Two brands dominate the garment-dyed comfort space: Comfort Colors and Hanes ComfortWash. Both deliver that broken-in, lived-in feel that's become a staple for streetwear drops, college merch, lifestyle brands, and anyone creating custom apparel with a vintage vibe. While they share similar goals—super-soft fabric with weathered colors—each takes a different approach to achieving that coveted comfort-first aesthetic. This guide breaks down the key differences in fabric weight, fit, color selection, printability, and price to help you choose the right blank for your brand.
Which is Best? The Short Answer
Hanes ComfortWash offers a slightly more affordable take on the style that Comfort Colors pioneered. ComfortWash delivers competitive softness and vintage appeal with lighter-weight fabric that's easier on the budget, making it ideal for larger orders or cost-conscious projects. Comfort Colors commands a bit more premium for its heavyweight feel, extensive color palette, and brand recognition that some customers won't compromise on. Your choice comes down to whether you prioritize the authentic Comfort Colors experience or prefer ComfortWash's practical value and immediate softness.
What Is The "Comfort" Trend in Apparel?
The fashion industry in 2025 is dominated by the "Comfort Core Movement"—a shift toward clothing that prioritizes ease and functionality without sacrificing style. This trend has revived traditionally casual garments like oversized tees, cargo pants, and loose-fitting hoodies, transforming them into versatile pieces suitable for various occasions. Consumers increasingly value freedom of movement and all-day comfort over restrictive clothing worn purely for aesthetics, driving demand for soft, breathable fabrics and relaxed silhouettes that tap into 80s, 90s, and early 2000s nostalgia.
Key Fabric Treatments
- Garment-Dyed vs. Pigment-Dyed: Garment-dyed shirts are dyed after construction, allowing color to penetrate all fibers and seams for consistent color and a broken-in feel from day one. Pigment-dyed shirts use surface pigments that create a more textured, vintage appearance that evolves and fades over time, perfect for achieving that distressed, lived-in look.
- Soft-Washed and Enzyme-Washed: Soft-washed garments undergo special treatment for enhanced softness and worn-in comfort from first wear. Enzyme-washing uses cellulase enzymes to break down fibers, creating a faded appearance and softer hand feel—a more sustainable alternative to traditional stone washing.
Style Elements Driving the Trend
- Vintage Aesthetic: The vintage look merges old-school elements like bold prints and 90s silhouettes with modern fits and fabrics, creating a mainstream fashion statement that balances past and present influences.
- Oversized Fits: Loose, relaxed silhouettes reflect a rejection of restrictive clothing in favor of comfort and self-expression. This trend, rooted in 1980s and 90s hip-hop and streetwear culture, has returned through luxury brands and gender-neutral fashion.
Market Impact
Brands like Comfort Colors have capitalized on these comfort-driven trends, becoming leaders in the garment-dyed segment with rapid sales growth in printwear and fashion basics markets. Hanes leverages its broad market presence through the ComfortWash line to capture growing demand in casualwear segments. The overall textile dyes market continues expanding as consumers seek sustainable, comfortable, and stylish apparel that feels as good as it looks.
Brand Overviews
Comfort Colors
Founded in 1975 by Barry T. Chouinard in rural Vermont, Comfort Colors pioneered garment-dyed, ringspun cotton apparel. The brand's signature process—dyeing fully constructed garments—results in exceptionally soft, heavy cotton shirts with a relaxed, lived-in aesthetic that's become synonymous with collegiate apparel, surf brands, and laid-back beachwear.
Inspired by nature, Comfort Colors offers a broad palette of weathered, earthy hues that have earned strong brand recognition and a loyal following in the casualwear market. Their products are especially popular for custom printing and embroidery, making them a staple for college campuses, events, and lifestyle brands seeking an authentic, cozy vibe. The brand's commitment to quality, comfort, and sustainability has solidified their position as the gold standard in garment-dyed apparel.
Hanes ComfortWash
ComfortWash is the premium, garment-dyed collection from Hanes, a storied American brand known for comfort and reliability since 1901. ComfortWash garments are crafted from 100% U.S.-grown ringspun cotton, offering a super-soft, vintage-washed feel that rivals the worn-in comfort of long-loved favorites.
The line features consistent fit, no-shrink durability, and a classic color palette, making it ideal for brands and organizations that value both softness and dependable sizing. Hanes' advanced garment-dyeing and enzyme-washing processes give ComfortWash pieces their signature broken-in look and feel, while the brand's robust production standards ensure quality and colorfastness, making it a popular choice for custom-decorated apparel, events, and anyone seeking a relaxed, timeless style backed by Hanes' trusted reputation.
Fabric & Feel Comparison
Comfort Colors
Comfort Colors shirts are renowned for their substantial, heavyweight fabric—typically 6.1 oz of 100% ringspun cotton—which gives them a noticeably dense and sturdy feel compared to standard tees. The signature pigment-dye process imparts rich, sun-faded colors and a classic vintage aesthetic, while also contributing to a slightly stiffer, more rugged texture at first wear.
Over time and with repeated washing, the fabric softens further but retains a certain heft and structure, making it ideal for those who appreciate a more substantial, broken-in garment. Despite being pre-shrunk, Comfort Colors shirts can still shrink by 5-10% if exposed to high heat in the wash or dryer, so care should be taken to preserve their fit. The garment-dye process also creates natural color variations, especially at seams and collars, enhancing the unique, lived-in look of each piece.
Hanes ComfortWash
Hanes ComfortWash tees are crafted from a lighter-weight 5.5 oz ringspun cotton, offering a softer and smoother hand feel right out of the package. The fabric is enzyme-washed in addition to being garment-dyed, resulting in an exceptionally soft, almost velvety touch that feels broken-in from day one.
ComfortWash shirts drape more fluidly and feel less stiff than Comfort Colors, making them a top choice for those who prioritize immediate softness and comfort. The garment-dye process ensures consistent color and a vintage look, but the lighter weight means these shirts are less bulky and more breathable. Hanes ComfortWash is also engineered to minimize shrinkage, thanks to commercial washing and drying steps before sewing, so the fit remains stable even after repeated laundering. This makes ComfortWash ideal for brands or customers seeking a reliably soft, true-to-size tee with a classic, relaxed vibe.
Fit & Style Comparison
Comfort Colors
Comfort Colors shirts are celebrated for their boxy, relaxed fit that delivers a structured yet laid-back silhouette—perfect for those seeking the popular oversized look. The cut is generous through the body and sleeves, offering plenty of room for movement and layering, which makes these tees a favorite for casual, beach-inspired, and collegiate styles.
The collars are typically wider and more substantial, holding their shape well over time, while the sleeves are slightly longer and looser, enhancing the vintage, unstructured vibe. This fit is especially versatile for unisex styling, streetwear, and anyone who prefers a roomier, more traditional T-shirt shape that looks great both tucked or untucked.
Hanes ComfortWash
Hanes ComfortWash tees feature a more standard retail fit, with a silhouette that is slightly more tailored and closer to the body compared to Comfort Colors. The cut is still relaxed and comfortable, but with a bit more shape and less boxiness, making it an easy choice for those who want a modern, everyday T-shirt that flatters a wide range of body types.
The collar is narrower and sits closer to the neck, providing a classic, clean look, while the sleeves are of standard length and fit—not too tight, not too loose. This makes ComfortWash highly versatile for both casual and slightly dressed-up occasions, easily layered under jackets or worn on its own for a polished, put-together appearance.
Color Range & Dye Style Comparison
Comfort Colors
Comfort Colors is renowned for its extensive and thoughtfully curated color palette, offering over 80 shades that span earthy neutrals, sun-faded pastels, and rich, nature-inspired hues. The brand's signature pigment-dyeing process creates garments with a distinctively weathered, vintage look, where each shirt may display slight color variations and unique fading, especially around seams and collars.
This process ensures that no two pieces are exactly alike, contributing to the brand's laid-back, lived-in aesthetic. While Comfort Colors' dyeing method results in beautiful, vibrant colors that soften over time, it also means that wash consistency can vary slightly from shirt to shirt, further enhancing the one-of-a-kind appeal of each garment.
Hanes ComfortWash
Hanes ComfortWash features a vintage-inspired color palette that, while not as vast as Comfort Colors, still offers a broad spectrum of tones—from classic, muted shades to brighter, more contemporary options. The garment-dye process used by ComfortWash produces a soft, worn-in appearance and consistent color across batches, with fewer pronounced variations between individual shirts compared to pigment-dyed methods.
This results in a more uniform look, making ComfortWash a reliable choice for brands seeking consistency in large orders. The color range is versatile and on-trend, appealing to those who want the retro vibe of garment-dyed apparel with a slightly more polished and predictable finish.
Customization & Printability Comparison
Comfort Colors
Comfort Colors' heavyweight, textured fabric is particularly well-suited for embroidery, as the thicker cotton provides excellent support for stitched designs, helping them stand out and maintain their shape over time. This makes Comfort Colors a top choice for elevated branding placements like left chest logos or upper back collar embellishments, which are popular in collegiate and lifestyle apparel.
However, the pigment-dyed, slightly rougher surface can sometimes absorb ink unevenly during screen printing or DTF (Direct-to-Film) transfers, making it best for bold, simplified graphics rather than highly detailed or intricate prints. The unique dye process may also cause subtle color shifts under printed areas, so designers often favor minimalist or vintage-inspired artwork for the best results.
Hanes ComfortWash
Hanes ComfortWash, with its smoother, ringspun cotton surface, excels in taking a wide variety of print methods, including screen printing, DTF transfers, and even more complex, multi-color designs. The even texture allows for crisp, detailed prints with vibrant color payoff, making it a preferred option for brands or organizations looking to showcase intricate logos, artwork, or promotional graphics.
While ComfortWash also handles embroidery well, its lighter weight means embroidered designs may not have quite the same dimensional pop as on Comfort Colors. Overall, ComfortWash's consistent surface and reliable color base make it a versatile canvas for both simple and complex customizations, appealing to those who prioritize print clarity and detail.
Price & Value Comparison
Comfort Colors
Comfort Colors typically commands a slightly higher price point than other garment-dyed tees, with wholesale costs averaging $6-$8 per shirt at common order volumes, and retail in the $15-$25 range. This premium is largely justified by the brand's strong recognition, unique pigment-dyed process, and the substantial, heavyweight feel of the garments.
For brands and organizations, the instantly recognizable Comfort Colors tag and signature vintage look add perceived value, making these shirts a popular choice for merchandise, campus apparel, and lifestyle brands aiming for an elevated, on-trend product. Many buyers are willing to pay a bit more for the authenticity, durability, and iconic aesthetic that Comfort Colors delivers, making it a worthwhile investment for those seeking standout, long-lasting apparel.
Hanes ComfortWash
Hanes ComfortWash is generally more affordable, with wholesale prices averaging around $5-$7 per shirt and retail prices typically ranging from $12-$20, depending on the style and order size. Despite the lower cost, ComfortWash offers impressive value with its ultra-soft ringspun cotton, consistent fit, and broad color selection.
The line is especially attractive to brands, schools, and organizations looking to maximize their budget while still providing a high-quality, comfortable garment with vintage appeal. While it may not have quite the same "status" or instant recognition as Comfort Colors, ComfortWash delivers excellent comfort, printability, and reliability for the price, making it a smart choice for larger orders or cost-conscious buyers who don't want to compromise on style or feel.
Use Case Comparison
For Retail/Fashion/Streetwear/Merch Drops: Comfort Colors
When it comes to retail, fashion, streetwear, and merch drops, Comfort Colors is the preferred option for brands seeking a premium, on-trend product with a distinctive vintage vibe. The brand's heavyweight, pigment-dyed fabric and relaxed, boxy fit deliver a unique, elevated look that resonates strongly with fashion-forward consumers and those seeking a recognizable, authentic style.
Comfort Colors also leads in sustainable practices, using their proprietary Pigment Pure™ dyeing process, which reduces water and energy use and relies on 100% U.S.-grown cotton. This commitment to eco-friendliness, combined with the brand's iconic aesthetic and high perceived value, makes Comfort Colors a standout for brands aiming to make a lasting impression in the retail and lifestyle space.
For Event Apparel/Corporate Casual/Giveaways: Hanes ComfortWash
For event apparel and corporate casual giveaways, Hanes ComfortWash stands out as the more practical choice. Its lighter weight, soft ringspun cotton, and approachable price point make it ideal for large orders where comfort, cost-effectiveness, and broad appeal are priorities.
ComfortWash's classic fit and smooth surface are well-suited for a variety of customizations, ensuring that logos and event graphics look crisp and professional. Additionally, ComfortWash offers sustainable options, such as shirts made from 100% USA-grown cotton and dyed with botanical dyes, making it a strong candidate for eco-conscious organizations seeking both value and environmental responsibility.
Product Comparisons: Head-To-Head Matchups
Short Sleeve Tees: GDH100 vs C1717
ComfortWash GDH100 is lighter (5.5 oz), softer, and features smoother ringspun cotton, making it slightly more fitted and better for complex prints. Comfort Colors C1717 is heavier (6.1 oz), boxier, and offers a classic pigment-dyed look with a huge range of earthy and pastel colors, appealing for those seeking a true vintage, oversized style—though it's generally priced higher.
Pocket Tees: GDH150 vs 6030CC
ComfortWash GDH150 offers a lighter, softer, and more retail-fit pocket tee with good color options and affordability. Comfort Colors 6030CC is heavyweight, boxy, and garment-dyed with over 60 rich shades, making it the go-to for premium, vintage-inspired pocket tees, especially for embroidery and elevated branding.
Long Sleeve Tees: GDH200 vs C6014
ComfortWash GDH200 is lighter, ultra-soft, and has a standard fit with ribbed cuffs, ideal for layering and custom prints. Comfort Colors C6014 is heavier, structured, and offers a relaxed, oversized silhouette with a pigment-dyed finish, preferred for fashion-forward or streetwear looks.
Crewneck Sweatshirts: GDH400 vs 1566
ComfortWash GDH400 is a midweight (7.2 oz), soft, garment-dyed crew with a consistent retail fit and broad color selection at a more accessible price. Comfort Colors 1566 is heavier (9.5 oz), boxier, and features a premium pigment-dyed finish with a structured, vintage look, favored for retail and elevated branding at a slightly higher price point.
Quarter-Zips: GDH425 vs 1580
ComfortWash GDH425 quarter-zips are soft, garment-dyed, and offer a standard fit with versatile color options and affordability. Comfort Colors 1580 quarter-zips are heavier, pigment-dyed, and have a more structured, relaxed fit, making them a premium choice for those seeking a standout vintage aesthetic.
Hoodies: GDH450 vs 1567
ComfortWash GDH450 hoodies are lighter (7.2 oz), ultra-soft, and come in a range of vintage-inspired colors with a modern, retail fit at a lower price. Comfort Colors 1567 hoodies are heavier, boxy, and pigment-dyed for a premium, faded look, ideal for streetwear or merch drops where a substantial, oversized hoodie is desired.
Tank Tops: GDH300 vs C9360
ComfortWash GDH300 tanks are lightweight, soft, and offer a standard fit with good color variety and affordability, suitable for casual or event wear. Comfort Colors C9360 tanks are heavyweight, pigment-dyed, and have a relaxed, vintage-inspired fit, making them a top pick for beachwear or premium branded tanks.
ComfortWash GDH250 long sleeve pocket tees are lighter, softer, and provide a standard fit with consistent colors and value pricing. Comfort Colors C4410 is heavyweight, boxy, and pigment-dyed, offering a relaxed, oversized fit and a wide color palette—ideal for those wanting a premium, vintage long sleeve pocket tee.
Making Your Choice: Comfort Colors vs Hanes ComfortWash
Both brands deliver exceptional softness and vintage appeal, but they serve different priorities. Comfort Colors commands its premium through heavyweight fabric, extensive color options, and brand recognition that resonates with fashion-conscious consumers. Hanes ComfortWash offers comparable comfort and style at a more accessible price point, making it ideal for maximizing budgets without sacrificing quality.
At RushOrderTees, we've customized thousands of both brands and understand exactly how each fabric responds to different decoration methods. Our in-house art team provides free design assistance to ensure your logo looks perfect, whether you're embroidering heavyweight Comfort Colors or screen printing detailed graphics on ComfortWash's smooth surface. With fast turnaround options and expert guidance on everything from color matching to print placement, we'll help you create custom apparel that perfectly represents your brand.
Still deciding between the two? Our product specialists know these brands inside and out. Contact us for personalized recommendations based on your specific needs, budget, and aesthetic goals.