Comparison guide

Best Blank for Screen Printing

Bulk-run workhorses

Last updated September 14, 2026

Almost any blank screen prints, so choose by price per piece and hand-feel. A heavyweight 100% cotton like Gildan 5000 takes plastisol flat and cures forgivingly, which is why it dominates bulk runs. For retail-soft prints, a ring-spun tee like Bella+Canvas 3001 feels softer and costs more per blank.

T-Shirt More ↓

Bella + Canvas style number 3001

Jersey Tee

$6.93

Retail $9.25

Save up to 25%

Cotton vs blends under the press

Cotton is the forgiving base: plastisol and water-based inks both cure clean with no dye migration to fight. Polyester and poly-heavy blends can bleed dye into the ink at cure temperature, so they need low-bleed inks and a blocking underbase. If you are new to a press, start on cotton.

Weight and hand-feel

A heavier 6 oz tee holds a print flat and feels substantial off the rack, at a higher blank cost. A lighter 4.2 oz to 4.5 oz tee feels softer and costs less to ship. Match the weight to what the order is for.

What to buy

For volume, a heavyweight cotton workhorse keeps per-piece cost down. For retail, a ring-spun tee's softer hand is worth the higher blank cost. Browse the tee catalog below and filter by weight and brand.