If you’re looking for a soft, retail-style T-shirt for custom apparel, two of the most popular premium options are the American Apparel 2001 Fine Jersey Tee and the Bella + Canvas 3001 Jersey Tee.
At first glance, they seem very similar. They’re both established go-to blanks with the kind of soft, lightweight feel you’d look for in a premium custom T-shirt, and they both work exceptionally well for screen printing, DTG, and DTF.
However, there are still a few distinctions in fabric type, construction, fit, color selection, and size availability that may make one a better fit for your needs.
At a Glance: American Apparel 2001 vs. Bella + Canvas 3001
| American Apparel 2001 | Bella + Canvas 3001 | |
| Fabric Weight | 4.3 oz. | 4.2 oz. |
| Construction | Fine jersey cotton, tubular | Airlume combed ring-spun cotton, side-seamed |
| Feel | Soft, slightly more substantial | Exceptionally smooth and light |
| Fit | Semi-fitted, relaxed | Semi-fitted, tailored |
| Color Options | 19 colors | 44 colors (plus 73 in the 3001CVC selection) |
| Sizes* | Adult XS–3XL | Adult XS–3XL/4XL, Youth YS–YXL |
| Pricing** | $11.34 per shirt | $11.32 per shirt |
| Best for | Adult-only corporate and event orders, relaxed fits | School and youth groups, color-specific designs, retail-style merch |
*Size availability varies by color
**When ordering 50 shirts with one color screen printed
Fabric Weight & Feel
Both the American Apparel 2001 and Bella + Canvas 3001 are lightweight, fine jersey knits that drape nicely and resist wrinkling. That makes them particularly comfortable for summer events, outdoor activities, and casual everyday wear in warmer weather compared to heavier-weight cotton tees.
However, the American Apparel 2001 is made from 4.3-ounce cotton, while the Bella + Canvas 3001 is made from a slightly lighter 4.2-ounce cotton. Granted, the difference between 4.2 and 4.3 ounces is small enough that weight alone may not determine your decision, but some customers do find that the 2001 feels slightly more substantial when the two are compared side by side.
The 3001 also has a particularly light, smooth feel, so if ultimate softness and a lightweight fabric are high on your list of priorities, the Bella + Canvas is the one to consider. If you’d rather have a shirt with a bit more presence, the 2001 has a slight advantage.
Fabric Type
Although both shirts are made primarily from cotton, they use different types of yarn, which gives the two shirts a slightly different hand feel.
The American Apparel 2001 is made with 100% fine jersey cotton that is combed for a softer, smoother feel. The Bella + Canvas 3001 is made with 100% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton. This is Bella + Canvas’s signature fabric, combed to remove shorter fibers and impurities, which is what gives it that particularly smooth hand feel.
Note: Although most options are 100% cotton, the 2001 in Heather Grey is a 90/10 cotton-poly blend. The Bella + Canvas 3001CVC is a separate cotton-poly version of the 3001, offered in a wider palette that includes additional heather and neon shades.
Fit and Silhouette
When it comes to fit, both shirts are generally classified as semi-fitted, but their construction contributes to how that fit looks and feels once the shirt is on.
The American Apparel 2001 has a tubular construction, meaning the body is knitted as one continuous piece without side seams. This gives it a more relaxed shape through the body and contributes to its casual, streetwear-inspired look.
The Bella + Canvas 3001 is side-seamed, with seams running down each side of the body. This allows the shirt to taper slightly through the waist and creates the cleaner, more tailored silhouette that the style is known for.
If you’re choosing between the two based primarily on silhouette, think of the 2001 as the more relaxed option and the 3001 as the more polished, fitted option.
Size Range
The Bella + Canvas 3001 is available in Adult XS through 3XL/4XL depending on the color, as well as Youth YS through YXL, making it an excellent choice for schools, youth organizations, sports teams, family reunions, and community events.
The American Apparel 2001 is offered in Adult XS through 3XL, with no youth sizes available in our current selection.
Keep in mind that availability can vary by both color and size, so be sure to check our website or contact us directly to confirm availability before finalizing your order.
Color Selection
The Bella + Canvas 3001 has the larger color selection of the two, with 44 colors that span basic neutrals, brighter shades, and softer pastels. If you’re looking for even more choices, the Bella + Canvas 3001CVC is available in 73 colors, including additional heather and neon shades. It’s the same shirt, just made with a cotton-poly blend instead of 100% cotton.
The American Apparel 2001 comes in 19 colors, with most of the palette centered around basics like white, black, several greys, and muted tones. For an order that doesn’t require a large color palette, that selection may be perfectly sufficient.
Printing and Embroidery Compatibility
Both the American Apparel 2001 and the Bella + Canvas 3001 are versatile blanks with excellent compatibility with different customization methods.
For screen printing, the smooth cotton jersey of both shirts provides a good surface for everything from simple logos to larger graphics. However, keep in mind that lightweight fabrics mean large, heavy prints can change the feel of the shirt more noticeably than they would on a heavyweight blank, so it’s worth considering how much ink coverage your artwork requires.
For DTG, the fine, even knit is particularly well suited to detailed artwork, and 100% cotton is generally a strong choice for this printing method. DTF transfers are compatible with both.
When it comes to embroidery, both shirts can be embroidered, although their lightweight fabrics are better suited to smaller logos, names, and simple designs rather than large, heavily stitched artwork. Dense embroidery can add weight to a lightweight T-shirt and may affect how the fabric sits.
Price
The American Apparel 2001 and Bella + Canvas 3001 are priced almost the same.
For an order of 50 shirts with one-color screen printing, the Bella + Canvas 3001 costs $11.32 per shirt, while the American Apparel 2001 comes out to $11.34 per shirt. With a difference of just 2 cents per shirt, the cost difference is unlikely to have much impact, even on larger orders. So, choosing between the two will likely come down to other factors, such as fit, color selection, or size availability.
To see the exact price per shirt for your quantity and decoration method, run your numbers in our Quick Price tool on the product page.
Which Shirt Should You Choose?
The American Apparel 2001 and Bella + Canvas 3001 are both excellent choices for custom apparel. They offer nearly identical fabric weights, perform similarly across screen printing, DTG, and DTF, and are priced within a couple of cents of each other.
The right choice between them depends on the needs of your project and the features that matter most to you.
Choose the American Apparel 2001 if you:
- Prefer a more relaxed, streetwear-inspired fit
- Want a lightweight tee that still feels slightly more substantial
- Are ordering for adults only
- Don’t need a broad color palette
Its tubular construction gives it a straighter, roomier shape through the body, and its 4.3-ounce fine jersey cotton offers the softness of a retail tee with a bit more presence. Those qualities make it a strong choice for adult-only corporate and company orders, simple team or event shirts, and groups looking for a relaxed, classic T-shirt fit, where the available colors and adult sizing cover what your group needs.
Choose the Bella + Canvas 3001 if you:
- Prefer a more tailored, retail-style silhouette
- Want the softest, lightest feel available
- Need youth sizes or adult sizes up to 4XL
- Want access to a wider range of color options
Its 44 available colors give more flexibility when matching company branding, school colors, sports teams, or event themes, with the 3001CVC selection adding even more. Its Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton offers an exceptionally smooth feel, and its side-seamed construction creates the polished shape the style is known for. These qualities make it a popular choice for school and youth group orders, color-specific designs, and retail-style custom apparel, where a lighter feel and more tailored silhouette can be especially valuable.
Before placing a large order, we recommend comparing the actual size charts, checking the available colors for your desired sizes, and ordering a sample if you’re unsure about the fit. A sample lets you see the fabric, try on the garment, and preview your artwork on the actual blank.
Whichever shirt you choose, both provide the softness, printability, and reliable performance that have made them trusted staples in the custom apparel industry for years.