Comfort Colors vs. AS Colour: A Screen Printer’s Guide

At Pulsemerch in Cedar City, we usually start new clients with AS Colour for retail-grade screen printing, but Comfort Colors is the right call when the project needs a vintage, garment-dyed character. After more than a decade of production work serving Southern Utah businesses, bands, and organizations, here is the honest breakdown of how these two blanks actually behave on press.

The short version:

• Fit: AS Colour runs a modern, retail-inspired silhouette. Comfort Colors runs relaxed and boxy.
• Dye process: AS Colour uses reactive/piece dyeing for consistent color across batches. Comfort Colors uses garment dyeing, which produces intentional color variation.
• Print predictability: AS Colour gives you a smoother, more consistent surface. Comfort Colors requires adjusted flash cure times and ink viscosity to avoid dye migration.
• Lead time and cost: AS Colour typically ships faster through domestic distributors. Comfort Colors commands a higher per-unit cost and can have longer lead times tied to import and batch-dye cycles.

Neither blank is universally better. The right choice depends on what your project actually needs.

How do Comfort Colors 1717 and AS Colour 5001 compare side by side?

Quick-decision takeaways:

• Choose the Comfort Colors 1717 when the worn-in, pigment-dyed look is the point of the product.
• Choose the AS Colour 5001 when you need sharp, consistent prints across a large run.
• The AS Colour 5051 Basic Tee fits buyers who want the same production quality as the 5001 in a slightly different cut.

How does fabric construction affect print results for each brand?

The Comfort Colors 1717 is a heavyweight garment-dyed tee built from ring-spun cotton, commonly cited at approximately 6.1 oz. That weight gives it a dense, absorbent hand, which is part of the appeal for retail customers but creates real considerations on press. The surface has a slight texture from the garment-dye process, and ink sits differently on it than on a standard piece-dyed blank.

AS Colour’s 5001 Staple Tee uses ring-spun cotton in the midweight range (approximately 180–220 gsm), piece-dyed for consistent color. The surface is noticeably smoother, which is why it produces cleaner halftones and finer detail in screen printing.

Key fabric distinctions that affect decoration:

• Ring-spun vs. open-end: Both brands use ring-spun cotton, which means a tighter, smoother yarn than open-end spun. That matters for ink lay and embroidery stitch definition.
• Garment-dyed surface (Comfort Colors): The pigment-dye process leaves a slightly uneven surface texture. Ink absorbs differently across the shirt, which can cause inconsistent flash results if you treat it like a standard reactive-dyed blank. Per Impressions magazine’s production notes, adjusted flash cure times and lower ink viscosity are standard practice for pigment-dyed tees.
• Reactive/piece-dyed surface (AS Colour): Color is applied to the fabric before cutting and sewing, producing a uniform surface. Batch-to-batch color consistency is reliable, which matters when you are reordering the same design six months later.
• Color range: Comfort Colors offers a wide vintage palette with intentional batch variation. AS Colour’s palette is smaller but color-matched across production runs.

Statistic callout: The Comfort Colors 1717 is commonly spec’d at approximately 6.1 oz, placing it firmly in the heavyweight category. AS Colour’s 5001 midweight construction (approximately 180–220 gsm) sits lighter, which affects both drape and ink absorbency on press.

For projects where apparel blank choice shapes the final print outcome, understanding these dye differences before you commit to a blank can save a reprint run.

How do fit and sizing differences affect design placement?

Comfort Colors runs relaxed and boxy. The 1717 has dropped shoulders and a wider body, which shifts the chest print zone lower and wider than most buyers expect. If you are placing a standard left-chest logo at the typical 3–4 inch drop from the collar, it can look small on a boxy blank. Designs built for a fitted tee often need to be scaled up or repositioned.

AS Colour’s 5001 and 5051 both run a modern retail fit, closer to what you see in boutique apparel. The shoulder seam sits closer to the natural shoulder, and the body tapers slightly. That gives you a more predictable print placement, especially for chest prints and oversized graphics.

Practical sizing notes for ordering:

• Comfort Colors tends to run true to size in length but wide in the body. Customers used to fitted tees often size down
• AS Colour sizing aligns closely with standard retail sizing. Most customers order their normal size

Pro Tip: When a client switches blanks mid-program (say, from a fitted tee to the Comfort Colors 1717), always run a new size sample before reprinting. We have seen customers order the same size they wore in a previous run and end up with a shirt two sizes too large in the body. A $15 sample prevents a $400 reorder.

How does each blank perform under screen printing, DTG, and embroidery?

Screen printing

AS Colour’s smooth, reactive-dyed surface is the easier blank to print on. Ink lays flat, halftones hold detail, and you can run standard plastisol at normal viscosity. For dark shirts, a standard white underbase at 160 mesh works well. Flash cure times follow normal parameters.

Comfort Colors requires more attention. The garment-dye process creates a surface that can cause dye migration if you run standard flash temperatures. Per Impressions magazine’s production guidance, lower ink viscosity and adjusted flash cure windows are standard practice. We typically drop flash temperature slightly and use a dye-blocking underbase on darker colorways to prevent bleed-through.

DTG

AS Colour is the more predictable DTG blank. The reactive-dyed surface accepts pre-treatment evenly, and color output is consistent. Comfort Colors’ pigment-dyed surface is less predictable for DTG. Pre-treatment adhesion can vary across the shirt due to surface texture, and color vibrancy on darker garment-dyed tees is harder to control. For photographic-detail DTG work, blanks like the Bella+Canvas 3001 with combed ring-spun cotton offer an even smoother surface than either brand.

Embroidery

Both blanks handle embroidery well. AS Colour’s tighter, smoother surface gives slightly crisper stitch definition on smaller logos. Comfort Colors’ heavier weight provides good stability for larger embroidery designs, but the textured surface can cause minor registration drift on fine detail work. For left-chest logos under 10,000 stitches, either blank performs reliably.

Pro Tip: For screen printing on Comfort Colors, run a test flash on a scrap piece of the actual colorway you are printing before committing to a full run. Darker pigment-dyed colors (burgundy, navy, black) behave differently from lighter ones, and a 10-second flash test can tell you whether you need to adjust temperature before you are 50 shirts in.

For a deeper look at how screen printing process decisions affect blank performance, that page covers our full workflow.

What should you expect from durability and wash performance?

Comfort Colors’ fade profile is by design. The garment-dye process produces a shirt that softens and develops character with each wash. That is the product. Prints on Comfort Colors will also soften over time, which reads as vintage authenticity on the right project. The fabric itself holds up well through repeated laundering, and the pre-shrunk construction means you are not losing significant size after the first wash.

AS Colour holds color and shape more consistently over time. Reactive dyes bond at the fiber level, so the shirt you sell on day one looks close to the shirt after 50 washes. Collar and neck durability are strong, and the fabric retains its structure without significant pilling or distortion.

Where the difference matters in practice:

• For merch programs where customers expect the shirt to look “new” for years, AS Colour is the safer choice
• For vintage-aesthetic drops where fading is part of the story, Comfort Colors’ fade profile is a selling point, not a defect

Statistic callout: The Comfort Colors 1717’s weight means the fabric has more mass per square inch than a standard midweight blank, which contributes to its long-term durability even as the surface softens.

Communicating the fade expectation to customers upfront prevents returns. We always note in order confirmations whether a blank is garment-dyed, so the customer knows what they are getting.

What do pricing and wholesale availability look like for each brand?

Comfort Colors 1717 sits at a higher per-unit wholesale price than most midweight retail blanks. The ring-spun cotton construction and garment-dye process both add cost, and that premium positioning is consistent across distributor comparisons. For budget-sensitive runs, that per-unit difference adds up quickly on orders over 100 pieces.

AS Colour blanks are available through domestic distributors at mid-tier wholesale pricing. Availability is generally more reliable, and lead times are shorter because you are not waiting on import or batch-dye cycles. For reorders, color consistency means you can match a previous run without ordering samples first.

Ordering considerations:

• Sample before committing to a large Comfort Colors run. Batch-dye variation means two orders of the same colorway can look slightly different.
• AS Colour’s consistent color production makes it the better choice for programs that need to reorder the same shirt repeatedly.
• For tight-budget giveaway runs, neither blank is the lowest-cost option. Standard midweight blanks from other suppliers will undercut both on price.
• Order a minimum of 6 shirts in your chosen blank for wear and print tests before committing to a full production run.

Which blank fits which type of project?

Common project matches:

• College and sorority merch: — Comfort Colors 1717. The vintage, pigment-dyed look is what this audience expects, and the relaxed fit reads as intentional.
• Boutique retail drops: — Either blank works, depending on the aesthetic. AS Colour for a clean, modern retail look. Comfort Colors for a worn-in, premium feel.
• Giveaway runs: Neither blank is the first choice for pure giveaway volume. Consider merch giveaway strategies that match blank cost to the intended use.

On sustainability, AS Colour promotes transparent supply chain practices and consistent production standards, which resonates with retail brands that need to communicate sourcing to their customers. Comfort Colors’ garment-dye process uses more water per unit than piece dyeing, which is worth noting for brands with environmental commitments.

For vintage-style merch design projects specifically, Comfort Colors’ palette and texture are hard to replicate on a standard reactive-dyed blank.

What we have learned from real production at Pulsemerch

The most common mistake we see: a client picks Comfort Colors because they like the look in a mockup, then sends artwork with fine-line detail at 65 mesh. Fine lines and halftones on a garment-dyed surface at standard mesh counts produce muddy results. We catch it before press, but it delays the job.

Common client mistakes and how we handle them:

• Wrong blank for the artwork: — Detailed halftone work on Comfort Colors needs 160 mesh minimum and a dye-blocking underbase. We flag this at the quote stage.

For screen printing specifically, we run 160–180 mesh on AS Colour for standard plastisol work and drop to 110–130 mesh for heavier ink deposits on dark Comfort Colors shirts. Flash cure on Comfort Colors runs at a slightly lower temperature and shorter dwell time to avoid scorching the pigment-dyed surface.

Pro Tip: On pigment-dyed shirts, a light spray of anti-migration additive in your underbase ink reduces dye bleed on dark colorways without adding significant hand to the print. It is a small change that prevents a visible problem on burgundy and forest green Comfort Colors shirts.

For more on print quality controls and how we approach each decoration method, that page covers our process in detail.

Which brand should you order first?

Pick AS Colour if:
You need consistent color across a large run, a modern retail fit, predictable print results, or you are building a staff uniform program.

Pick Comfort Colors if:
The vintage, pigment-dyed aesthetic is the product, your audience expects a soft, worn-in hand, or you are running college, sorority, or boutique merch where that look commands a premium.

Pick both (tiered approach) if:
You are building a merch line with a standard and premium tier, or you want to offer customers a choice between a clean retail look and a vintage feel in the same program.

Before committing to either blank at volume, order a sample run. Print your actual design on both blanks, wash them three times, and compare. That 30-minute test prevents a costly reorder.

Why Pulsemerch usually starts clients with AS Colour

For most paid client work at Pulsemerch, AS Colour is our default recommendation. The fit is predictable, the surface prints cleanly, and color consistency across reorders means a client can come back six months later and get the same shirt. Those three things reduce friction at every stage of the job, from quoting to delivery.

Comfort Colors is the right call for specific projects, and we say that without hesitation — especially because service members value comfort clothing for its feel and durability. When a client comes in with a vintage-aesthetic brief or a college merch program where the garment-dyed look is the point, we quote Comfort Colors first. The blank earns its price premium on those projects.

Where this preference shows up practically: when we build a mockup for a new client, we default to AS Colour unless the brief specifically calls for a vintage or garment-dyed look. That saves a round of revisions when the client sees the boxy Comfort Colors silhouette and realizes it does not match their brand.

Pulsemerch can run samples and handle your full production order

Pulsemerch has been producing custom screen printing, embroidery, and heat printing for Southern Utah businesses and organizations since 2012, with nationwide shipping on every order. If you are deciding between AS Colour and Comfort Colors for your next run, we can print samples of both blanks with your actual artwork before you commit to a full order.

Our screen printing process handles both blanks in-house, and we source AS Colour and Comfort Colors directly through our distributor network. Sample runs typically turn around in 5–7 business days from Cedar City. Full production runs ship nationwide, with lead times quoted at the time of order based on blank availability and decoration method.

Request a quote and tell us which blank you are considering. We will send a mockup and a production recommendation based on your artwork and use case.

Useful sources and official spec pages

Before placing a large order, confirm SKU specs, colorway availability, and current pricing directly with the brand or your distributor. Spec sheets can change between seasons.

• ascolour.com
• comfortcolors.com
• Impressions magazine Comfort Colors production notes (PDF)
• AS Colour vs Comfort Colors: Which Brand Is Better for Custom Printing?
• Comfort Colors vs Gildan: Garment Dyed T-Shirt Comparison for 2026 – beytees.com
• Gildan vs Comfort Colors: Which Brand Is Better?
• Gildan 5000 vs Comfort Colors 1717: Budget vs Premium for POD Sellers | Seller Mockups Blog | SellerMockups
• bellacanvas.com

Always check oz/gsm and colorway availability on the spec sheet before finalizing a large run. Colorways are discontinued seasonally, and ordering a sample in a color that is no longer available at reorder time creates problems.

FAQ

Is Comfort Colors the same as “comfort” branded tees from other companies?

No. Comfort Colors is a specific brand owned by Gildan, known for its garment-dyed, heavyweight ring-spun cotton tees. The name refers to the brand, not a generic product category.

Is Comfort Colors better quality than Gildan’s standard blanks?

Yes, in terms of fabric construction and finish. The Comfort Colors 1717 uses ring-spun cotton and a garment-dye process that produces a softer, heavier shirt than Gildan’s standard open-end spun blanks, and it carries a higher wholesale price to match.

What makes Comfort Colors worth the higher price?

The garment-dye process and ring-spun cotton construction produce a soft, lived-in hand that standard piece-dyed blanks cannot replicate. For vintage-aesthetic merch, that character is the product, and customers pay for it.

Which brand is better for screen printing: Comfort Colors or AS Colour?

AS Colour is the easier blank to screen print on. Its reactive-dyed, smooth surface accepts standard plastisol at normal settings. Comfort Colors requires adjusted flash cure times and ink viscosity to avoid dye migration, per Impressions magazine’s production guidance. Both produce good results when handled correctly.

Can Pulsemerch print on both blanks and ship nationwide?

Yes. Pulsemerch produces screen printing and embroidery on both AS Colour and Comfort Colors blanks, with nationwide shipping from Cedar City, Utah. Request a quote to get a production recommendation for your specific project.

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