AS Colour vs Bella+Canvas: Which Blank Wins?

This question comes up every week. A brand, a nonprofit, a restaurant owner, a travel agent — someone needs custom apparel, they’ve done a little research, and they’ve narrowed it down to AS Colour or BELLA+CANVAS. They want to know which one to use.

The honest answer is: it depends on what you’re making, who’s wearing it, and how much you care about the blank being noticed. Both brands make quality garments. They serve somewhat different customers. And the difference between them is real — not marketing language.

We print on both every week at our shop in Santa Ana. Here’s what we’ve actually learned.

The Quick Read

BELLA+CANVAS is the dominant blank brand in the US decorated apparel industry. It’s extremely widely distributed, runs consistent sizing, and is available in more colors than almost anyone else. The 3001 Jersey Tee is arguably the most screen-printed garment in America right now. It’s a great blank for volume runs, promotional apparel, events, nonprofits, and groups that want quality without paying premium retail prices.

AS Colour is a New Zealand-based brand with a stronger retail footprint — you’ll find it in boutiques and lifestyle brands that care about the garment as much as the print. The fabric weight and construction quality is noticeably better than comparable B+C styles. It’s priced higher at wholesale and that premium passes through to the customer. It’s the right choice for brands that sell the blank as part of the story.

B+C is the go-to for volume and color selection. AS Colour is the go-to when the garment itself needs to hold its own before you put a design on it.

AS Colour vs Bella+Canvas: Quick Comparison Including Next Level Apparel

Feature	AS Colour	Bella+Canvas	Next Level Apparel
Core Tee Weight	5.3 oz (5001)	4.2 oz (3001)	5.4 oz (6210)
Fit	Slim/tailored	Relaxed/unisex	Unisex/true to size
Fabric	100% combed cotton	Airlume combed cotton	100% combed cotton / blends
Color Selection	30–50 curated	100+ industry standard	60–80 balanced
Printability	Excellent (water-based/discharge)	Excellent (plastisol)	Very good (all methods)
Embroidery Performance	Excellent (no puckering)	Good (lightweight tees can pucker)	Very good (substantial fabric)
Sustainability	Strong retail brand focus	Standard industry practices	Fair Trade options available
Wholesale Price	$7–10 per unit	$4–6 per unit	$5–7 per unit
Best For	Premium brand ($60+ retail)	Volume/events/nonprofits	Mid-market brands ($40–60 retail)
Best Customer	Boutique/lifestyle brands	Nonprofits/events/teams	Retail brands seeking balance

AS Colour vs Bella+Canvas: Side-by-Side Comparison

Category	BELLA+CANVAS	AS Colour
Core tee weight	3001: 4.2 oz (lightweight, drapey). 3001CVC: slightly heavier with a softer hand.	5001 Staple Tee: 5.3 oz. Noticeably heavier, slightly structured, holds shape wash after wash.
Fabric quality	Airlume combed & ring-spun cotton. Excellent for printing — smooth surface, low pilling. Very consistent lot to lot.	100% combed cotton, tighter weave. Feels premium in hand. The weight and finish are comparable to retail brands selling at $40-55.
Color selection	3001 comes in 100+ colors. Industry-standard for color matching. Updated seasonally.	More curated palette — typically 30-50 colors per style. Colors are more editorial and trend-forward, fewer basics in large runs.
Sizing consistency	Very consistent. Easy to reorder. Fits true to size for most body types.	Consistent but cut slightly differently — slim fit on some styles. Recommend sizing up for customers used to B+C fits.
Pricing (wholesale)	Lower. 3001 is one of the most cost-competitive blanks at this quality level.	Higher. Typically 40-60% more than equivalent B+C styles at wholesale. Premium blank pricing reflects the product.
Print surface	Excellent for water-based and plastisol. Very print-friendly, consistent ink absorption.	Also excellent. The heavier weight means less bleed-through risk on light garments. Slightly more luxurious feel post-print.
Retail presence	Primarily distributor/decorator channel. Recognized by industry buyers, less so by retail consumers.	Strong retail boutique presence. Customers who shop at lifestyle stores may already recognize and associate with quality.
Availability	Widely stocked by SS Activewear, S&S, Alphabroder. Fast restocks.	Available via SS Activewear and AS Colour direct. Slightly longer lead times on some colors.

Decision Matrix: Which Should You Use?

High-volume event shirts or group runs (50+ pieces) → BELLA+CANVAS

Boutique brand merch at $50-80 retail → AS Colour

Nonprofit org merch sold at medium price points → BELLA+CANVAS

Premium crew neck or hoodie as your flagship product → AS Colour

Corporate uniforms or decorated work apparel → Either works

Sample run for a new brand — testing the market → BELLA+CANVAS

Travel merch, cruise group shirts, hospitality staff → AS Colour

Wholesale to other shops or brands that resell → BELLA+CANVAS

Who Should Buy Each Blank?

→ Nonprofits & Community Organizations

Choose: Bella+Canvas 3001

Why: Cost-effective at $4–6 wholesale; allows healthy margins at $15–20 retail. Perfect for 100–500 unit events. Quality won’t embarrass your cause.

Budget: 200 shirts = $1,000 wholesale + decoration

→ Schools & Youth Groups

Choose: Bella+Canvas 3001 or Next Level 6210

Why: Durability through multiple wash cycles. Consistent fit across all sizes. B+C for all-school runs; Next Level for premium spirit wear.

Budget: 300 spirit wear shirts = $1,500–2,100 wholesale

→ Churches & Religious Organizations

Choose: AS Colour 5001 or Next Level 6210

Why: Premium feel reflects community pride. Lower volume (50–100 pieces) justifies higher cost. Customers wear these to events, not just at home.

Budget: 75 shirts = $600–750 wholesale

→ Coffee Shops & Cafes

Choose: AS Colour 5001

Why: Staff wear these daily; premium quality reflects your brand. Customers notice quality apparel. Justifies $35–40 retail price for merch.

Budget: 50 staff shirts + 25 retail = $600 wholesale

→ Breweries & Bars

Choose: AS Colour 5001 or Next Level 6210

Why: Customer-facing apparel represents your craft. Premium blank justifies $30–40 retail price point for branded merch.

Budget: 50 staff + 75 retail = $700–900 wholesale

→ Retail Brands & Boutiques

Choose: AS Colour 5001 (premium tier) or Next Level 6210 (accessible tier)

Why: Blank is part of your product story. Customers pay for quality, not just the design. AS Colour for $60+ retail; Next Level for $40–60 retail.

Budget: 25–50 test run = $200–500 wholesale

→ Restaurants & Food Service

Choose: Bella+Canvas 3001 (staff) / AS Colour 5001 (retail merch)

Why: Split approach works: B+C for frequent washing durability; AS Colour for customer perception if you sell merch.

Budget: 30 staff + 20 retail = $300–400 wholesale

→ Corporate Apparel & Employee Uniforms

Choose: Bella+Canvas 3001 (volume) or AS Colour 5001 (smaller runs)

Why: Volume determines choice. 200+ employees = B+C cost makes sense. <50 employees = AS Colour premium justified.

Budget: 100 corporate tees = $600–800 wholesale

The Print & Decoration Angle

From a printer’s perspective, both blanks work well. The difference shows up in a few specific scenarios.

Water-based ink and discharge printing — AS Colour’s heavier natural cotton content performs slightly better for discharge and water-based techniques. The denser weave holds the activated ink more cleanly. For boutique runs where you want an ultra-soft, vintage hand feel on a premium garment, AS Colour is the better substrate.

Traditional plastisol — BELLA+CANVAS is excellent for plastisol. The Airlume cotton is consistent enough lot to lot that ink deposit and color matching are predictable. For high-volume jobs where a shop needs reliable results across 500 pieces, B+C is the right call.

Embroidery — Both take embroidery well. The AS Colour heavier construction makes it slightly more forgiving for dense embroidery on chest logos. B+C lightweight tees can pucker on larger embroidery designs without proper backing; heavier B+C styles like the 3413 perform better.

DTF (direct-to-film) transfer — The smoother hand of BELLA+CANVAS blanks gives DTF transfers a cleaner lay. Slightly better adhesion than on rougher-surface garments. Next Level Apparel also performs well with DTF and offers Fair Trade Certified options for brands prioritizing sustainability.

What Customers Actually Ask Us

I want the highest quality tee I can get. Which one?

AS Colour 5001 Staple Tee, no question. The 5.3 oz weight and construction quality is noticeably above BELLA+CANVAS’s entry-level tees. It’s a better garment. But you’ll pay for it — budget accordingly.

My nonprofit needs 200 shirts for our annual 5K at a competitive price. Which one?

BELLA+CANVAS 3001. The cost-per-unit difference across 200 pieces is meaningful, the quality is excellent, and your attendees will be happy with what they receive. Reserve AS Colour for donor appreciation gifts or staff pieces.

I’m building a brand and want to sell shirts at $45. Which blank works?

At $45 retail, BELLA+CANVAS gives you better margin. If you’re selling at $60 or above, AS Colour is more defensible — customers can feel the quality difference and the premium price makes sense.

AS Colour sizing seems off compared to other brands. What should I tell customers?

AS Colour cuts slightly slimmer on most styles. For customers used to BELLA+CANVAS’s relaxed fit on the 3001, recommend sizing up one in AS Colour. Their size chart is accurate — it just reflects a different silhouette.

Which brand is better for screen printing color vibrancy?

Both are excellent. BELLA+CANVAS has a slight edge on bright, saturated colors on light garments due to the smooth Airlume cotton surface. AS Colour’s premium cotton handles multicolor work beautifully. The difference is subtle — your artwork and the printer’s skill matter more than which brand blank you choose.

Can I mix both brands in one order?

Yes, but keep sizing and color expectations in mind — they fit differently. For a team order where everyone needs to look consistent, stick to one brand. For mixed-use orders (some are staff shirts, some are retail merch) mixing is fine.

The Bottom Line

Neither brand is universally better. They serve different ends of the same market.

If you’re building a decorated apparel program for a cause, an event, or an organization that needs quality at volume — BELLA+CANVAS is the right workhorse. The 3001 is the most printed blank in America for a reason. It works, it’s consistent, and the value is hard to beat.

If you’re building a brand where the blank is part of the product — where someone buying your merch is paying for the garment as much as the design — AS Colour is worth the premium. It’s what boutiques stock because customers can feel the difference before they even look at the tag.

We stock and print on both at our shop in Santa Ana. If you’re not sure which is right for your order, tell us what you’re trying to do and we’ll point you in the right direction before you commit to anything.