The first question most people ask us is simple: what will each shirt cost? The honest answer is that screen printing cost per shirt depends on a few clear factors. Once you know what they are, you can plan a budget and make trade-offs that keep your price down.
We are XUSI, an Indigenous-owned clothing and screen printing company in Saskatoon. Below, we explain how pricing works across the industry, then show how a quote from us comes together.
The two parts of every price: garment plus print
Every screen printed shirt has two costs stacked together. There is the blank garment, and there is the print that goes on it.
At XUSI, the print price depends on quantity, and garments are priced on top of that. Our minimum order is 10 garments.
So the basic formula for one shirt with one print looks like this:
Cost per shirt = garment price + print price
Keeping the two parts separate helps you see where your money goes. It also lets you pick a garment that fits your budget without changing the print.
Why quantity changes the price
Screen printing has a lot of work up front. Each colour needs its own screen, and that screen has to be prepared, set up on the press and cleaned afterward. ScreenPrinting.com, a supplier that trains printers, lists screens, setup labour and cleanup among the costs a shop has to cover.
That up-front work is roughly the same whether a shop prints a small run or a big one. Printable Press puts it plainly: setup costs are fixed, whether you print 12 shirts or 500. Spread over more shirts, that work costs less per shirt.
This is why our print price goes down as quantity goes up. Your quote shows the exact price for your order.
Number of colours and screens
In traditional screen printing, each ink colour is printed through its own screen. A one-colour logo needs one screen. A four-colour design needs four.
More screens means more preparation, more setup time and more ink to manage. That is why industry guides, including Printable Press, point to reducing colour count as one of the most effective ways to lower cost.
We print designs with up to 4 colours. If you are working to a tight budget, ask yourself:
- Does the design read clearly in one or two colours?
- Can the shirt colour do some of the work, instead of adding another ink?
- Are there small colour details that nobody will notice from a few feet away?
Design help is included with our printing, so we can suggest simpler colour versions of your art.
Dark garments and the underbase
Printing on dark garments often takes an extra step. Printable Press explains that dark fabric needs a white underbase printed first, which adds an extra pass and more ink. ScreenPrinting.com also lists underbase requirements as a factor in pricing.
That does not mean you should avoid black hoodies. It just means a design on a dark shirt can involve more work than the same design on a white tee. Your quote will show you the full picture.
Print locations
A front print is one print. Add a back print, a sleeve or a left chest logo and each spot is set up and printed as its own step.
ScreenPrinting.com and Printable Press both list print locations among the things that change the cost. Each extra location means more setup and more time at the press for every shirt.
Common choices include:
- One large front print, a simple choice for event shirts.
- A small left chest logo on the front with a large print on the back, popular for staff and team wear.
- A sleeve print as an extra detail when the budget allows.
Our screens go up to 23 x 31 inches, so a single large print can cover a lot of the shirt. Sometimes one bold print does more than two small ones.
Garment choice
The garment is often the biggest variable in the price. A basic cotton tee, a heavier tee, a long sleeve and a hoodie all cost different amounts before a drop of ink goes on.
ScreenPrinting.com starts its pricing guide with the blank garment cost, and Printable Press notes that blank quality ranges from basic cotton tees to premium options. Heavier fabrics, blends and hoodies usually cost more than a standard tee.
We print on Gildan, ALSTYLE, Independent and Bella+Canvas, and more brands are available on request. Because garments are priced on top of printing, you can compare styles side by side in your quote.
Think about how the shirt will be used. A one-day event shirt and a staff uniform worn every week may call for different garments, even with the same print.
How a quote comes together
Here is how the math works. We will call the garment price G and the print price P. Both depend on your order.
Example: 10 tees with one front print
Ten shirts is our minimum. Each shirt gets one print, so the order is 10 prints plus 10 garments: 10P + 10G. Per shirt, that is G + P.
Example: 40 tees with a front and a back print
Now each shirt has two print locations, so the order is 80 prints plus 40 garments: 80P + 40G. Because the run is bigger, P usually comes down.
If you choose a heavier garment, only G changes. If you drop a print location or a colour, the printing side gets smaller. Your quote lays out both parts for your exact order, and nothing gets printed until you have seen it.
How to keep your cost per shirt down
- Combine orders. If two groups need the same design, one larger order may be better than two small ones.
- Simplify colours. Stay within what the design truly needs, up to our 4-colour limit.
- Choose print locations carefully. One strong print can beat several small ones.
- Match the garment to the use. Save premium blanks for items people will wear often.
- Ask early. Timing depends on order size and time of year, and we confirm it in the quote.
You can start a quote on our screen printing page, or reach us through our contact page. If you are in the province, see our page on screen printing in Saskatchewan.
Related reading: How to prepare artwork for screen printing · Choosing blank shirts for screen printing
Questions people ask
What is the minimum order?
Our minimum is 10 garments.
Are garments included in the print price?
No. The print price covers the printing. Garments are priced on top, based on the style and brand you choose.
How many colours can my design have?
Up to 4 colours per design. Fewer colours often makes a design easier to read and simpler to print.
Will I know the full price before printing?
Yes. You get a full quote before anything is printed.
Sources
- ScreenPrinting.com: A guide to pricing screen printed garments
- Printable Press: Screen printing cost breakdown
Written by XUSI, an Indigenous-owned clothing and screen printing brand from Saskatoon on Treaty 6 territory. Our story · What the words mean