A compact guide to the key fabric, fit, sizing, color, and production details decorators need before ordering Gildan 5000 Heavy Cotton blank t-shirts.
Gildan 5000 · Heavy Cotton
Built for DTF transfers, screen printing, event shirts, staff uniforms, school programs, and bulk custom apparel orders.
Quick product details decorators check before ordering.
Most standard solid colors, including Black, White, Navy, Red, Royal, Forest, Maroon, Sand, and Military Green.
Sport Grey plus selected Antique colors use a cotton/poly blend for dye stability and fabric character.
Ash Grey uses a 1% polyester thread blend to create its light heathered look while staying nearly all-cotton.
Note: Fiber content varies by color. Heather and safety colors may use cotton/poly blends, so always confirm the specific color if your order requires a particular fabric composition.
The Gildan 5000 is a practical blank for decorators who need dependable shirts for DTF transfers, screen printing, staff uniforms, school orders, events, and bulk apparel production.
A dependable cotton surface for bold logos, detailed artwork, full-color DTF transfers, and everyday custom shirt production.
A strong choice when you need affordable blank shirts for schools, teams, events, business merch, and repeat customer orders.
The classic unisex cut works for staff shirts, event apparel, team orders, giveaways, and general-purpose custom clothing.
Tear-away labels and broad color availability make it easier for small brands, decorators, and print shops to build repeatable apparel programs.
Core colors are shown first for fast local fulfillment. Use the buttons below to switch between locally stocked core colors and the extended Gildan 5000 color palette.
These 17 core colors are kept in stock locally for same-day fulfillment. Order by 2 PM CST and your shirts ship out today.
Available with short 1–2 business day lead times. Contact DTF Dallas to confirm current availability for your order.
Quick troubleshooting for common DTF, HTV, wash-care, and blank apparel issues on Gildan 5000 shirts.
Under-pressing or wrong peel timing: low heat, short press time, or peeling before the transfer is ready can weaken adhesion.
Press at 290–305°F for 4–12 seconds with medium-high pressure. Wait until the carrier film is fully cool before peeling.
Cracking is usually caused by hot washing or high-heat tumble drying. Excessive heat and repeated fabric movement can stress the cured ink and adhesive layer.
Wash printed shirts inside-out in cold water and tumble-dry low, or hang-dry for best results.
Fading usually comes from harsh laundry products, bleach, strong detergents, or an under-cured transfer during pressing.
Cold wash inside-out, tumble dry low, and avoid bleach or harsh detergents. Add clear wash-care instructions to the order.
Gildan 5000 is preshrunk, but hot washing and high-heat drying can still cause additional shrinkage.
Recommend cold wash + low-heat dry. For customers who hot-wash and dry high, consider ordering a half-size up.
Low pressure, uneven heat, or incorrect settings for heather/poly-blend fabrics can prevent the adhesive from bonding fully.
Press at 305–320°F with heavy pressure for 15–20 seconds. Pre-press 3–5 seconds. For 50/50 heathers, drop temp 10°F and add 2 seconds.
Gildan 5000 is cotton or cotton-heavy, and sublimation dye bonds best with polyester fibers.
Use a polyester-specific blank for sublimation. Gildan 5000 is stronger for DTF, screen printing, plastisol transfers, and HTV.
Affordable per-shirt cost, predictable sizing, and reliable print performance across major decoration methods. Here's who's ordering bulk Gildan 5000 blanks from our Richardson warehouse.
Apparel Brands
Boutique clothing brands, streetwear labels, and Etsy POD shops. Tear-away tags support private labeling, recurring orders, and growing merch programs.
Print Shops
DTF, screen print, embroidery, and DTG shops across DFW stocking blanks for their own customers. A practical choice for quality and fast turnaround.
Event Merch
Concert promoters, corporate events, schools, churches, sports leagues, and fundraising teams that need reliability, speed, and same-day pickup.
E-commerce
Online sellers running Shopify, Etsy, Amazon Merch, or Printful who need low per-unit cost and fast restocking on top-selling shirt colors.
DIY Creators
Cricut crafters, HTV vinyl users, and weekend creators. Smaller orders are welcome — no minimums, mix sizes and colors freely.
Same fabric DNA, sized for every wearer. Pair the 5000 with these companion styles for complete team and family orders.
Sizes XS–XL for kids. Same 5.3 oz cotton feel, scaled for VBS, school, youth team, camp, and family apparel orders.
View Youth TeeA reliable sweatshirt option for cooler-weather merch, staff apparel, school spirit wear, team uniforms, and promotional bundles.
View CrewneckA classic hoodie companion for branded apparel, event merch, school orders, team gear, and bulk custom clothing sets.
View HoodieA women’s companion style with a semi-fitted shape, classic midweight cotton feel, and reliable print surface for staff shirts, events, group apparel, and custom DTF orders.
Contact UsSee how the Gildan 5000 compares by weight, feel, best use, and starting price — from everyday bulk cotton tees to heavier premium streetwear blanks.
| Brand & Style | Weight | Feel | Best Use | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gildan 5000 / G500 | 5.3 oz | Heavy Cotton tee, classic fit, strong bulk value | Bulk printing, DTF, events, schools, POD | $2.60 |
| Hanes 5180 Beefy-T | 6.1 oz | Heavyweight ring-spun cotton, traditional blank feel | Durable tees, basic heavyweight orders, workhorse | $3.20+ |
| Port & Company PC54 | 5.4 oz | Mid-weight cotton, classic everyday feel | Corporate bulk, schools, staff shirts | $2.89+ |
| Fruit of the Loom 3930R HD | 5.0 oz | Lighter, value-tier cotton | Budget bulk orders, promo tees | $2.80+ |
| Delta 11730 Pro Weight | 5.2 oz | Mid-weight cotton, balanced feel | General-purpose printing | $3.20+ |
| Shaka Wear SHMHSS | 7.5 oz | Heavyweight USA cotton, oversized streetwear fit | Premium streetwear, boxy-fit merch | $7.49+ |
*Prices are typical market starting points and may vary by quantity, color, size, and supplier. DTF Dallas pricing applies to eligible standard colors at the entry tier.
Our Gildan 5000 bulk blanks are sold unprinted. For designed, printed, and ready-to-wear shirts, visit our custom t-shirt printing service .
A practical blank for decorators who need predictable quality, easy reordering, strong print results, and dependable value on bulk apparel jobs.
A durable mid-weight tee at an affordable starting price, making it practical for high-volume cotton shirt orders.
Works well for DTF transfers, screen printing, heat transfers, and everyday custom apparel production.
Easy to match school colors, brand palettes, event themes, team apparel, and repeat customer orders.
Supports reorders, staff uniforms, school programs, teams, and group apparel projects with a practical size range.
A familiar workhorse many decorators already know how to print, press, stock, quote, and reorder.
A practical choice when price, availability, durability, and consistent results all matter on bulk jobs.
Two popular bulk blanks with very different purposes: Gildan 5000 is the affordable everyday workhorse; Comfort Colors 1717 is the premium garment-dyed tee for vintage-style merch.
Affordable heavy cotton blank for DTF printing, screen printing, events, uniforms, and high-volume bulk shirt orders.
Premium garment-dyed heavyweight tee for vintage-style apparel, boutique merch, lifestyle brands, and soft worn-in looks.
Mid-weight heavy cotton feel
Heavier premium garment feel
Fiber content varies by color
Garment-dyed for a lived-in feel
Tubular body, no side seams
Easygoing vintage-style silhouette
Softens with wear and washing
Garment-dyed and washed for a broken-in feel
Very practical for everyday production
Test first on garment-dyed colors
Great for brand colors, teams, schools, and events
Best for vintage, earthy, boutique, and lifestyle looks
Extended sizes in select core colors
Availability may vary by color
Better for volume, events, teams, and budget-sensitive orders
Better when the garment itself needs a premium retail feel
Many high-volume brands stock both: Gildan 5000 for budget-friendly bulk runs, events, uniforms, and everyday DTF jobs; Comfort Colors 1717 for heavier, garment-dyed merch with a softer vintage feel.
Practical alternatives for specific use cases the Gildan 5000 isn't ideal for.
Sublimation printing — needs a polyester blank. See compatibility section above.
Slim, fashion-forward fit — try Gildan Softstyle 64000, a semi-fitted, lighter ring-spun option.
Heavyweight 6+ oz feel — try Hanes 5180 Beefy-T or Shaka Wear SHMHSS for a heavier blank.
Vintage pigment-dyed hand-feel — try Comfort Colors 1717 for a softer, garment-dyed look.
Quick answers about colors, sizing, shrinkage, DTF printing, bulk ordering, and how the Gildan 5000 compares with other popular blanks.
Start with color availability, DTF press settings, shrinkage, and bulk minimums. These are the questions most decorators check before ordering.
Order Gildan 5000 Heavy Cotton blank t-shirts online for local pickup, DFW-area fulfillment, or fast nationwide shipping. Same-day pickup is available at 903 N Bowser Rd, Suite 250, Richardson, TX 75081.
