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Best blank t-shirts for screen printing
For screen printing, the blank decides how sharp your print looks, how much ink you use, and how much margin is left on the job. Most Canadian print shops build their menu around a handful of proven styles: one budget workhorse, one soft retail tee, and one heavyweight. Here is how they differ.
Our picks
Open-end vs ring-spun cotton
Open-end cotton (Gildan 5000 Heavy Cotton, Gildan 2000 Ultra Cotton) is the classic plastisol workhorse — dense, durable and the lowest price per piece. It suits team, event and promotional runs.
Ring-spun and combed cotton (Gildan 64000 Softstyle, BELLA + CANVAS 3001, Next Level 3600) is softer with a smoother face, which holds fine halftones and water-based inks better and feels more "retail".
Blends and dye migration
Cotton/poly blends (Gildan 8000, Next Level 6210, BELLA + CANVAS 3001CVC) are soft and shrink less. When printing light inks on dark blends or polyester, use a low-bleed ink and cure at the right temperature to avoid dye migration.
Heather colours are often blends even within a 100% cotton style (for example Sport Grey is 90/10 on many Gildan styles), so check the colour-specific fabric note on the product page.
Weight
Heavier blanks (Gildan 5000 at 5.3 oz/yd², Gildan 2000 at 6 oz/yd², Comfort Colors 1717 at 6.1 oz/yd²) feel substantial and are forgiving on press. Lighter tees (Gildan 64000 at 4.5, Next Level 3600 at 4.3, BELLA + CANVAS 3001 at 4.2 oz/yd²) drape better and feel softer.
Compare side by side
FAQ
What is the best budget t-shirt for screen printing in Canada?
The Gildan 5000 Heavy Cotton is the most popular budget blank for screen printing — 100% cotton, a dense print surface and the lowest price per piece. Gildan 64000 Softstyle is the soft ring-spun alternative.
Gildan 64000 or BELLA + CANVAS 3001 for screen printing?
Both are ring-spun and print well. The 64000 is cheaper; the 3001 is combed Airlume cotton with a smoother face and a more retail feel. Use the compare tool for live prices and stock.
Do heather colours print differently?
Heathers are usually cotton/poly blends even within a cotton style, so light inks on dark heathers can need a low-bleed ink. Check each colour’s fabric note on the product page.