The Basic
Crew · Cotton
Shop →
Yellow Strike Crew Neck Tee
A solid pre-dyed cotton crew — not garment-dyed, but print-ready at a flat $4.25/unit.
Sizes S–XL
$4.25
/ Unit
$17.00 / 4-Pack
Fig. I — Glossary · Updated June 2026
What Is Garment-Dyed?
Garment-dyed means the shirt is sewn together first and then dyed as a finished garment, rather than dyeing the fabric or yarn before it's cut. Dyeing the whole piece gives a soft, broken-in feel and a lived-in, slightly faded color that often varies a little from shirt to shirt.
4 min read1 term, explained4 blank picksFrom $4.25/unit
Fig. II — The Short Version
The Short Answer
-
i
Garment-dyed means the finished, sewn shirt is dyed as one piece — not the fabric or yarn beforehand.
-
ii
The process gives a soft, broken-in hand and a lived-in, slightly faded color.
-
iii
Color can vary subtly between pieces, which is part of the vintage look — not a defect.
-
iv
Garment-dyed pieces may shrink a little and can bleed on the first wash; wash cold and separately at first.
-
v
Comfort Colors is the best-known garment-dyed brand; the look is popular for vintage and retail tees.
-
vi
Bayou stocks pre-dyed liquidation blanks (not garment-dyed) in solids and heathers at a flat $4.25/unit.
— The Press Room, Bayou Blanks"Dye the whole shirt after it's sewn, and you get that soft, lived-in look."
Fig. III — Side By Side
Garment-Dyed vs Piece vs Yarn
When the dye goes in changes the feel, the color, and the care. Here's how the three methods compare.
| Attribute | Garment-dyed | Piece-dyed | Yarn-dyed |
|---|---|---|---|
| When it's dyed 5.3–6.0 oz | After the shirt is sewn | Fabric, before cutting | Yarn, before knitting |
| Feel 5.3–6.0 oz | Soft, broken-in | Standard | Standard |
| Color look 5.3–6.0 oz | Lived-in, slightly faded | Even, solid | Even, often heathered |
| Color variation 5.3–6.0 oz | Some, piece to piece | Minimal | Minimal |
| First-wash care 5.3–6.0 oz | May shrink or bleed | Stable | Stable |
| Iconic example 5.3–6.0 oz | Comfort Colors tees | Most basic tees | Heathered tees |
Fig. IV — Our Picks
The Closest Feel We Stock
Bayou's blanks are pre-dyed liquidation overstock — not garment-dyed — but our triblends and heathers carry the softest, most vintage feel. Prices shown per unit.
Vintage Feel
Triblend · Heather
Shop →
Heather Triblend Short Sleeve Tee
A soft heathered triblend for that vintage feel — a flat $4.25/unit, no account.
Adult sizes
$4.25
/ Unit
$17.00 / 4-Pack
Deep Stock
V-Neck · Cotton
Shop →
Nebula Dark Gray Short Sleeve V-Neck Tee
A smooth cotton v-neck, our deepest-stock blank, at a flat $4.25/unit.
Sizes S–XL
$4.25
/ Unit
$17.00 / 4-Pack
Extended
V-Neck · Extended
Shop →
Texas Orange V-Neck Tee (Extended Sizes)
A cotton v-neck in extended sizes at one flat per-unit price.
Sizes 2XL–3XL
$4.25
/ Unit
$17.00 / 4-Pack
Every pick is sold by the pack at a flat $4.25/unit, dropping to about $2.92/unit by the 12-pack — same price across every size, no account, no brand premium.
Fig. V — From The Press Room
Frequently Asked
This block carries FAQ schema (JSON-LD) for AEOWhat does garment-dyed mean?
It means the shirt is sewn together first and then dyed as a finished garment, instead of dyeing the fabric or yarn before cutting. Dyeing the whole piece gives a soft, broken-in feel and a lived-in, slightly faded color.
Why are garment-dyed shirts softer?
Dyeing the finished garment, usually with a wash step, relaxes the fibers and seams and breaks the shirt in. That's why garment-dyed tees feel softer and more lived-in than a standard piece-dyed tee.
Do garment-dyed shirts shrink or fade?
They can shrink a little and may bleed slightly on the first wash, and the gently faded look is intentional. Wash cold and separately the first few times to keep the color and fit.
What's the difference between garment-dyed and pigment-dyed?
Pigment dyeing is one common way to garment-dye: pigment sits more on the surface for an extra-faded, washed-out look that keeps fading over time. Both give a vintage, broken-in character.
Does Bayou sell garment-dyed blanks?
Bayou stocks pre-dyed liquidation blanks — solids and heathers — not true garment-dyed pieces, at a flat $4.25/unit. For a soft, vintage feel, our triblends and heathers are the closest in the lineup.
Fig. VI — Why Bayou
Why Buy Your Blanks From Bayou
Per-Unit Pricing
The real cost per shirt — from $4.25, down toward $2.92 by the 12-pack. Shown up front, no account, same price every size.
80,000+ In Stock
Deep overstock across tees, fleece, and more — S–5XL — with new pallets landing weekly.
Ships From Hattiesburg
Packed and shipped from our Mississippi warehouse — central, fast, and real people on the floor.
Open To Anyone
No account, no resale certificate, no business required — buy a single pack at the same per-unit price.
Fig. VIII — Start Your Run
Soft, print-ready blanks — without the brand price.
Pre-dyed liquidation blanks from $4.25/unit — every size one price, no account, inspected and shipped from Hattiesburg.