Bella Canvas 3001: Same Size Chart as Gildan, Slimmer Fit

Key Takeaways

• The Bella + Canvas 3001 is a soft 4.2 oz cotton tee with side seams.
• Its chart matches a Gildan 5000, but it wears slimmer and longer; size up for room.
• All 92 colors run XS to 4XL; only five reach 5XL.
• Pick it for a light, slim retail look, and a heavier tee when white must not show through.

Table of Contents

• What Is the Bella Canvas 3001?
• How Does the Bella Canvas 3001 Fit?
• Bella Canvas 3001 Size Chart in Inches and cm
• Does the Bella Canvas 3001 Shrink?
• Bella Canvas 3001 Colors: Which Black, Which Cream
• Is the Bella Canvas 3001 Good for Printing and Embroidery?
• Bella Canvas vs Gildan and Comfort Colors: Which Tee to Pick
• Is the Bella Canvas 3001 Being Discontinued?
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Order the Bella Canvas 3001 With Your Logo

The Bella + Canvas 3001 is the default tee for many online shirt sellers and print shops. People pick it when a shirt should feel store-bought: light, smooth, and cut slim with side seams. We offer it in 92 colors. What surprises people is the fit: its size chart matches a Gildan 5000 inch for inch, yet it wears slimmer and runs long.

What Is the Bella Canvas 3001?

The Bella + Canvas 3001 is a 4.2 oz, 100% combed and ring-spun cotton tee with side seams, sold in sizes XS to 5XL. The maker calls it the Unisex Jersey Short Sleeve Tee, and we list it as the Bella + Canvas Jersey T-Shirt. The table's spec lines come from the maker's spec sheet. Every color and size count on this page comes from our product pages, as of October 2026.

Airlume is Bella + Canvas's name for its combed and ring-spun cotton. Combing pulls short fibers, tiny knots, and specks of debris out of the cotton before it is spun. A technical bulletin on cotton spun yarns from Cotton Incorporated, the cotton industry's research company, says combing can improve softness, evenness, strength, and luster. A higher yarn number means a finer yarn, so the 3001's 32 singles are finer than the 20 singles in a Gildan 5000.

Side seams mean the body is cut as a front and a back and sewn together up each side. Bella + Canvas says this lets the shirt be shaped to fit the body. Of the five tees in our comparison table further down, only the 3001 and its tri-blend sibling list side seams on their spec sheets.

To compare the 3001 with every other tee we print, shop custom t-shirts.

How Does the Bella Canvas 3001 Fit?

Order your usual size for a close fit, or one size up for a fuller build or a group that wants room. The Bella + Canvas 3001 wears slimmer and longer than most people expect from its chart. Its published chest and length match the Gildan 5000 at every size from small to 5XL. The cut is where they part: the 3001 is a retail fit with side seams, and the 5000 a classic fit. The 3001's lighter 4.2 oz cloth also drapes closer to the body.

On the body, that retail cut sits close through the arms and torso, and the shirt looks long for its size. The neck opening also runs a little wide. It suits a trim, store-bought look, not a boxy, oversized one.

Do not size up to allow for shrinking, because the 3001 is pre-shrunk. Our t-shirt sizing chart shows how to measure a shirt laid flat and sets the 3001 beside a Gildan and a Comfort Colors tee.

Bella Canvas 3001 Size Chart in Inches and cm

Laid flat, the Bella + Canvas 3001 measures 16 1/2 by 27 inches in an XS and 32 by 35 inches in a 5XL. Chest runs from armpit to armpit, and length from the top of the shoulder at the collar down to the hem.

The maker allows 1 inch either way on both chest and length, so two shirts of the same size can differ a little. The 5XL comes in only five colors, Black, Navy, Red, True Royal, and White, and every other color stops at 4XL. For a 5XL in another color, put the same design on a different tee that comes in that color and size. When the artwork, the spots, the method, and the note on each side match, both shirts count toward one bulk quantity.

Does the Bella Canvas 3001 Shrink?

The Bella + Canvas 3001 is pre-shrunk, so it should shrink little at home. Bella + Canvas says it shrinks the fabric before the shirt is cut and sewn. It promises "a maximum shrinkage of 5%" in both length and width, against up to 10% for cheaper brands. Bella + Canvas states that cap for its pre-shrunk tees in general, not for the 3001 by name. On a large, 5% would be up to 1 1/2 inches of length and about 1 inch across the chest.

To keep the fit you ordered, hang the shirt or lay it flat to dry. Cotton Incorporated's guide to the shrinkage performance of cotton fabrics says tumble drying brings out all the shrinkage left in the fabric. Line or flat drying brings out only part of it. In the guide's dryer test on a cotton knit, the heat setting made no difference.

Bella Canvas 3001 Colors: Which Black, Which Cream

All 92 Bella + Canvas 3001 colors come in every size from XS to 4XL, and four of them look close to black. The table groups every color by how it looks on our product photos, because several names point to a different shade than you would guess.

Black is the deepest neutral black. Vintage Black is about as dark, with a faint green cast. Dark Grey is a dark slate that reads as black from across a room, and Oxblood Black is a deep burgundy.

The light neutrals are easy to mix up too. Natural is the pale cream, and Soft Cream is a deeper tan beige. Vintage White reads as a light warm gray, while Ash looks almost white with a faint heathered texture.

A few more names mislead. Dusty Blue is a pale gray-aqua, Blue Storm and Military Green are gray-greens, and Thyme is a pale olive khaki. Lilac reads as a soft pink, and Purple Storm as a dark gray plum.

On a 4.2 oz shirt, the palest colors are also the most see-through. If a white shirt must not show what is under it, pick a heavier tee such as a Gildan 5000 or Comfort Colors 1717.

Is the Bella Canvas 3001 Good for Printing and Embroidery?

Yes, for both, though embroidery needs a light design on this thin shirt. The 3001 takes every customization method we offer: Print, Embroidery, and Patch. A print can run up to 13 x 17 inches on the full front or full back. Embroidery and patches go up to 4 x 4 inches at the chest.

The 3001 is best known as a shirt for printing. Bella + Canvas says its Airlume cotton makes the shirt smoother and "a better surface to print on." Its print areas match those of the heavier Gildan 5000, so a design sized for one fits the other.

On a thin shirt like the 3001, a large, dense, fully filled embroidered logo can pucker or ripple the fabric. A lighter, more open embroidery design sits flatter, and we flag a design that is too dense for the shirt on your design proof.

Each box in the table is a production limit, and your emailed design proof confirms the exact size before we make anything. To try your logo on the shirt, shop the Bella + Canvas 3001 and press "Start designing" on its page.

Bella Canvas vs Gildan and Comfort Colors: Which Tee to Pick

Pick the 3001 for a soft, slim, store-style tee in more colors than any other tee we carry. The table adds its tri-blend sibling and three tees from Gildan and Comfort Colors. Fabric and fit come from the makers' spec sheets, the rest from our live product pages. Only the 1717 offers every color in every size.

The 3413 Tri-Blend, the other Bella + Canvas t-shirt we carry, is the softer, drapier option in the same cut. It shares the 3001's chest and length at every size through 4XL. Most of its 64 colors have a lighter, mottled heather look, and the 17 labeled Solid are even. A group can mix 3001s and 3413s under one design in the same order.

On paper, the Next Level 3600 is a close match: 4.3 oz, 100% combed ring-spun cotton in 32 singles, with side seams. It shares the 3001's length from XS to 5XL and runs 1 inch wider at XS and small, half an inch at medium. We carry it in 45 colors: XS to 3XL in all, up to 6XL in seven.

Bella Canvas vs Gildan

The Gildan 5000 is heavier than the 3001, and its classic fit is roomier through the body. The Softstyle 64000 is the closer match: 4.5 oz ring-spun cotton in 30 singles, with the 3001's chest at every size from small to 5XL. Both Gildans cost less per shirt. Pick the 5000 when price or a roomy fit matters most, and the 3001 over the 64000 for side seams and more colors.

Bella Canvas vs Comfort Colors

The Comfort Colors 1717 sits at the other end from the 3001: heavier, garment dyed for a lived-in feel, relaxed, and shorter. Pick the 1717 for a worn-in look, a roomier cut, or a white shirt that must not show through. The 3001 wins on a smooth, slim fit, more colors, and a lower price per shirt. Our Comfort Colors 1717 guide explains why the 1717 barely shrinks and how its colors look.

Is the Bella Canvas 3001 Being Discontinued?

No, the 3001 is still made, and we still carry it. SanMar, a large U.S. apparel distributor, completed its purchase of Bella + Canvas at the end of June 2026, according to the trade organization ASI. SanMar became the brand's exclusive national distributor. Other national distributors could sell through their stock, regional distributors still carry it, and the brand stays independent.

The ownership change is why some distributor listings now mark the 3001 "discontinued." On those listings, the label means the distributor is selling the last of its stock, not that Bella + Canvas stopped making the shirt.

Shirts from different production runs can vary within the maker's 1-inch allowance on length and chest. If shirts in your group need to look alike, order them all at once instead of topping up months later.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the Bella Canvas 3001 so popular?

The 3001 is popular because it puts a soft, smooth feel, a slim retail cut, and 92 colors into one light tee. Its light fabric and long, slim cut are also its limits. Skip it for an oversized look, a heavier feel, or a white shirt that must not show through. For shirts you resell, it has a tear-away label, and we can add custom inside labels on request.

How can I check the fit before a full order?

To check a finished custom 3001, order one in your usual size. An undecorated shirt is what the trade calls a blank. A blank sample is available on request for a small fee plus shipping. On either shirt, check the length as well as the chest, since the 3001 runs long. Custom orders that match your approved proof can't be returned or refunded. A one-piece order is refundable only for a defect or a proof mismatch.

Is the Bella Canvas 3001 good for hot weather?

Yes, if a light shirt is what you want. The 3001 weighs 4.2 oz per square yard, against 5.3 for a Gildan 5000 and 6.1 for a Comfort Colors 1717. If the 3001 feels too thin and the 1717 too heavy, the Gildan 5000 sits between them.

Can I order the youth 3001Y or the heather 3001CVC?

The 3001Y and 3001CVC are not listed on our site, but styles we do not list can be sourced on request. Get in touch by phone, email, or live chat before you order. The 3001Y is the youth cut of this shirt, and the 3001CVC carries the heather colors in a cotton and polyester blend.

How much does a custom Bella Canvas 3001 cost?

The price is the shirt plus each decorated placement, and it drops as the quantity of one design grows. The 3001 costs more per shirt than a Gildan 5000 or Softstyle and less than a Comfort Colors 1717. Sizes 2XL and up cost more per shirt. The product page shows your price as you enter quantities.

Order the Bella Canvas 3001 With Your Logo

For a group that wants a soft, slim tee in one particular color, the Bella + Canvas 3001 is a strong pick. Before you settle on a color, check that it comes in every size your group needs.

To design one, open the Bella + Canvas Jersey T-Shirt from our t-shirt collection and press "Start designing." Choose a side and a customization method, upload your logo, and see it on the shirt before you order. There is no minimum order, and we charge no setup or artwork fee. Bulk pricing lowers the price per shirt as one design's quantity grows, across sizes and colors.

We email you a design proof within 1 to 2 business days of your order, and revisions are unlimited. Once you approve it, your shirts ship in 1 to 2 weeks, and transit time is separate. We offer free U.S. shipping.

Browse custom t-shirts →

Have a question before you order? Contact us, and we'll get back to you within 24 hours on weekdays.