Ever wonder what color your T-shirt will actually turn when you bleach it?
The short answer: it depends.
Bleaching is pure chemistry. The final look depends on three main factors: brand, color, and shirt size. Even the manufacturing batch matters. You can take the exact same brand, size, and color on two different days, and they might react differently. Every single shirt is its own little trial-and-error experiment. Consistency only comes with practice and finding what works for you.
The Brand Breakdown
-
Gildan 5000 (or Gildan 500): This heavy cotton T-shirt is the go-to. After bleaching over 1,000 of them, nearly every single one has successfully bleached. It is easily the most reliable and bleachable option out there.
-
Comfort Colors: Each color reacts differently. Even though they are 100% cotton, colors like Violet and Seafoam barely bleach or won’t bleach at all.
-
Shaka Wear: Testing shows that different colors react differently—or may not react at all—depending on the dye used.
The Bleach & The Process
If you want to skip the harsh chemical smell, use a bathroom cleaner spray with bleach, like Clorox Cleanup Spray. It has just enough bleach to get the job done while leaving a cleaner fragrance.
Worried about the bleach eating through the fabric and making holes? Neutralize it at the end of your process. Mix one part hydrogen peroxide to ten parts water, soak the shirt, and you are good to go.
Keep experimenting, have fun creating, and find what you like.
Want to see the color reactions in action? Check out the video version on my Instagram Reel.
Explore the collection:
-
Follow the journey on Instagram @3daysstuck
-
Shop the latest handmade drops on Depop