COMFORT COLORS 1717 ADULT HEAVYWEIGHT T-SHIRT |

The Comfort Colors 1717 is the blank t-shirt that Australian independent labels, merch brands, and premium event merchandise programs reach for when a standard blank won’t do. It’s a 185gsm 100% ring-spun cotton heavyweight — but what makes it genuinely different is how it’s dyed: the finished garment is dyed after construction, not the yarn before. That’s garment dyeing, and it produces a lived-in softness, tonal depth, and subtle colour variation that ring-spun cotton blank tees dyed the standard way simply can’t replicate. Available wholesale at PS Apparel — blank or custom printed via our in-house service.

What garment dyeing actually means for print and wear

When a t-shirt is garment dyed, the finished sewn garment goes into a dye bath — creating a look where the colour is slightly uneven at seams, slightly faded at stress points, and subtly different piece to piece. This is the visual signature that buyers are paying for: the 1717 looks like it’s already been worn and washed 50 times before you even put it on. For screen printers, this has an important implication — ink sits differently on garment-dyed fabric than on a standard blank. Water-based inks and soft-hand plastisol work particularly well, producing prints that look intentionally vintage rather than freshly applied. DTF and heat transfers also work but produce more contrast against the base fabric.

Pigment dye vs reactive dye — what to order

Comfort Colors offers the 1717 in two dye types. Pigment dye colours (Pepper, Chalky Mint, Blue Jean, Yam, and most of the brand’s signature shades) provide a vintage, faded look with subtle tonal variation — the “classic Comfort Colors look.” Reactive dye colours (cleaner, more saturated tones) offer the same fabric softness with a more traditionally dyed appearance. For merch drops and premium branding, pigment dye colours are almost always the right choice. For corporate uniforms requiring consistent colour matching, reactive dye colours are the more predictable option.

Sizing and pre-shrinkage

The 1717 is pre-shrunk during the garment dye and wash process, so it experiences almost no additional shrinkage at home — which matters for print placement consistency on a decorated order. It runs in a relaxed unisex fit with a tubular body (no side seams), available S–3XL in standard sizes. The twill label and shoulder-to-shoulder twill tape are a premium construction detail rarely found at this price point.

Custom printing at PS Apparel

All Comfort Colors 1717 tees are available blank at wholesale pricing or custom printed via PS Apparel’s in-house screen printing and transfer service. We recommend water-based or soft-hand plastisol inks for best results on garment-dyed blanks. Supply your artwork in .AI or .EPS format. No minimums on blank stock. Australia-wide delivery from Port Stephens, NSW.

Product Features at a Glance

• Pre-shrunk during the garment dye process for almost no shrinkage at home
• Our clean pigment dye colours use 50% less water than traditional pigment dye processes
• Garment-dyed soft ring spun fabric feels great against your skin
• Topstitched, classic width, rib collar
• Twill taped back neck for extra comfort and durability
• Relaxed fit, tubular body
• Signature twill label
• Proud member of the US Cotton Trust Protocol (USCTP) and Better Cotton
• Cotton products from Comfort Colors support more sustainable + ethical cotton farming