The Comfort Colors 1717 is popular for print on demand because it gives buyers a look they recognise on sight: a heavy, soft-washed cotton tee, dyed after it is sewn, with a relaxed fit and muted colours that read as worn-in and vintage. Sellers reach for it when a design suits that lived-in style and the listing price leaves room for a heavier blank.
This guide is for sellers deciding which tee to put behind a design, and for anyone who has already added the 1717 and wants the listing to set the right expectations. The shirt's two big strengths, garment dyeing and a relaxed cut, are also the source of the questions buyers tend to ask after they order, so it pays to understand both.
What garment dyeing does to the shirt
A typical tee is cut and sewn from fabric that was dyed beforehand. The 1717 is dyed afterwards: the Comfort Colors spec sheet describes "Soft-washed, garment-dyed fabric" in "6.1-ounce, 100% US ring spun cotton".
Dyeing a finished garment gives it a washed, slightly uneven colour, and seams and stitching can take the dye a little differently from the body. That softness is a large part of why the shirt looks vintage straight out of the bag. It also means batches can differ slightly, and the spec sheet says so: "Please allow for slight color variation in production and washing."
For a seller, that sentence matters more than any other line on the sheet. A buyer who orders the same colour twice, or orders a matching set for a group, may notice a difference between shirts, and your listing should prepare them for it.
Weight and fit: how the 1717 compares
Weight and cut are the other half of the appeal. The spec sheet lists a relaxed fit and a body made without side seams, and at 6.1 ounces the 1717 is heavier than the Gildan 5000 and the Bella+Canvas 3001, going by the makers' own published figures.
| Spec | Comfort Colors 1717 | Gildan 5000 | Bella+Canvas 3001 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Published weight | 6.1-ounce | 5.3-ounce | 4.2 oz |
| Fabric | 100% US ring spun cotton | 100% US cotton, with blends in heathers and some colours | 100% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton (Ash is 99/1) |
| Fit and build | Relaxed fit, no side seams | Classic fit, no side seams, taped neck and shoulders | Side-seamed, shoulder taping, unisex XS to 5XL |
| Colour note | Garment-dyed, slight variation in production and washing | Ash, Sport Grey, Antique and heather colours use cotton and polyester blends | Sold in 86 colours, other heathers sold as style 3001CVC |
Sources: the Comfort Colors 1717 spec sheet, the Gildan-branded 5000 spec sheet hosted by Blankstyle and the Bella+Canvas 3001 product page. The US sheets give weight in ounces without an area unit, so compare them with each other rather than with gram figures from other sources.
In practice, the heavier fabric feels substantial in the hand and hangs differently from a thin tee, and the relaxed cut gives the easy, boxy shape that suits a casual or oversized look. Buyers used to fitted tees may be unsure which size to pick, so a clear size chart in the listing saves messages. Our guide to building a size chart for Etsy apparel listings walks through it, and Comfort Colors 1717 vs Bella+Canvas 3001 compares those two shirts in more depth.
Colours that read as vintage
Garment dyeing produces softer, slightly faded shades rather than flat, saturated colour. That palette suits retro lettering, distressed textures, outdoor and nature illustrations, and simple one-colour designs that look as if they have been through years of washing.
It also changes how you design. Muted mid-tones give less contrast than white or black, so check that a design still reads on them at thumbnail size. White ink needs care too: the spec sheet notes that "Special consideration must also be taken when printing white ink on garment-dyed cotton." Before you list a light design across many dark garment-dyed colours, order a sample of at least one and look at it in daylight.
Offer the colours your design suits rather than every colour available. A design built for light shirts and one built for dark shirts are often two different files, a point we cover in light and dark versions of a design.
What buyers expect when they order a 1717
A buyer who chooses a garment-dyed heavyweight tee has clear expectations, and the listing should match them:
The feel. Thicker and softer than a basic tee. Say heavyweight, garment-dyed cotton in the description.
The fit. Relaxed. Give measurements from your provider's size chart and say how the shirt is meant to fit.
The colour. Washed and slightly variable. Mention the variation in plain words.
The care. The spec sheet gives a maximum washing temperature of 30C, inside out, with like colours, and says "Do not iron." Put that in your care notes.
The photos. Mockups that show texture and the real shade, not a flat digital colour.
Etsy's listing guide asks you to describe the details of your item so buyers know what they're getting, and accuracy has a practical side: Etsy Purchase Protection does not cover an item that doesn't match the listing description. One sentence about colour variation is cheap insurance. In the title, clearly describe your item at the beginning: what the shirt is and what the design is, in words a buyer would type. Describe the shirt by its qualities, and if you name the blank, do it in the description as a plain fact about the product you ship.
When another blank is the better choice
The 1717 is not the right shirt for every listing. A lighter classic tee such as the Gildan 5000, or a lighter side-seamed one such as the Bella+Canvas 3001, can suit a design better in a few situations:
You want bright, saturated colour rather than a washed look.
The buyer is shopping on price, for example for a large group or event order.
The design depends on a crisp white print on dark colours and you have not tested it on garment-dyed cotton.
For the trade-offs between those two, see Gildan 5000 vs Bella+Canvas 3001 for Etsy shirts.
The 1717 in Alomations
The Comfort Colors 1717 is in the Alomations catalog, alongside the Comfort Colors 1566 and Gildan and Bella+Canvas styles. Apparel is printed with DTF, production for US orders is in the US, and each product shows its own "from" price with shipping quoted separately.
Because colour is the selling point of this shirt, the mockups carry more weight than usual. Smart mockups render your design onto product photos with real fabric folds, shading and light, and you can preview every colour and every side before the run, so you can check how a design sits on each colour before anything reaches Etsy. Every design comes back with light and dark versions, and tone rules per garment colour decide which version each colour gets (automatic, and you can override it). In the listing copy, fabric claims match the template's materials, so the description says what your template says the shirt is made of. More on the rendering in smart mockups in Alomations.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Comfort Colors 1717 run big?
Its spec sheet describes a relaxed fit, so it is roomier than a fitted tee. Size charts differ by provider, so give buyers the measurements from yours and say how the shirt is meant to fit.
Why does a 1717 look slightly different from the photos?
Garment dyeing varies from batch to batch, and the spec sheet says to allow for slight colour variation in production and washing. Say so in the description.
How should a 1717 be washed?
The spec sheet gives a maximum of 30C, inside out, with like colours, and no ironing. Copy those instructions into your listing so buyers see them before they order.
Is the 1717 a good choice for white designs?
It can be, but test first. The spec sheet says white ink on garment-dyed cotton needs special consideration, so order a sample before you list a white design across many colours.
If you want to list the 1717 with mockups and print files prepared for you, you can start on the Alomations free plan.