The cost of custom t-shirts is the blank shirt plus the decoration, plus one-time setup, plus freight, spread across your quantity. Larger runs lower the per-shirt price because setup is divided over more pieces, while extra ink colors, extra print locations and better blanks raise it. Compare quotes on landed cost, the total to get usable shirts delivered, rather than the headline per-shirt number.
Table of Contents
- What goes into the cost of a custom t-shirt?
- What makes custom t-shirts cost more or less?
- What do t-shirts in our catalog cost?
- How do you estimate your per-shirt cost?
- How can you lower the cost of custom t-shirts?
- How should marketing, HR and event teams budget?
- Custom T-Shirt Cost FAQs
What goes into the cost of a custom t-shirt?
Every custom shirt quote has three layers: the blank garment, the decoration, and the setup that prepares production. Shipping and fulfillment sit on top of those three and turn the per-shirt price into the landed cost.
| Layer | What it covers | How it behaves |
|---|---|---|
| Blank garment | The undecorated shirt: fabric, weight, fit, color | Charged on every piece |
| Decoration | Screen print, direct-to-film, direct-to-garment or embroidery | Charged per piece; rises with colors, locations or stitch count |
| Setup | Screens, artwork preparation, registration | Paid once and spread across the run |
| Delivery | Freight, split shipments, packaging, rush handling | Depends on destinations and deadline |
Because setup is mostly fixed, a small run carries a bigger share of it per shirt. That does not make a small order wrong; it means you judge the order against its purpose. If your design starts from a photo, check our guide to making a picture into a shirt so artwork needs surface early.
Don’t ask me what one shirt costs. Ask what the order costs with every service and delivery charge on the page, because that’s the only number your budget has to survive.
Derek Capo, owner, CustomMark
Quoting custom t-shirts
Send us your quantity, size spread, the shirt you have in mind, your artwork and where it goes, and we will quote the landed cost with the garment, the decoration, the setup and the freight broken out so you can compare it properly. Every quote includes a free virtual proof, and nothing goes to production until you approve it in writing.
Reply within 24 business hours · every item has a minimum of at least 12 pieces · setup charge waived above $500 in product · artwork kept on file two years, so an exact reorder carries no new setup charge
Get a quote on custom t-shirts or browse t-shirts · call 1.888.452.0027, Mon–Fri 9–6 ET
What makes custom t-shirts cost more or less?
Quantity has the biggest effect, followed by decoration method, garment quality and the number of colors and print locations. Change any of these and the quote changes.
| Cost driver | Why it moves the price |
|---|---|
| Quantity | Fixed setup is divided across more shirts, so the unit price falls as the run grows |
| Decoration method | Screen printing suits larger runs with few colors; digital methods suit small runs and complex art; embroidery is priced by stitch count |
| Garment quality | A basic cotton blank and a premium retail-style shirt start from different base costs |
| Print locations | Each added location (back, sleeve, neck) adds handling and production steps |
| Ink colors | In screen printing, each color needs its own screen and setup |
| Labels and personalization | Neck labels, names, numbers and special packing turn a batch into custom fulfillment |
| Artwork | Resizing, cleanup or color separation may be charged; ask what "artwork included" covers |
| Shipping and timing | Rush production and multiple destinations raise the landed cost |
A larger order lowers the unit price but raises the invoice, and it leaves you with sizes to allocate and inventory to store. For more on decoration choices, see custom apparel T-shirts.
What do t-shirts in our catalog cost?
Listed per-piece prices on three of our t-shirt product pages show how both the blank and the quantity move the price. These are the listed figures as of October 2026; your quote confirms the final price for your artwork, colors, print locations and delivery.
| Product | Listed minimum | Listed price per piece by quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Gildan Softstyle Ringspun Adult T-Shirt | 1 | $5.90 (1+), $5.66 (12+) |
| Threadfast Apparel Unisex Cotton T-Shirt | 72 | $7.90 (72), $7.60 (144), $7.50 (288), $7.23 (576), $7.06 (1,008), $6.97 (2,016) |
| Premium Cotton T-Shirt | 72 | $17.57 (72), $15.27 (144), $13.28 (288), $11.55 (504) |
Two things stand out. The blank you choose sets the starting point far more than small quantity changes do, and on longer price ladders the savings flatten as the run gets bigger. Pricing at large volume only helps if you can actually use and distribute the extra shirts.
How do you estimate your per-shirt cost?
Add the one-time setup to the garment and decoration costs for every shirt, then divide by the quantity. The formula separates fixed charges from per-piece charges, so you can see what changes when you adjust the order.
(Setup + garment cost × quantity + decoration cost × quantity) ÷ quantity = unit cost
Then add what the formula leaves out: shipping, fulfillment, taxes, rush charges and special packaging. Read every quote line by line and label each charge as garment, decoration, setup or delivery. Our guide to promotional product setup fees explains the one-time charges in more detail.
How can you lower the cost of custom t-shirts?
Simplify the artwork, limit print locations, match the blank to how long the shirt needs to last, and order early. Each step removes a charge or keeps your options open.
- Consolidate colors. Fewer ink colors mean fewer screens and less setup.
- Use one print location. A front-only design is simpler than front, back and sleeve.
- Choose the blank deliberately. Skip a premium shirt for a one-day giveaway, but do not put client-facing apparel on the cheapest blank.
- Plan the deadline early. Rush work adds cost and leaves no time to compare quotes.
- Combine compatible demand. If several teams need the same design, one order spreads setup better than several small ones.
Collect sizes before ordering and use our T-shirt measurements guide to cut sizing mistakes.
How should marketing, HR and event teams budget?
Each team carries a different cost risk, so budget around that risk rather than an abstract bulk discount.
- Marketing: tie quantity to the campaign and realistic attendance, and ask for the full delivered total to the venue, including any rush handling.
- HR: collect sizes first and keep the artwork and garment specification on file, so a reorder matches without new preparation.
- Events: decide between one delivery to a coordinator and separate shipments; if distribution is not settled, ask for both prices.
Our rule of thumb: one named approver, not a committee. Before a job goes into production we want a single person signing off on the garment, print placement, colors, sizes, and the delivery address.
Put everything in one brief: artwork file, garment style, color references, print locations, quantity by size, deadline, delivery addresses and approver. For other garment types, see our broader custom apparel guide.
Custom T-Shirt Cost FAQs
Should you compare the shirt price or the final invoice?
Compare the landed cost. A quote can show the garment and print while leaving artwork, setup, shipping or fulfillment outside the headline figure, so ask for a written breakdown of what is included.
Why do minimums differ by decoration method?
Each method has different preparation. Screen printing needs a physical screen per color, which makes very small runs inefficient, while digital methods skip screens and embroidery depends on machine setup and stitch density.
When are premium blanks worth the extra cost?
When people will wear the shirts repeatedly, when clients receive them, or when the shirt is part of employee recognition. A better blank will not rescue a weak design or a poor size plan.
How do you compare two t-shirt quotes fairly?
Use the same garment, decoration method, artwork, print locations, quantity, delivery plan and deadline for every quote. Once those inputs match, the remaining price difference is meaningful.
Ready to price it? Send us the garment and your size breakdown, the quantity, your in-hands date and your artwork file, and we’ll come back with real pricing. Start a quote or call 1.888.452.0027.