Three blank t-shirts account for the majority of premium wholesale decoration volume in the USA: the Gildan G500, the Bella+Canvas 3001C, and the Next Level 3600. The G500 and 3001C are covered in their own comparison; this guide focuses on where the Next Level 3600 fits in the range and how all three compare when a decorator is making a stocking decision.
The Three Tiers
G500 (Gildan): 5.3 oz/yd², open-end cotton, classic fit, tubular construction. The commercial commodity standard. Dominant in promotional, event, and corporate uniform segments. Lowest price per unit. Not a fashion blank.
NL3600 (Next Level): 4.3 oz/yd², combed ringspun cotton, semi-fitted retail cut, side-seamed. Mid-tier premium. Priced between the G500 and 3001C. The "affordable premium" blank that serves shops transitioning from commodity to retail-quality decoration without the full 3001C price point.
3001C (Bella+Canvas): 4.2 oz/yd², airlume combed ringspun cotton, semi-fitted retail cut, side-seamed. The premium standard for retail brand decoration and fashion-adjacent apparel programs. Highest price per unit in this tier. The most widely specified premium blank by name.
Fabric Detail: What Separates the Three
The G500 and the premium blanks differ at the yarn level. Open-end spun cotton (G500) produces thicker, more variable yarn with a rougher surface texture. Combed ringspun cotton (NL3600, 3001C) produces thinner, more uniform yarn with a smoother, softer surface. The surface difference is tactile: the NL3600 and 3001C feel softer to the touch than the G500.
Between the NL3600 and the 3001C, the difference is the airlume step. Airlume processing removes more short fibers from the cotton before spinning, resulting in a more consistent surface with lower pilling tendency over time. Both are combed ringspun cotton, but the 3001C airlume process produces a slightly cleaner, longer-lasting fabric surface. The difference is subtle in a production run but accumulates over the life of a garment through repeated washing.
Fit Comparison
G500: straight unisex body, set-in sleeves, no side seams (tubular). Classic proportions that run consistent with standard US sizing. Boxy by contemporary retail standards.
NL3600: side-seamed, semi-fitted cut. Narrower shoulder and slightly tapered body compared to the G500. Similar retail proportions to the 3001C but with slightly different sleeve angle and chest width in specific sizes. Many decorators describe the NL3600 as having a slightly more relaxed version of the 3001C fit.
3001C: side-seamed, semi-fitted retail cut. Narrower than the G500, similar profile to the NL3600. The 3001C is the reference cut for premium retail blank sizing, and many brands size their retail inventory based on it.
Decoration Performance
All three blanks work with DTF transfers, DTG printing, and screen printing. The key differences by decoration method:
DTF: G500 produces consistent results with slightly more open-end texture visible. NL3600 and 3001C both produce clean, smooth DTF output due to the ringspun surface. For high-quality retail DTF decoration, either the NL3600 or 3001C is preferable to the G500.
DTG: both the NL3600 and 3001C outperform the G500 for DTG ink hold and edge sharpness. Between the NL3600 and 3001C for DTG, the difference is marginal. Run your own test with your specific printer and ink system to determine which ringspun blank gives the best output for your setup.
Screen printing: all three work well for plastisol screen printing. The G500's heavier weight tolerates high-squeegee-pressure multi-color printing with less distortion. For water-based or discharge printing, the 100% combed cotton of the NL3600 and 3001C can give slightly brighter results on certain colorways.
When to Use Each
G500: promo runs, bulk corporate orders, team uniforms, event merch, any job where price is the primary decision factor and the end consumer is not evaluating the blank as a retail product.
NL3600: retail brand decoration programs where 3001C pricing is a stretch, second-source premium blank when 3001C stock is unavailable, shops wanting a premium blank with a slightly different fit profile than the 3001C, and mid-tier apparel programs selling decorated product at $18 to $25 retail.
3001C: retail brand programs selling decorated product at $25+, any context where the Bella+Canvas brand is specified by name, fashion-adjacent decoration, premium DTG and DTF output where surface quality is a differentiator, and premium retail or boutique programs.
Shop Gildan, Next Level, and Bella+Canvas blank t-shirts wholesale at TheClothingSpace. All three blanks available with no minimums.
