Gildan vs Hanes: which t-shirt wins?
Both land in the budget tier — the Gildan Softstyle / Ultra Cotton Tee at $8, the Hanes Beefy-T Heavyweight Tee at $12, just $4 apart. Here's how they stack up, head to head.
| Gildan | Hanes | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $8 | $12 |
| Material | Ringspun cotton; Softstyle ~4.5oz, Ultra Cotton ~6oz. Some colours are cotton/poly blends. | 100% cotton, ~6oz heavyweight ringspun. |
| Fit | Softstyle runs fitted and slightly short; Ultra Cotton runs boxy and true. Both shrink about a size if machine-dried hot. | Boxy and roomy; runs large. Buy your size and expect it to shrink toward true after the first hot wash. |
| Quality | Functional blank quality. Seams hold but the collar loses shape over time and lighter colours thin first. | Sturdy for the price — thick cotton holds opacity and shape; the collar is the first thing to ripple over years. |
| Best for | Layering, yard work, printing on, and anyone who wants a tee they can ruin without a second thought. | Everyday wear, layering, and anyone who wants a thick, opaque budget tee with room to move. |
| Care | Wash cold and hang dry to limit the noticeable shrink — these are notorious for tightening up in a hot dryer. | Wash cold and tumble low; the cotton shrinks a half-to-full size if dried hot from new. |
Gildan's Softstyle/Ultra Cotton is an $8 functional blank — ringspun cotton at ~4.5–6oz that shrinks about a size in a hot dryer and loses its collar over time. The Hanes Beefy-T is $12 of genuine 6oz heavyweight cotton that holds opacity and shape. The $4 gap is small money for a real durability step.
- The case for Gildan
- $4 cheaper and effectively disposable, fine for layering, yard work, and printing on, with a fitted Softstyle option the boxy Beefy-T doesn't offer.
- The case for Hanes
- Genuine 6oz heavyweight cotton that stays opaque and holds its shape for years, sturdier overall, undercuts tees costing three times more.
The bottom lineWhich should you buy?
Buy the Gildan at $8 only when disposability is the point — print blanks, yard work, layers you'll ruin — because the collar loses shape and lighter colours thin first, and both cuts shrink about a size if hot-dried. For a tee you'll actually wear, step up to the Beefy-T at $12: the thick 6oz cotton keeps its opacity and shape, and its only long-term weakness is collar ripple after years, not months. The receipts ask which brand wins on t-shirts, and here it's Hanes without much argument — $4 buys a tee that lasts instead of one you replace. Size note either way: the Beefy-T runs large and shrinks toward true; the Gildan just shrinks.
We may earn a commission if you buy through this link, at no extra cost to you.