How much does a custom t-shirt cost per piece?

Typical all-in ranges run from roughly $8-$14 for a standard midweight tee with a one-color print at 50+ pieces, up to $28-$40+ for a premium heavyweight blank with DTG or multi-location printing at smaller quantities. Exact pricing depends on the blank, decoration, locations, and quantity, which is why it gets confirmed on a written quote.

What is the minimum order for custom t-shirts?

Our minimum is just 3 pieces per style and color, whether the shirts are blank or custom decorated. Exact pricing depends on the blank and decoration method and is confirmed on your written quote.

Is DTG or screen printing cheaper for t-shirts?

It depends on the run. Screen printing has setup cost per color, so it wins on bulk orders with simple art. DTG has no per-color setup, so it wins on small runs and full-color or photographic designs. At around 20-50 pieces with multi-color art, the two methods often price close together.

How long does a custom t-shirt order take?

Standard decorated production runs 2-5 weeks depending on the run. With in-stock blanks and print-ready art, simple runs are possible in 5-7 business days on a rush basis, flag your deadline when you request a quote.

How much do custom t-shirts cost?

July 1, 2026 · 6 min read

What drives custom t-shirt pricing: blank weight, print method, ink colors, and quantity, with realistic per-piece ranges and ways to stretch the budget.

The four things that drive t-shirt cost

T-shirt quotes vary more than most buyers expect, but the variation always comes from the same four inputs.

Blank quality. A basic 180 GSM tee and a heavyweight 240+ GSM ring-spun blank can differ by several dollars before any ink touches them. The blank sets the floor for how the finished shirt feels.
Decoration method. Screen printing scales best with quantity, DTG suits small runs and complex art, and embroidery reads premium on chest logos. Each prices differently for the same design.
Ink colors and locations. Screen print pricing scales with color count, and every extra location (back, sleeve) adds a setup and another pass through production. DTG is flat regardless of colors.
Order quantity. Setup costs spread across the run, so 100 shirts price meaningfully better per piece than 15. Our minimum is just 3 pieces per style and color.

Typical all-in per-piece ranges

We don't publish a flat price list, because two shirt orders are almost never the same. But these industry ranges are honest territory for what a finished custom tee costs:

Standard midweight tee + one-color front print at ~50 pieces: roughly $8-$14 per piece.
Mid-tier ring-spun blank + two locations or multi-color print: roughly $14-$24 per piece.
Premium heavyweight tee (240+ GSM) + DTG, embroidery, or multiple locations: roughly $28-$40+ per piece, especially at smaller quantities.

Treat these as typical ranges, not promises. Your exact number depends on the blank, art, locations, and quantity, which is why everything gets confirmed on a written quote before anything goes into production.

Where the method changes the math

The same design can quote very differently depending on how it's produced. Screen printing carries a setup charge per ink color, so a one-color logo across 100 shirts is about the cheapest thing in custom apparel, while a six-color design at 15 pieces is not. DTG skips setup entirely and prints any number of colors at once, which makes it the default for small runs and photographic art. If you're weighing the two, our screen printing vs DTG guide walks through the tradeoffs in detail.

How to get more shirt for the same budget

The wrong way to save on tees is dropping to a paper-thin blank that loses its shape after two washes. The right way is trimming production complexity:

Consolidate ink colors. A one- or two-color design prints cheaper than four colors and usually looks more deliberate.
Cut print locations. One strong front graphic beats front + back + sleeve for most brands, and it removes whole setup charges.
Order together. Combining a club's or team's orders into one run spreads setup across more pieces and moves you into a better quantity break.
Put the savings into the blank. Moving from a budget tee to a mid-tier ring-spun blank often costs less than adding a second print location, and people feel the difference every time they wear it.

When premium tees are worth it

For a one-day event or a giveaway, a solid midweight blank does the job. But if the shirt represents your brand, a launch tee, retail merch, anything people choose to keep wearing, the heavier ring-spun blank earns its cost. It drapes better, holds its collar, and makes the same print look more expensive. Browse our blank styles to compare weights and fits, or read choosing blank apparel for how GSM and construction translate to feel.

Getting a real number

The fastest way to get an exact price is to send your quantity, blank preference, design, and deadline. We come back with written pricing and a production plan, standard decorated runs take 2-5 weeks, with simple rush runs possible in 5-7 business days when blanks are in stock and art is print-ready. See custom t-shirts for what we produce, or go straight to a quote.

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