Do Comfort Colors 1717 shirts run big?

They run relaxed. The chest is slightly wider and the body slightly shorter than a Gildan of the same nominal size, so the shirt reads boxier. People who want that look often buy true to size; people who want length often size up.

Why do two shirts in the same colour not match?

Because they are garment-dyed, which means each batch takes the dye slightly differently. The brand's own sheet says to expect colour variation in production and washing. Order a whole job from one dye lot.

Do Comfort Colors shirts shrink?

They are soft-washed, so most of the shrinkage has already happened, but they are heavy cotton and will move a little more in a hot dryer. The care instruction on the sheet is a maximum 30°C wash and a low tumble.

Is the 1717 good for printing?

Yes, with two caveats the brand states itself: white ink on garment-dyed cotton needs special consideration, and colour varies between lots. Neither is a reason to avoid the style — they are reasons to sample before a run.

Home Resources Size Charts Comfort ColorsComfort Colors 1717 Size Chart

Comfort Colors 1717 Size Chart

Heavyweight Ring Spun Tee. Brands publish two different tables and call both a size chart, so both are below and each says which it is.

Garment measurements

The shirt itself, laid flat on a table. Chest is measured across, one inch below the armhole, so it is half the way round.

Size	Body length at back	Chest	Sleeve length from centre back
S	26 5/8"	18 1/4"	16 1/4"
M	28"	20 1/4"	17 3/4"
L	29 3/8"	22"	19"
XL	30 3/4"	24"	20 1/2"
2XL	31 5/8"	26"	21 3/4"
3XL	32 1/2"	27 3/4"	23 1/4"
4XL	33 1/2"	29 3/4"	24 5/8"

Body length at back: Measured from high point shoulder to finished hem at back.
Chest: Measured across the chest one inch below armhole when laid flat.
Sleeve length from centre back: Measured from centre back neck to shoulder point to sleeve hem.

Body measurements

The person, not the shirt. Chest is measured all the way around the fullest part with the tape horizontal.

Size	Chest
S	36" – 37"
M	38" – 40"
L	42" – 44"
XL	46" – 48"
2XL	50" – 52"
3XL	54" – 56"
4XL	58" – 60"

Chest: Measure under the arm and around the fullest part of the chest with arms down, keeping the tape horizontal.

Transcribed from the Comfort Colors Heavyweight Ring Spun Tee 1717 spec sheet, read September 16, 2026. Brands revise their specs; measure a sample before a large run.

Fabric and construction

6.1 oz, 100% US ring spun cotton
Soft-washed, garment-dyed fabric
Top-stitched classic width rib collar, twill-taped neck and shoulders
Relaxed fit, seamless body, double-needle collar and bottom hems

What the numbers mean in practice

A small is an inch and a half shorter than a Gildan small and the chest runs a quarter-inch wider. It is a relaxed, boxier shirt at every size, which is most of why people choose it.

It is garment-dyed, and the spec sheet is explicit that colour varies between production runs and between washes. Order the whole job from one dye lot. Two lots of the same colour will not match, and on a garment-dyed shirt that is the expected behaviour rather than a fault.

The same sheet warns about printing white ink on garment-dyed cotton. Whoever prints these should know that before the job is quoted, not after.

Measurements are given to the eighth of an inch here, unlike Gildan's whole numbers. That is the sheet's own precision, not ours.

The 84 colours we stock

A distributor carries a subset of what a mill offers, so this is our range rather than the brand’s full palette — 84 colours in S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL.

Banana
Bay
Berry
Black
Blossom
Blue Jean
Blue Spruce
Boysenberry
Brick
Bright Salmon
Brown
Burgundy
Burnt Orange
Butter
Celedon
Chalky Mint
Chambray
Chili
China Blue
Chocolate
Citrus
Clover
Crimson
Crunchberry
Cumin
Denim
Emerald
Flo Blue
Granite
Grape
Graphite
Grass
Grey
Heliconia
Hemp
Ice Blue
Island Green
Island Reef
Ivory
Khaki
Kiwi
Lagoon Blue
Light Green
Lime
Mango
Melon
Midnight
Monarch
Monterey Sage
Moss
Mustard
Mystic Blue
Neon Blue
Neon Green
Neon Pink
Neon Red Orange
Neon Yellow
Orchid
Paprika
Peony
Pepper
Periwinkle
Pigment Navy
Raspberry
Red
Royal Caribe
Sage
Salmon
Sandstone
Sapphire
Seafoam
Tangerine
Terracota
Topaz Blue
True Navy
Tumbleweed
Vineyard
Violet
Washed Denim
Watermelon
White
Willow
Wine
Yam

From our catalogue export of September 15, 2026. Colours come and go; the store is the live answer.

Common questions

Do Comfort Colors 1717 shirts run big?: They run relaxed. The chest is slightly wider and the body slightly shorter than a Gildan of the same nominal size, so the shirt reads boxier. People who want that look often buy true to size; people who want length often size up.
Why do two shirts in the same colour not match?: Because they are garment-dyed, which means each batch takes the dye slightly differently. The brand's own sheet says to expect colour variation in production and washing. Order a whole job from one dye lot.
Do Comfort Colors shirts shrink?: They are soft-washed, so most of the shrinkage has already happened, but they are heavy cotton and will move a little more in a hot dryer. The care instruction on the sheet is a maximum 30°C wash and a low tumble.
Is the 1717 good for printing?: Yes, with two caveats the brand states itself: white ink on garment-dyed cotton needs special consideration, and colour varies between lots. Neither is a reason to avoid the style — they are reasons to sample before a run.