Custom Printed Shirts on a Budget

This time of year many organizations are looking for custom printed tshirts.  Custom printed tshirts are great for youth groups, summer child care camps, company picnics, community service projects and much more.

If you are like most and have a set budget to work within here are 5 tips to keep in mind when creating and ordering your custom shirts.

Tip #1 - Order shirts in volume.  As with most custom products, a bulk of the cost is in the setup.  It is possible to order screen printed tshirts in quantities as low as 12 or 24 pieces but keep in mind the setup costs are the same whether you are ordering 12 shirts or 100 shirts.

Tip #2 - Use fewer colors in your design.  Each color in your image will require a separate screen and film for the process.  These items increase the setup cost of your order.  If you plan to order just 1 or 2 dozen shirts, you will find that a 1 color design is going to be the most cost efficient way to produce the shirts.

Tip #3 - Be flexible on the color and shirt fabric.  Some color shirts, typically darker colors, will require extra steps in the printing process which will lead to additional costs.  Using a basic cotton or 50/50 cotton/poly blend white tshirt is usually the least expensive way to go.

Tip #4 - The number of print locations will impact the cost of your shirts.  If keeping costs low is a concern, your organization should determine if it makes more sense to print on the front OR back side of the shirt.  Printing on both sides will increase the price of the shirt.

Tip#5 - The last thing to consider is shirt sizes.  Unfortunately, there may not be too much you can do about this.  The least expensive shirts to purchase are between a size small and an extra large.  Once you start getting into a 2X size or larger, even a basic cotton tshirt will run you an additional $4 or more.

Depending on the size and colors of your design and the desired color of the tshirts, screen printing may not be the most cost effective way to go.  There are a few other printing options that can be discussed with your promotional product adviser.

If you're thinking of ordering tshirts this Spring, contact us today and we'll help you plan out your shirt design to fit within your budget.

We carry many shirt brands including Hanes, Jerzees, Reebok, Nike, Port Authority and much more!

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