Want to get into custom shirt bleaching but don't know what color your shirt will actually turn?
It all comes down to a simple formula. The final result depends entirely on four main factors: the brand, the fabric color, the shirt size, and the bleach you use.
Every single brand uses its own formula, and every size handles the process differently. Because of these variables, every new shirt is its own experiment—and that’s where the trial and error comes in.
The Bleach Factor (Ditch the Harsh Smell)
You can use straight up liquid bleach, but you’ll have to water it down with a ratio.
The easiest and simplest way to get started is by using a household spray cleaner that has bleach mixed into it, like Lysol or Clorox Cleanup Spray. It gives you a great reaction without the heavy chemical odor, letting you smell the cleaner's fragrance instead of pure bleach.
Real-World Brand Testing
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Gildan 5000: This heavy cotton shirt is my primary choice. It is easily the most reliable and affordable option to choose from, and almost every single one I've used has bleached perfectly.
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Shaka Wear: I have tested out their black shirts, and they bleach down successfully.
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Comfort Colors: Their black shirts bleach great too. The only real issues I've run into during my experiments were with their Purple and Teal shirts, which either barely bleached or didn't react at all, even though they are 100% cotton.
The Best Advice: Buy the color you want to bleach and just experiment. If the bleach works, cool. If it doesn't, now you learned. Keep trying until you figure out what you like and what you don't.
Want to watch the video version of all the colors I have bleached?
Check out the breakdown directly on my Instagram Reel.
Explore the Collection & Process:
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See how I really create these shirts on Instagram @3daysstuck
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Check out the handmade items ready to grab on Depop