How Much Do Custom T-Shirts Cost?

How much do custom T-shirts cost? That is the VERY FIRST QUESTION that erupted in my mind when I thought about selling! Today, I have sold over 10K T-shirts, generating 100K USD! 

Even the market size is relatively HIGH! Let me tell you data from VERIFIED MARKET RESEARCH. The custom T-shirt industry stands at 3.956 BILLION USD in 2021. By 2030, it will cross 7 BILLION USD in its market size. 

Our Leeline Sourcing experts have helped consumers FIND top-notch suppliers. Delivered full customization OPTIONS. And reduced overall custom T-shirt prices. Set a Shining BRAND reputation. GROW your business faster. 

So, you want to know what the cost of T-shirt printing is, right? You are precisely at the right blog. I will walk you through custom T-shirt costs! 

Let’s rock together! 

What Is A Custom T-shirt? 

Don’t confuse custom T-shirts with the PREMADE one. Do you know why? It is because of DIFFERENCES. First, let me define the Custom shirts. 

Custom shirts are personalized shirts with customized designs, colors, and fabric. From fabric quality to imprinted design, you have 100% control over the garments. 

Custom shirts are not PRE-made, unlike readymade shirts. Plus, you have FULL control on design, color, fabric, and add-ons. No RESTRICTIONS. That is not possible with other shirt types. So, as per the EASE, I prefer a custom shirt with DESIGN printed on it. 

How Much Does A Custom T-shirt Cost? 

Custom T-shirts interact with VARIOUS factors. So, not a SINGLE point turns out to be decisive. You must know what the BEST option is. And it falls under your POCKET or not. 

Here are various T-shirt types with their costs. 

Vinyl Shirts

I don’t look further when I have the VINYL printing facility. One of my PERSONAL favorite shirts is the VINYL shirt. It is because of SMOOTH designs. And excellent contour. 

In Vinyl printing, you must OUTLINE the design. And a particular MACHINE containing VINYL will print it. That is fast and effective. 

I am sure you’ll love it. But how much DO they cost? There is no EXACT price. But it can cost you $20-$30. It DEPENDS on multiple factors affecting the price. 

Screen Printed

It’s a little bit of an EXPENSIVE choice. But I would say it is WORTH your money. All thanks to the PREMIUM material and excellent LOOK. 

In screen printing, INK is printed on the FABRIC. All happens through a SCREEN method that retains the design. And imprints it. 

Screen-printed T-shirts cost $20 to $50. It is a HIGH COST compared to Vinyl or DTG T-shirts. Make sure you get the RIGHT DESIGN and material. 

Sublimation Prints

Now your POCKET can get a sigh of relief. It is because of the CHEAPER PRICES of the sublimation printing method. It doesn’t require HEAVY instruments to print the T-shirts. 

In sublimation print, HEAT transfer is the KEY phenomenon. Transfer heat and design are on your SHIRTS! The perfect printing method, as far as I know. 

Moreover, polyester FIBER reduces the overall production cost. Therefore, I have found it a much cheaper option. Sublimation shirts cost $10-$15 on an AVERAGE. 

DTG prints

DTG prints are also cheaper options. I have USED them to print many of my shirts. I appreciate the LOWER COSTS of $10-$50.

DTG printing is JUST like printing on PAPER. Direct aqueous ink flow on the GARMENT is all you need to have. The JOB is done by printing the design. 

The increasing costs are DEPENDENT more on the DARKNESS of the ink. Plus, the PRINTING machine is QUITE EXPENSIVE. You’ll get STUCK in the prices if you consider the DTG prints. 

What Fabric Types Affect The Custom T-shirt Cost? 

Don’t just wonder about the ABOVE price. Instead, think out of the BOX. Know what is HAPPENING outside the stadium, not just inside. 

For this reason, you must know DIFFERENT T-shirt premium materials and their costs. 

Custom Cotton Shirts

In custom apparel, COTTON is a no-hidden material. Such an EXCESSIVE use of cotton makes it one of the most popular materials. 

Guess what? Its costs are VERY low compared to polyester material. It owes to the LOW production cost and long-lasting nature. Cotton material costs you around $7-$10 per T-shirt. 

Polyester Shirts

Polyester shirts have recently DOMINATED the industry. It is due to moisture-wicking features and resistance to DAMAGE. 

Polyester shirts have to GO THROUGH a complex production. So, expect a HIGHER cost compared to the Cotton material. It might charge $7-$15. Anti-wrinkling and anti-moisture features ADD up to some higher prices. 

Cotton/Poly Blend

What is the IDEA if we mix cotton and polyester? It would say PERFECT COMBO! Believe me, it is now being PRACTICED in the custom apparel industry because of VARIOUS features. 

You get wrinkle-free material with a long-lasting nature. Plus, the LOOK is elegant. Its costs are HIGHER than both materials because of BLENDING costs. It starts from $10-$20 per T-shirt. 

Tri-blend Tees

Welcome to newer TEE technology. Tri-blend Tees are evident for their NAME. It comprises the MIXTURE of cotton, polyester, and Rayon. 

The benefits? It is a SOFT material with high durability. The look is premium with additional personalization. A single tee can cost $9-$13. It is the MOST expensive of all the T-shirt materials you find. 

CVC tees

Do you want to get the TOUCH of a tri-blend tee but at a LOWER COST? CVC tees save MONEY. And give an excellent LOOK. It combines COTTON and polyester, but the COTTON quantity is higher. 

Therefore, glamor is just like the TRI-blend t-shirts but costs very little. A CVC T-shirt can cost from $8-$14 or more sometimes. 

Three Essential Customization Methods For T-shirts

Customization comes in VARIOUS shapes, colors, and designs. I have explored every single method out there. Take a look to know! 

• Digital Printing

Digital is a machine-controlled system where the printing occurs. Four BASIC colors are USED. These are: 

• Cyan
• Magenta
• Yellow
• Key

These four MAGIC colors produce all the NECESSARY colors you want. Plus, the AUTOMATED production ensures a BETTER and faster quality. I have observed Digital PRINTING. It is not DIVERSE due to technology. Single SHIRT PRINT costs up to $25-$50.

It is suitable for SMALLER quantities. 

• Screen Printing

I have USED this printing method because of SEAMLESS work. Plus, I got the FASTER job compared to other printing methods. 

An ORDER quantity is a DETERMINING point in the screen printing. It is often USEFUL for large quantities. Because of the EXPENSIVE screen printing setup, which requires different tools. 

In screen printing, you often set up the COLORS and designs. The machine will PRINT the designs on the T-shirts. Depending on the larger quantities, you reduce overall costs. 

• Embroidery

It is often a human-crafted design art that is famous worldwide. You must have a DESIGN to print. Different THREADS and stitch counts will define the OVERALL OF THE shirts. 

I will REMIND you one thing: it is a TIME-consuming process. Since it is suitable for SMALL orders, I go for SMALL orders. One thing is the best— the content is excellent. The look is excellent. 

Seven Factors That Influence The Custom Shirt Costs

Buying a CUSTOM tee costs $20-$30. Maybe you WONDER why the price is so high? What exactly specifies the costs? 

Don’t worry at all. I have SOME key factors that are a BIG deal in the OVERALL costs of custom tees. 

1. Quantity 

The bulk ORDER is often cheaper. It is because of LESS costly production and discounts by the SUPPLIERS. Whenever you are considering custom tees, measure the VOLUME of orders. 

I often make BIGGER orders. If you often make orders that URGES suppliers to offer you discounts. Take a MOMENT. Know the custom tees order quantity and VOLUME. 

2. Fabric Quality

I have NOTICED sudden ups and downs in the costs. It is due to the FABRIC you choose. If you PREFER tri-blend shirts, expect the HIGHER costs. Similarly, cotton or polyester costs are CHEAPER. 

Different SUPPLIERS have already categorized the MATERIALS based on best-to-average QUALITY. Check out the costs of every shirt quality. And run into the purchasing process. 

3. Printing locations

One? Two? No matter how MANY locations you want to print, prices vary. If you want to print on one location, it will COST you less compared to two locations. In the SAME concepts, prices will RISE higher when PRINTING locations increase. 

Front and back printing is also DIFFERENT. Plus, the sleeve locations are ALSO crucial. Mainly when I FOCUSING the sports persons for your tees, I consider it. 

4. Ink colors

90% of the time, I prefer a MULTI-COLORED shirt. But it has a BIG problem. The cost is higher! For instance, if you use the SCREEN printing. For every COLOR, you have to BURN a screen and color. 

It will double the costs. Therefore, think twice about the DESIGN you want to print. Learn about the TOTAL colors of your visually appealing design. 

5. Turnaround times

A standard TURNAROUND time defines the time to procure the inventory. For example, if I have made an ORDER of 100 T-shirts. The supplier will SORT out the material. Get a LONG LIST of requirements. And provide the products. 

Turnaround periods DEFINE THE time to get the products. For faster production, some suppliers charge an EXTRA cost. Confirm with your SUPPLIER before you land your FIRST T-shirt order. 

6. Shipping costs

Shipping is a JOINT VENTURE in the tees. If you’ll miss it, customs CLEARANCE will empty up your POCKETS. If you order from a foreign country like China, know SHIPPING options. 

I chose a shipping method that offers a sufficient shipping speed. Plus, It is AFFORDABLE. That is how I save some extra costs. 

7. Shirt sizes

The shirts range from EXTRA SMALL to EXTRA LARGE. Large sizes need more FABRIC and raw materials. Printing will also be a COMPLEX and lengthy procedure. 

The prices vary accordingly. A 4XL will cost 35-50% more COST than a medium size. Before starting the custom tees business, consider T-shirt sizes. 

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What’s Next

Whatever T-shirt you want, keep it in your BUDGET. Know how much exactly it will cost you. Then, apply cost reduction STRATEGIES like bulk production. 

Do you want the BEST suppliers for your custom shirts? 

Contact Leeline Sourcing. We have the industry experts ready to PLEDGE quality and time for you. We value your BUSINESS. Find quality CUSTOM SHIRTS. And ensure cost-effective deals. Make your BUSINESS profitable. Earn more money. 

Call us for a FREE QUOTE for your business!