How Much Does It Cost To Print A T-shirt? | Palmgear

As people become more obsessed with the idea of wearing customized t-shirts, t-shirt printing business becomes more and more popular across the four corners of the globe.

It’s not rare to come across a person wearing a customized tee—whether they’re trying to promote their brand or business, express their personality, and so on.

But just how much does it cost to print a t-shirt?

Join us below as we breakdown the amount of money you need to pay to get your design or artwork printed on a tee…

Cost of printing a t-shirt

Unfortunately, there’s no fixed price for printing on a t-shirt. Instead, how much you pay varies depending on several factors outlined below.

Quantity of t-shirts

One of the factors affecting how much you spend on t-shirt printing is the number of t-shirts you want to print on.

If you want to print on a smaller number of shirts, then you’ll need to pay at retail price, which is approx. $20-$30 per shirt.

This cost might sound ok if you just want to print a tee for yourself.

If you’re a businessperson, however, and you plan to distribute or sell the t-shirts, this cost doesn’t make sense. In this case, your best bet would be to buy your tees in bulk. For every shirt you buy in a bulk order (say over 100plus pieces), you’ll pay around $5.

So, as a businessperson, the trick here is to order printed t-shirts in bulk. If you just want one t-shirt for yourself or a few of them for your team or organization, then you’ll have to pay a higher amount.

Most t-shirt printing companies usually have a policy where they make the cost per tee lower when you order more pieces.

Also, be sure to check if the company you hire has set a minimum number of tees you can order.

The color of the t-shirt to be printed on

The most cost-friendly t-shirts to print on are the white ones. The darker your fabric becomes, the more you’ll need to pay for it to get printed on.

And this means that if you want to print on a black t-shirt, you’ll have to meet the cost at the top of the price ladder.

But not everyone is a fan of white tees, right?

So, if you have any other color in mind apart from white, you should be ready to dig deeper into your pockets.

That said, keep in mind that not all businesses will charge you more money for colored t-shirts.

Make sure you do a bit of research of t-shirt printers near and compare their services to see which one favors you more.

Number of colors used

Another factor that heavily affects the cost of a printed t-shirt revolves around the number of colors in your design.

If you choose a design that has two or more colors, then you’ll need to pay for the services. Most companies will increase the charges by approx. $2-3.

Why is it so? You might wonder…

In simple terms, for a design with multiple colors, the printer will need to separate each color when printing it on the tee.

This means more materials (plus labor) will be needed, thus escalating the cost.

If you want to save on t-shirt printing, you’d want to keep your design or artwork simple, yet visually appealing.

Design placement

Do you want your tee to be printed on the front and back?

If yes, this might also raise the amount you pay by approx. $5 per t-shirt.

Though this might sound costlier, it might be well worth it, given that your design will be seen by everybody regardless of which direction you face.

Not just the front and back, you might also want to have your design printed on other areas such as at the rib area, under the neckline, etc.

Again, most printers will charge a little more per t-shirt if you wish to print on these extra locations…because this will take them more time and resources.

If you do your research well and get lucky enough, you might come across a t-shirt printing company that doesn’t charge you any extra cash for special placement of your design.

Type of tee to be printed on

Yes, the type of garment you want to print will also dictate how much you pay in the end.

The heavier, moisture-wicking garment will typically cost more to print.

If you’re looking to use your apparel for promotional reasons, you’d want to look for lightweight t-shirts, weighing around 5-6oz.

These will help you save some cash while still getting a great product to help promote your business, brand, or organization.

Quick tip: If you don’t have a clue what type of fabric to use, consider using cotton as it balances between the heavy and lightweight garments. It’s regarded as the cheapest fabric to print on.

The style of t-shirt you wish to print on will also affect the cost of printing.

Typical round-neck tees are the cheapest to print on. But styles like V-neck, tank top, and scoop neck will require you to shed more cash.

Shipping costs

Most of the t-shirt design companies usually offer free shipping. But the truth is, they usually incorporate the shipping fee into the cost of printing your tee, and then use the “free shipping” as a marketing gimmick.

While you might always get tempted to go for business offering free shipping, you might find yourself saving more cash if the cost of t-shirts is cheaper, and you cater for the shipping fee yourself.

Calculating all your options before you make a decision will help you know which company will help you save regarding the shipping fee.

Verdict

If you plan to print some t-shirts to promote your business, organization, or for your team members, it’s essential to know how much you’ll pay the t-shirt printing company you hire.

As we have stated in this guide, there’s no fixed cost for t-shirt printing. The amount you pay will depend on factors such as the number of tees to be printed, the color of the t-shirts, the number of colors in your design, design placement, and even the type of garment to be printed on.

It’s always advisable to compare different t-shirt printing companies before making a choice to help you easily choose the one that offers you quality results while being easier on your pocket.