Bella+Canvas 3001 vs Gildan 5000: Why We Print on the 3001

The Bella+Canvas 3001 is a 4.2 oz, 100% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton tee with a side-seamed unisex retail fit. The Gildan 5000 is a 5.3 oz, 100% open-end cotton tee with a tubular, boxy fit. The Gildan is heavier on paper but the Bella+Canvas is softer, drapes better, prints sharper and looks like clothing rather than a promotional giveaway. That's why the 3001 is the standard blank at Banned Clothes.

Side by side

| | Bella+Canvas 3001 | Gildan 5000 | | --- | --- | --- | | Fabric weight | 4.2 oz/yd² (142 g/m²) | 5.3 oz/yd² (180 g/m²) | | Cotton type | Airlume combed, ring-spun | Open-end (carded) | | Construction | Side-seamed | Tubular | | Fit | Unisex retail fit, slightly tapered | Classic boxy fit | | Hand feel | Soft, smooth surface | Coarser, more texture | | Print surface | Smooth, takes fine detail well | Rougher, more ink spread | | Typical use | Retail and fashion brands | Promo, events, work tees |

Weight isn't the whole story

"Heavyweight" sells shirts, so it's tempting to assume 5.3 oz beats 4.2 oz. But fabric weight only tells you how much cotton is in a square yard, not how that cotton was spun.

• Open-end (carded) cotton, used in the Gildan 5000, is spun quickly from shorter fibres. It's durable and cheap, but the surface is fuzzier and the shirt feels stiff until it's been washed many times.
• Combed, ring-spun cotton, used in the 3001, has the short fibres combed out and the remaining long fibres twisted tightly. The result is a smoother, stronger yarn that feels soft from day one and gives a print a flat, even surface to sit on.

Airlume is Bella+Canvas's name for their combed ring-spun process, which the company says removes around 2.5 times more impurities than standard ring-spun cotton. In practice it means fewer loose fibres, so the print surface is cleaner and the shirt pills less.

Fit and drape

The Gildan 5000 is tubular, meaning the body is knitted as a tube with no side seams. It's cheaper to make but it can twist after washing and it hangs like a box. The 3001 is side-seamed and cut with a slight taper, so it follows the body instead of hanging off the shoulders. For a statement tee that's the difference between "person wearing a shirt" and "person wearing a shirt from a work event."

Print quality

Direct-to-garment printing works by spraying water-based ink into the fabric. The smoother the surface, the sharper the print. On the 3001, small type and fine lines stay crisp. On the rougher surface of an open-end tee, ink spreads slightly and light colors on dark shirts can look muted. Since our whole product is bold type, this matters more to us than to most brands.

When the Gildan 5000 is the right choice

It isn't a bad shirt. If you need 200 tees for a fun run, want maximum durability for a work uniform, or prefer a very boxy, old-school fit, the 5000 is a solid, cheap option. It's just not a shirt people choose to wear on a Saturday.

What this means for you

A Banned Clothes tee is a shirt you'd buy blank at a retail store, with a design you'd actually say out loud. Tees are printed to order in the US; the exact blank and sizes for each design are listed on its product page (a few designs use other heavyweight ring-spun blanks). Check the size guide for measurements, then start with White Monster or Someone's Problem.