A Custom T-shirt Costs How Much?

There are a lot of variables that account for the price of a custom t-shirt. So much so that most orders are going to require their own quote. When we talk to someone interested in getting some shirts made for a brand, business, or event, we start with some pretty basic questions. The answers to these help us give a better estimate of how much the shirts end up costing.

The following factors define what a tee will eventually end up costing. These factors are based on the shirts alone and don't include the design itself.

Order Quantity

The amount of shirts that you want in your order greatly determines the price of the order. Screen printing requires the same amount of preparation for a single shirt as it does for 100 shirts. This is why the per-shirt price will be lower when you order more shirts.

The Quality of the Shirt Blanks

We always recommend either Bella+Canvas or Next Level Apparel tees first. They are some of the best brands for the price, but we are willing to find something that works best for your budget. The more you pay for the blanks apparel the better the feel and construction will be.

Fabric Types

There are many different fabric types used in t-shirts and apparel. Each type has its own benefits. We can print on cotton, polyester, tri-blend, CVC fabrics, and more.

Print Locations

The more print locations that a design requires means that the design requires more setup and preparation per shirt. A single print on the front of the shirt or apparel is going to be priced significantly lower than a print on the front, back, and sleeves.

Number of Ink Colors

Each extra ink color requires a new screen to be set up, which in turn creates more cost in the final product. The best way to lower the price of shirts is to limit the amount of colors that are used.

Turn Around Time

We typically say that it'll take two weeks to get your shirts back once you sign off on the design and order quantity. This gives us time to factor in any delays in shipping. We can do it quicker, but it will require a higher price per shirt.

Shirt Sizes

Bigger shirts require more material. Typically small through XL are a standard rate, but once you go bigger than that the shirts start to cost more and the final price will reflect that.

These are the main factors that go into the cost of a t-shirt. Each area has specific details that need to be ironed out by the printer and the client. If you are looking to get some shirts printed for your brand, business, event, function, or just because you want some shirts, contact us and we'll help you answer these questions.