Home › Resources › Brand comparison
Brand comparisonBella+Canvas vs. Next Level vs. Comfort Colors: Which Blank Is Right for Your Brand?
The blank garment is half the final product. We've printed thousands of pieces on all three of these brands — here's the honest comparison, with no wholesale-catalog marketing speak.
Bella+Canvas 3001 — the retail standard
4.2 oz Airlume combed ringspun, side-seamed, true retail fit. The smooth surface takes detail beautifully in both screen print and DTF, and the colorway range is unmatched. Fit runs slim — tell bigger crews to size up. Best for: merch lines, startups, anyone whose shirt represents a brand.
Next Level 3600 — the soft fitted alternative
4.3 oz fine jersey with a slightly snugger fit than Bella+Canvas and a marginally softer hand out of the bag. CVC and tri-blend variants (6210, 6010) carry the best heathers in the business. Best for: fashion-leaning prints, events where feel matters, budget-conscious premium.
Comfort Colors 1717 — the vintage heavyweight
6.1 oz ringspun, garment-dyed — dyed after construction, giving washed, lived-in colors no other process matches. Boxy, drapey, heavyweight; the aesthetic behind half the boutique merch you see. Two honest caveats: garment-dyeing means slight lot-to-lot color variation, and the heavyweight runs warm for July boardwalk wear. Best for: breweries, coffee shops, brands selling a vibe.
Our cheat sheet
Crisp modern brand → Bella+Canvas. Softest fitted feel → Next Level. Vintage washed look → Comfort Colors. All three carry our +$2 semi-premium upcharge and all three are in the catalog. Can't decide? Order one of each as samples — no minimums, free shipping — and put them on real bodies before committing.