The three questions
Decoration is chosen by three things, in this order:
- What is the artwork? Flat spot colours, a photograph, fine line work — each rules methods in or out before price is relevant.
- How many? Every method has a setup cost. Below about 30 pieces the setup dominates; above 100 the methods separate on ink cost.
- How long must it last? A giveaway shirt and a work uniform are not the same product.
Five methods compared
| Method | Cost / piece at 100 | Setup | Best for | Cannot do |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen print ink pushed through mesh | $1.10–1.60 per colour | $20–35 / screen | 1–4 spot colours, volume, durability | Photographs, gradients, fine detail |
| DTG water-based ink into fabric | $4.00–6.00 | $0 | Short runs, photographic art, many colours | Strong saturation on dark colours; it fades sooner |
| Heat transfer / vinyl | $2.00–3.50 | $0–15 | Names, numbers, small runs, individual personalisation | Large solid areas; feels flat and lasts less |
| Embroidery | $3.50–7.00 | $25–60 / digitised file | Logos, left chest, workwear, anything that must survive industrial washing | Fine detail below ~2 mm; large solid areas |
| Puff / reflective transfer | $2.50–4.50 | $0–25 | Texture and visibility — streetwear, sportswear | Fine lines (they fill in); subtle looks |
Cost by quantity
Screen printing is the only method whose per-piece price falls meaningfully with volume, because the screens are a one-time cost and the ink is cheap. This is the single most useful table in the chapter:
| Quantity | Screen, 1 colour | DTG, full colour | Who wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | $3.20 / pc | $5.50 / pc | Screen by a small margin |
| 100 | $1.35 / pc | $4.80 / pc | Screen, by 3.5× |
| 300 | $0.85 / pc | $4.40 / pc | Screen, decisively |
| 1,000 | $0.55 / pc | $4.20 / pc | Screen, and it is not close |
The takeaway: if your artwork is spot colour and you are buying 100 or more, screen printing is not a choice, it is the answer. DTG becomes interesting below about 30 pieces, or when the design is photographic and cannot be separated into spot colours.
A two-colour screen print at 100 pieces costs roughly $1.90–2.40 a shirt including two screens. The same design in DTG at $4.80 costs $2.40–2.90 more per shirt — on 100 shirts that is $240–290, which is more than the blanks cost you in the first place.
What your artwork allows
| If your artwork is… | Method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| A logo with 1–4 flat colours | Screen print | Cheapest at volume, most durable |
| A logo that must last ten years | Embroidery | Thread outlasts any print |
| A photograph or a gradient | DTG or transfer | No way to separate it into spot colours |
| Fine lines and small text | Screen print (high mesh) or DTG | Puff and embroidery will lose it |
| Names and numbers | Vinyl transfer | No setup, one piece at a time |
The practical rule: design for the method, not the other way round. A logo with a soft gradient and a one-pixel outline looks great on a screen and is a nightmare on a shirt. Redraw it in two flat colours and you have halved your decoration cost.
How long it lasts
| Method | Washes before visible wear | Failure mode |
|---|---|---|
| Screen print, properly cured | 50+ | Eventually cracks at flex points |
| DTG on dark colours | 15–25 | Fades, then looks washed out |
| Heat transfer | 10–20 | Edges peel |
| Embroidery | 100+ | Thread breakage, rarely |
| Puff transfer | 15–25 | Flattens, then peels |
Curing is the variable nobody controls from the outside. An under-cured screen print fails at wash five no matter what the ink was. This is why a sample washed twice before the bulk order is worth more than any promise from a printer.
What to tell a printer
Send this in one message and you will get an accurate quote on the first reply:
- Quantity, and whether it is firm or approximate
- Artwork file — vector (AI/EPS/SVG/PDF) if you have it, plus a PNG for reference
- Number of colours and whether you are willing to reduce them
- Print size in inches and placement (full front, left chest, back)
- Shirt type and colour, with a link or a photo
- Deadline — the date you need them in hand, not the date you want to ship
- Who supplies the blanks — yours or theirs. Many printers charge less if you supply, and some refuse
The last one matters more than people expect. A printer who supplies blanks makes money on the blanks; a printer who prints on your blanks makes money only on the print. Some quote you a print price that quietly assumes you buy their blank — ask directly.