100% cotton t-shirts are the standard substrate for screen printing in wholesale blank apparel programs. Cotton accepts plastisol ink directly without dye migration, making it the default choice for decorators running high-volume spot-color work. The key differences between cotton blanks at different price points are fiber construction (ring-spun versus open-end), fabric weight, and surface texture , each affects ink adhesion, post-wash print durability, and the fabric hand after repeated laundering.

Ring-Spun vs Open-End Cotton Construction

Open-end (OE) cotton is produced faster and at lower cost than ring-spun. Gildan G500 at 5.3 oz/yd2 is the standard OE cotton screen printing blank for volume programs where cost per dozen is the primary driver. Ring-spun cotton uses continuous spinning to create a smoother, denser surface. Bella+Canvas 3001C Airlume combed and ring-spun at 4.2 oz/yd2 is lighter and softer , the choice for retail-quality decorated apparel and DTF transfer programs where fabric softness affects the perceived value of the finished piece. Hanes Beefy-T 5180 is 6.1 oz/yd2 OE cotton for programs requiring a heavier, more durable garment. For most screen printing programs running spot colors on cotton, the choice between OE and ring-spun comes down to whether the end customer will notice a softness difference. For promotional, corporate, and event programs at scale, G500 is the standard. For retail-quality wholesale, 3001C or Next Level 3600 are the primary alternatives.

Plastisol Screen Printing on 100% Cotton

Plastisol ink bonds to cotton fibers and cures at standard flash temperatures (320-330F on most presses) without color shift at cure. 100% cotton eliminates dye migration risk, which is the white-ink bleed-through issue that occurs when polyester content in the fabric is heated during screen printing cure cycles. For dark cotton garments, underbase opacity varies by construction: OE cotton typically requires 4-6 squeegee passes of white underbase to achieve coverage; ring-spun constructions achieve comparable opacity in 3-4 passes because the tighter surface distributes ink more consistently. Printing cotton does not require the low-bleed or polyester-specific inks needed for polyester-blend fabrics.

DTF and DTG on Cotton T-Shirts

DTF heat transfers apply to 100% cotton at standard press settings: 165C (330F), medium pressure, 15 seconds, cold-peel on most film types. Cotton lacks the polymer coating that makes DTF particularly durable on polyester, so adhesion quality on cotton depends on transfer film type and press temperature consistency. DTG printing bonds directly to cotton fibers. Dark-colored cotton garments require aqueous pretreatment before DTG printing; white and light cotton garments print without pretreatment. Cotton content at 60% or above is the standard minimum for DTG programs running production volume.

For specific brands within 100% cotton blanks, see Gildan shirts, Bella+Canvas shirts, and Hanes shirts. For 50/50 and cotton-polyester blend options, see cotton-poly blend t-shirts.

All styles in this collection are priced among the lowest online with no minimum order required. Case pricing applies automatically, and bulk discounts increase with quantity.