping on Orders Over $250 CAD

All orders totalling $250 CAD or more ship free anywhere in Canada. This threshold is easy to reach — a standard order of 24 Comfort Colors 1717 tees with single-colour screen printing clears it comfortably. Free shipping applies to all provinces including remote areas in Northern Ontario, Northern BC, and the Territories.

Standard Delivery Times

Standard production for custom garment-dyed apparel is 10 business days from artwork approval. After production, shipping transit times depend on your location: Ontario and Quebec — 2–4 business days, Manitoba and Saskatchewan — 3–5 business days, Alberta and British Columbia — 4–6 business days, Atlantic provinces — 3–5 business days, Northern and remote areas — 5–8 business days. Total turnaround from order to delivery is typically 12–16 business days.

Rush Production Available

Need your garment-dyed order faster? Rush production is available in 5–7 business days for time-sensitive projects. Rush is ideal for event merchandise, last-minute festival orders, or tournament deadlines. Contact [email protected] before placing a rush order so we can confirm garment-dyed blank availability — popular Comfort Colors colours can sell out during peak season.

Packaging and Tracking

Every order ships with full tracking information emailed to you at dispatch. Garment-dyed apparel is individually folded and packed to prevent transit damage. Large team orders are boxed and labelled by size for easy distribution. We ship via Canada Post Expedited and Purolator depending on order size and destination.