The Best T-Shirt Blanks for DTF Printing (Tested & Ranked)

A DTF transfer is only as good as the blank you press it onto. Even the highest-quality transfer will look
cheap on the wrong shirt, and a great blank can make a $2 transfer look like a $30 boutique product. After
pressing thousands of shirts across every popular blank on the market, here are the ones we recommend
and the ones we don't.
What makes a t-shirt good for DTF?
• High cotton content: DTF bonds beautifully to cotton and cotton-poly blends. Pure polyester works but
the hand feel is worse.
• Ring-spun or combed cotton: Tighter, smoother knit means the print sits flatter and looks more
premium.
• Preshrunk fabric: Otherwise the shirt shrinks and the print distorts in the first wash.
• 7–8+ oz weight: Thicker fabric hides any hand feel from the transfer and looks more premium in
photos.
• Flat shoulder seams and clean stitching: Photograph better on Etsy.
The 5 best DTF blanks in 2026
1. Comfort Colors 1717 — Best overall
The 1717 is a 6.1 oz ring-spun heavyweight in garment-dyed pigment colors. It's the shirt every premium
Etsy boutique uses, and for good reason: the pigment-dyed colors are unique (Berry, Ivory, Yam, Pepper,
Amethyst), the fabric is soft without being cheap-thin, and DTF transfers press onto it with a beautiful
matte finish.
Best for: Boutique, faith-based, southern-style, gift market. 
Watch out for: Garment-dyed shirts vary in size and color batch to batch. Order a few extras.
Where to buy: [Comfort Colors Heavyweight Tee at BNG]
2. Gildan G500 — Best value workhorse
The G500 is a 5.3 oz preshrunk cotton, ubiquitous, cheap, and reliable. It's not premium, but it prints DTF
beautifully and comes in 60+ colors. If you're selling at the $15–$22 price point (school shirts, team shirts,
family reunions, church groups), this is your workhorse.
Best for: Volume, bulk orders, budget-conscious buyers.
Watch out for: The fit is boxy compared to Bella+Canvas — mention it in your listings.
Where to buy: [Gildan G500 at BNG]
3. Bella+Canvas 3001 — Best fashion fit
The 3001 is a 4.2 oz airlume combed and ring-spun cotton. It fits more like retail fashion — tapered, softer,
thinner — which makes it the top pick if you're selling to women's boutique, streetwear, or younger
demographics.
Best for: Fashion-forward designs, women's tees, streetwear.
Watch out for: Thinner fabric means the transfer's hand feel is slightly more noticeable — always do the
second press with Teflon.
4. Comfort Colors Long Sleeve 6014 — Best cool-weather blank
Same pigment-dyed magic as the 1717 in long-sleeve form. This is your Q4 workhorse — pumpkin patch,
football season, Thanksgiving, and Christmas designs all sell in long-sleeve at higher price points
($30–$40 retail).
Where to buy: [Comfort Colors Long Sleeve at BNG]
5. Gildan 18500 Hoodie — Best margin
The 18500 hoodie is 50/50 cotton-poly, 8 oz, and DTF bonds to it beautifully. 
Best for: Fall/winter, gift market, faith and family designs.
Watch out for: Press over the front pocket seam with a pressing pillow, not over the fabric alone.
Blanks to avoid for DTF
• 100% polyester performance shirts: DTF will work but hand feel is stiff. Use sublimation instead.
• Tri-blends (50/25/25): The rayon content makes the surface uneven and prints look inconsistent.
• Ultra-thin fashion tees (under 4 oz): Hand feel becomes obvious and the transfer telegraphs through
the fabric.
• Textured or ribbed fabrics: DTF needs a flat surface — anything with texture will show voids in the
print.
Pro tips for pressing on each blank
• Comfort Colors: Pre-press 7 seconds (extra moisture in garment-dyed fabric), then standard 305°F /
12 seconds
• Gildan G500: Standard settings, but add 5 seconds of second press for softer feel
• Bella+Canvas: Drop temp to 300°F to protect the thinner fibers, always second press with Teflon
• Hoodies: Always use a pressing pillow over the front seam and pocket
The blanks strategy that maximizes revenue
You don't need to stock every blank. Most successful shops we work with run a focused SKU list:
• One premium tee (Comfort Colors 1717)
• One value tee (Gildan G500)
• One fashion tee (Bella+Canvas 3001)
• One long sleeve
• One hoodie
• One tote or hat as an upsell
That's six SKUs, three price tiers, and full coverage of your customer base. You can shop all of these plus
wholesale DTF transfers at BNG Creative Designs — browse our [blanks collection] and [DTF transfers] to
build your press-ready starter kit today