Comfort Colors 1717: Complete Review & Sizing Guide

What Is the Comfort Colors 1717?

The Comfort Colors 1717 is a 6.1 oz garment-dyed, ring-spun cotton t-shirt that has become one of the most recognizable blanks in the apparel industry. It's the backbone of countless streetwear brands, limited drops, and lifestyle labels — and for good reason. It looks expensive, feels worn-in from the first wear, and photographs beautifully.

If you've seen a premium indie brand selling $40+ tees online, there's a good chance the blank is a 1717.

Sizing — The Most Important Thing You Need to Know

The 1717 runs large. This is intentional and part of the brand's identity, but it catches a lot of first-time buyers off guard.

Chest Width Measurements (flat, in inches)

Size	Chest (across)	Body Length
S	18.5"	27.5"
M	20.5"	28.5"
L	22.5"	29.5"
XL	24.5"	30.5"
2XL	26.5"	31.5"
3XL	28.5"	32.5"
4XL	30.5"	33.5"

Fit Recommendation

• For a true oversized look: Order your normal size.
• For a boxy/relaxed fit: Order your normal size.
• For a more fitted look: Size down one.

Female customers typically prefer to size down 1–2 sizes from their normal measurement. This is now standard knowledge in the streetwear community, and many brands explicitly state "model is 5'6" wearing a Small" in their product listings.

Shrinkage

Because the 1717 is garment-dyed and pre-washed at the factory, shrinkage after purchase is minimal compared to non-washed blanks:

• First wash (cold, hang dry): Less than 1% shrinkage
• First wash (warm, tumble dry): 1–2% shrinkage
• After 10+ washes: 2–3% cumulative shrinkage maximum

This is significantly better than most un-pre-washed tees (which can shrink 5–8%). The garment-dyeing process involves washing the shirt in hot water multiple times, so most of the shrinkage potential is already out of the fabric.

Recommendation for customers: Cold wash, hang dry to maintain size and color vibrancy. Tumble dry low is fine for customers who prefer the dryer.

Color Selection

Comfort Colors offers 65+ colors in the 1717, all in their distinctive pigment-dyed palette. The colors are muted, earthy, and vintage-inspired by design. Don't expect the bright cobalt blues or fire-engine reds you'd find in a traditional wholesale catalog.

Fan Favorites

• Ivory: A warm off-white that photographs incredibly well and works for every aesthetic
• Pepper: A multi-tonal heathered dark gray that looks premium and vintage
• Blue Jean: A medium blue with excellent vintage character
• Mustard: A warm golden yellow that pairs with everything
• Crimson: A deep red with complex garment-dyed character
• Washed Denim: A lighter blue with serious streetwear credibility

Color Consistency

Because garment-dyeing is a manual process, slight color variations between dye lots are normal and expected. If you're ordering the same color across multiple shipments and need perfect consistency, you may want to order your full quantity at once.

Print Performance

Screen Printing

Outstanding. The heavier weight means the fabric doesn't stretch or distort under the platen. Plastisol ink adheres firmly and holds through repeated washes. White ink on dark 1717s is especially vibrant.

Note on garment-dyed color interaction: For very light ink colors on mid-tone backgrounds, the garment-dyed base can slightly shift the hue of translucent inks. Always test on your specific colorway before a full run.

Water-Based and Discharge Inks

Excellent for discharge printing — the garment-dyed surface reacts well and produces the muted, vintage print look that works perfectly with the blank's aesthetic. Water-based inks also perform well.

DTG

Good, but not the top performer for DTG compared to a smoother blank like BC3001. The slight texture of the garment-dyed fabric can affect fine details. Pretreatment is essential. For DTG-heavy operations, test your specific machine settings before committing to a large run.

Embroidery

Excellent. The weight supports embroidery without distortion. Puff embroidery works particularly well on this blank.

The Price Question

The 1717 is one of the pricier blank tees at retail pricing — but you're paying for a premium product. At Get Custom, bundle pricing brings the per-shirt cost down significantly:

• 3-pack: Better than single-shirt pricing
• 7-pack: Deep discount with free shipping
• 20-pack: Maximum savings for larger orders

Is the 1717 Right for Your Brand?

Yes, if:

• Your brand aesthetic is streetwear, vintage, or lifestyle
• You want a tee that commands $30–45 retail pricing
• Your customers care about what brand blank you're using
• You want a consistent, recognizable product that's known in the market

Maybe not, if:

• You need bright, saturated colors
• You're doing high-detail halftone or photographic DTG work
• You're working on tight margins and need the lowest possible blank cost
• Your customers prefer a lightweight, fashion-fitted tee

Browse Comfort Colors 1717 in our store or build a bundle to lock in the best pricing on your next order.