Getting a custom T-shirt printed can be exciting, but what if you go to check out, and you’re a little surprised by the price? Sure, it’s not expensive, but many T-shirt printers often have customers who wonder why custom shirts cost more than off-the-shelf shirts.
Well, we will dispel the mystery of screen printing costs and go over the various aspects that affect the price.
1: The Location Matters
This is just a fact of life. Where you buy something matters, and custom-printed T-shirts are no different.
This is mostly due to the various background costs that make up the average lifestyle in a region. If it’s more expensive to live there, it’s more expensive to source materials, pay for overhead, etc.
In some places, you’ll simply pay more than in others.
2: Smaller Designs are Cheaper (Usually)
In general, a smaller design on your custom T-shirt will be cheaper. Fewer materials are used to make smaller designs, they take less time to make, and they usually have fewer details. All of that means the artist can spend less to make you the shirt you want.
However, due to other factors we’ll talk about, smaller isn’t always better.
3: The Number of Colors Used
When you choose a design that has a lot of different colors, the price rises for two reasons.
First, there’s the fact that different colors of ink have to be used. Little bits of several different colors are used, and that means your design is using more of the company's color stock.
On top of that, it’s harder to set up a design with a lot of colors. Throughout the setup phase, the designer will have to spend time setting up various colors instead of just one or two.
4: Non-Stylized Lettering is the Cheapest
If you’re looking to save money, you can do so pretty easily by requesting simple lettering. Lettering is cheaper than trying to get a complex design or logo printed, and if you need to save money, it can be a great option.
For instance, if you’re trying to get shirts made with names on them or the name of a company baseball team, it might not be cost-effective to do a bunch of big logos, but it will be easy to budget shirts with non-stylized lettering.
Keep in mind that this is typically true for single-color letters with a simple font. If you complicate it and want more colors, the price will jump quickly.
5: The Amount of Detail Matters
You can think of custom-printed shirts a lot like paintings or any other traditional art forms. If they have more detail in them, they likely took much more time than something that is barely detailed.
Screen T-shirt printing typically requires highly complex designs, special printer tuning, higher accuracy with other machines, and even special materials.
So, you can expect to pay more if you request an elaborate design. There’s simply a lot more that goes into it.
6: The Reputation of the Producer Counts
If someone has been making custom shirts for 30 years, and a new guy has only been open for a few days, the company with the better reputation for putting out high-quality shirts is going to the bulk of the customers.
Experience matters when it comes to making custom designs. Experienced artists understand how various materials will react with each other, they know how different things hold up over time, and much more.
If a company has a better reputation with the community, they’ll likely demand a premium due to what they have to offer.
However, you know very well that the finished product will be worth every extra penny.
7: T-Shirt Artists Have Expenses
You’re not just paying for the company’s time and expertise. You’re also paying for the materials used to make your shirt. The nicer that material is, the more it costs.
This impacts your price because the T-shirt company screen printing your design has to pay to stock the needed material. So, if they offer more high-end materials, it comes out of their pocket as investors.
In the end, a big chunk of what you pay depends on this. You will usually have to pay the cost of the materials plus a bit extra to cover time and the need for profit.
8: Bulk Orders Tend to Be Cheaper Per Unit
Ordering a shirt or two for personal use is typically more expensive per shirt. For example, let’s say you have a baseball team for your company.
If you buy one shirt at a time as players sign up, you’ll pay more for each shirt. However, if you buy enough shirts to provide one to a full team, you’ll likely pay a little less for each unit.
This is useful if you’re buying shirts for niche uses. However, it doesn’t help much if you’re only looking for a nice souvenir while you’re traveling.
9: You Pay More Because Shirts are Made to Order
One reason you pay more per shirt is that they’re not made in advance. Custom-printed T-shirt shops don’t typically have pre-printed shirts available unless they’re for demonstrations.
Because the company makes the shirt when you order it instead of making a lot of shirts at once, the price rises a little on custom T-shirts.
How to Get the Best Deal on Screen Printed T-Shirts
Screenprinting can be one of the more costly ways to get a custom T-shirt, but it also provides some of the highest-quality prints.
Using what we’ve gone over here, there are a few things you can do to lower the costs a bit.
First, search around and compare the standard prices of a few different screenprinting services. Just don’t go with the cheapest option, though. They’re cheap for a reason.
Then, try to keep your design as easy to produce as possible. Minimize the number of colors needed, don’t go overboard with the sizing, and unless you’re willing to pay a premium, opt for something that gets the point across without being overly detailed.
For something elaborate, it’s just a fact that you’ll have to pay more.
Get a Quality Screen Print T-Shirt
If you’re looking for a shirt that sets you apart from everyone else, our custom T-shirts are right for you.
We focus on providing the highest quality, offer a variety of shirt types, and aim to satisfy every customer by keeping the screen printing costs low and reasonable.
If you need a custom T-shirt, check out our collection now!
