5 Best T Shirts for Tie Dye in 2024

In this house arrest, I am suddenly having urges to tie-dye my blank t-shirts. Is it only me who has an eerie obsession with psychedelic vibes?

Perhaps not!

In fact, I think altering your mainstream apparel into a chic artwork won’t be a bad idea.

Hence, today I have come up with the best t-shirts which you can use for tie-dye. While there’s a wide range of blank t-shirts at inexpensive wholesale rates, there are also t-shirts that wrinkles after one wash.

Thus, it’s important to find the best t shirts for tie dye so that your design remains solid and pristine.

Also, while purchasing blank t-shirts you have to assess the material, washable contents, comfort patterns, color absorbency, price and variants, permanency, etc.

And to help you avoid all these time-consuming assessments, I have lined up this review.

Check it out!

5 Best T Shirts for Tie Dye Reviewed

Here, I have hand-picked 5 blank t shirts that you can use for your tie dye project. Each of their reviews is unbiased, free of fluff, and curated with utmost scrutiny and convenience.

I hope, it helps!

1. Hanes Men’s 3-Pack Crew Neck T-Shirt

Hanes is a popular name amongst the customized business owners because of its history long reputation and competency for producing best white shirts for tie dye.

When they have commenced their journey in 2006, their assortments were very limited.

Also, their t-shirts used to be very bulky to put on which made it wholly unbearably for summer use.

But later on, it kept improving in their collections while ensuring ample comfort; mitigating all the prior problems.

However, Hanes men’s 3pack crew neck t-shirt is crafted with 100% cotton which immediately alleviates your skin and remains gentle even after persistent wash. Also, the cotton natural fabrics hold the legacy of providing breathability and transmit sweat or any kind of moisture just like a towel.

As you are planning to tie-dye having a cotton garment will help you experiment with a wide range of colors. Plus, you’ll be able to use the best fabric paints on these effortlessly.

Besides, cotton is able to undergo stretches and multiple washing sessions.

Moreover, when you tie-dye Hanes bank t-shirt the color establishes permanently because of the high absorbency and doesn’t fade away after the wash. On top of that, it comes with a comprehensive length so that the hem stays tucked and stable. And another fact about this t-shirt is that the collar doesn’t have any tag and lays flat.

This facilitates the comforts for users who want to wear them on a regular basis. Also, the anti-shrink formula and premium spun cotton ensure comfort and elastic both. Overall, it can be hailed as one of the best black t shirts for tie dye as well.

Why waiting then?

2. Fruit of the Loom Men’s Stay Tucked Crew T-Shirt

Secondly, you have the fruit of the loom crew t-shirts which gracefully distribute numerous color spectrums and sizes. The best part is you don’t need to confine your projects only to white t-shirts.

You can tie-dye on other solid colors to accentuate the dye patterns even more. While white cotton t shirts for tie dye work best for ombre dyes, bright hues, and shadowed colors, dark t shirts stand out when tinted colors are used. The whites are also perfect for dyeing with the best black dyes.

Thus, it opens the room for meeting various dyeing needs. Besides, it’s also 100% cotton made for combating moisture build-up while holding breathable contents. Moreover, it doesn’t shrink even after multiple washes. Just make sure you machine wash it in a warm gentle cycle and add non-chlorine bleach when needs be. Also if you want to tumble dry then keep the setting low and use a cool iron.

Now about its skin-friendliness, you can surely pull it up on any occasion and atmosphere. On top of that, it comes without a tag for utmost comfort all day.

But if you are planning to wear it in winters then make sure you style it up with a hoodie or a full sleeve coat. However, you can wear it during summer times as bottom clothing as well.

3. Hanes Men’s 4-Pack FreshIQ Odor Control Crew T-Shirts, White

Here comes another innovation of Hanes, which is one of the best white t shirts for tie dye. Contrary to the first product this one has few augmentations and diversity in use.

While bearing some similarities as the cotton craft, imported distribution, and comfort pattern it also enables machine wash, fresh IQ odor protection, and bacterial free use.

This short sleeve t shirt comes with a bundle of 4 crew t-shirts which are very basic white colors and suitable for bright clothes dyes, Ombres, and tonal shades.

Also, screen printing is easily accommodatable on these t-shirts let alone tie-dye. Hence, if you are thinking to wear something groovy this year then having these basic tees will be great to lay over all the creativity you have. For example, printing with the best t-shirt transfer paper. And about regular usage, the short sleeve clothing item is like undershirts closures, so you don’t need to add any other clothing on it.

I mean if you are supposed to dye them then what’s the point of hiding it with another garment? Besides, they are environment friendly. You can style them up with literally any addition in different events and weather. Moreover, they don’t cause any irritation as it’s tag-free.

Lastly, it provides anti-odor properties so that even after prolonged use it doesn’t emit any awful smell or toxicity.

4. Gildan Platinum Men’s Crew T-Shirts

The best part of Gildan t-shirts is the high pigment permanency which makes it ideal for tie-dye. Besides the 100% pure ring-spun cotton makes it immensely durable. While it can withstand intense washing sessions, heat, and unpleasant weather its preshrunk quality retains the color density without peeling off. We also had plenty of fun using these in our best t shirt printer for small business.

Being supremely cost-effective and comfortable this one becomes suitable for not only regular use but also customization. You can either wear it as it arrives or dye it with a heap of different colors.

Also, it comes in two color varieties: Solid black and plain white t shirts for tie dye. Gildan platinum crew t-shirts make sure to provide you a soft, calm, and drier experience every time you pull it up.

On top of that, the breathable contents make sure that there’s no moisture build-up.

Hence, wear it with optimal comfort and wash it without any fear of shrinkage! Surely, it can be considered as one of the best shirts for tie dye!

5. Gildan Men’s V-Neck T-Shirts Multipack

Lastly, you have Gildan’s V-neck t-shirts for men which comes in a set of six color patterns. You can also take 4 or 5 t-shirts in one set if you want.

However, this package is a little bit pricier than the previous one because of the color availabilities and amplified durability. These t-shirts are more stylish with its rib collar so that you can style it up with other outfits.

Mostly, wearing a leather jacket on top of it will be the biggest flex for winters.

However, it’s made of 100% premium cotton jersey which ensures elasticity and quick color absorbency. While many people prefer to wear them on a regular basis in misty summer, I prefer to pop it up with additional clothing in winter as jersey fabrics are a little bit thick.

Now, about the tie-dying convenience, it might not be mong the best shirts for tie dye but it will embrace the colors expectedly.

Sometimes when you are dyeing your t-shirts you make fumbles and redoing it feels very exhausting. Especially in cotton jersey or any jersey fabric; undoing the dye feels very tricky and toiling, unlike other fabrics.

Hence, be careful with it and machine washes them when washing is necessary.

How to Select the Best Blank Tie Dye Shirts

Material

The material of the tie dye t shirts really depend on your preference. But we must say, shooting for 100% cotton will let you take a breather. The properties of cotton are advantageous for dyeing ease and the comfort it brings is unrivaled.
If you decide to go for blends, like PC(Polyester-Cotton), try to ensure the polyester part is below 10%. That’s because the polyester portion won’t retain the types of dyes that are normally applied to cotton (except all-purpose dyes).

Absorbency

The uniform absorbency in the dyeing medium will decide the levelness of your desired coloring effect. The depth of shade also heavily depends on it.

Last but not least, non-absorbant t shirts will be very uncomfortable to wear due to poor moisture management. So, you shouldn’t compromise on this one at all while choosing the best shirts to tie dye.

Shrinkage and Pilling Properties

You don’t want to go through all this trouble just to get a t shirt that becomes unwearable after just one wash. The fabric of our apparel tend to shrink and bow after wash due to improper heat-setting practices by the manufacturer. 

Also, these junks tend to use low-quality fibers as well, which create pilling problems. Pilling will make your apparel appear less attractive and your comfort level will get compromised big time.

Machine Washable

Machine Washable T Shirts

These t-shirts are easier to take care of and will make your life a lot easier in the long run. However, it’s not a mandatory attribute to seek out.

Color Variability

If you already have a particular background color in your mind than you should choose colored t shirts. But, in this case, you must take the effect of color combination before formulating your final recipe, i.e., what’ll the final hue after you add the color to the ground color the t already has.
So, if can figure this out efficiently, then you won’t have to stick with only bleached white t shirts. And you’ll get to save a lot of dyes since the shirt is already dyed.

Price

To make sure you get a good deal, you should opt for a product that comes in sets. That way, you’ll get to save some money while searching for the best shirts to use for tie dye. But be aware of the fact that ridiculously low-priced t-shirts tend to have no mechanical finished (heat-setting, compacting) done to them.

And you already know, without these treatments, shrinkage, bowing, and other unwanted issues are just waiting to arise. So, stay away from those.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best t shirts for tie dye?

It depends on various factors. But the t shirts that feature the best absorbency in the aqueous medium (water), tend to produce level shades. And this property alone can dictate your satisfaction level.

Also, the t-shirts which shrink after machine washing may become unusable. Based on these to driving factors, you can select any of the 5 products from our review. You won’t be disappointed.

I have colored t shirts at home. Can I use those for tie dye?

Yes, you can! With a little bit of knowledge about dye color mixing, you’ll know which color should you add and in which proportion to get your desired shade. But it’ll be a cumbersome process.

The best way would be to bleach the clothing beforehand and then proceeding to tie dye. Again, we should warn you that the absorbency and levelness won’t be up to the mark. And using soda ash for fixing tie dyes can also reduce the fabric’s strength drastically.

Can I wash multiple tie dye shirts?

You can, but I wouldn’t recommend it, especially if you’re washing it with warm water.  The excessive color bleeding may stain and distort your desired tie dye pattern of the other shirts. The issue gets compounded when you use soap. Thus, it’s better to wash them individually.

But if you really have to, then use cold water and mild soap. You may get away with it if the patterns are of dark shades. But for bright colors like orange, I would consider washing multiple tie dye shirts together suicidal.

Can you tie dye a grey shirt?

Of course! Why not?

It all depends on your desired color. All. you have to do is selecting contrasting colors for your tie dye patterns, and you’re golden. Pink and pale green are my absolute favorites for tie dyeing grey shirts.

What color shirts can you tie dye?

Well, the obvious answer is white. But you can basically go with any color. However, it’s the contrast that livens up the tie dye patterns. That’s why if your shirts are of light and bright shade, you’ll get the most satisfying outcome.

What to use to tie dye a shirt?

For the dyeing part, you’ll need colorants suitable for your shirt material. For example, if you have a shirt made of cotton fibers, you’ll need fiber reactive dyes, for nylon or wool, its acid dyes, for polyester, its dispersed dyes, and so on.

Now, if you’ve cotton shirts, you’ll need some auxiliaries along with it. Salt (for exhaustion) and Alkali (for fixation) are the primary auxiliaries.

Then, during wash off process, you’ll need soap for dispersing the unfixed dyes. Avoid using detergents, as that can weaken the dye-fiber bond.

In terms of accessories, you’ll need rubber bands, a bucket, gloves, and spoon.

What is the best t shirt brand for tie dye?

In our research, we found Hanes to be the best as in terms of absorbency, color permanency, dye levelness, degree of pilling, and affordable pricing, it’s just superb. But you can go for Gildan as well if you like.

Are Gildan Heavy Cotton T-Shirts Good for Tie Dye?

The Gildan Heavy Cotton T-Shirt is a great option for tie dye because it is made from high-quality cotton that doesn’t fray or stretch during the dyeing process.

This means that you can be confident that your tie dye project will turn out just how you planned it.

Gildan heavy cotton shrinks when laundered, which is important to keep in mind when preparing your t-shirts for tie-dye.

Final Words

So that was all about the best t shirts for tie dye which you can use for tie-dyeing and other dyeing purposes.

I hope now you can decide the ideal one that meets your requirements and satisfies your standards.

Also, another thing that I would like to add is about the Gildan blank t-shirts which surely comes with the tag. But as far as my research manifests it won’t feel itchy against your skin. Hence, you can surely reconsider buying Gildan as far as you are okay with the tag’s presence.

REFERENCES

1. Basic principles of textile coloration by A.D. Broadbent
2. All-Purpose Dyes
3. Textile preparation and dyeing by A.K.R. Choudhury
4. Fundamentals and practices in coloration by J.N. Chakraborty