By, The Curator
I’d like to start out by making it clear that the numbers mentioned in this article are estimates gathered from past experience mixed with quotes from many different printers. Actual costs will vary.
One question that I often get asked is, “How much does it cost to start a clothing brand?” Honestly, it depends. Everyone’s start up costs will be different based off of what they deem is most important to spend money on first. If you break it down a bit, the true question that most people want answered is, “How much does it cost to get shirts printed?” since that involves the actual product that you are selling. Even then the question is still pretty vague, but I will do my best to answer it.
The Quick Answer
For those of you who do not want to read a whole article (though you should since it’s insightful), the quick answer would be $8-$13 per shirt if you keep it super simple. However, if you read further you will realize how many different things determine the actual cost, so that price range can potentially be extremely inaccurate depending on what you want produced.
Separate the Variables
There are a lot of factors that play roles in determining the cost of producing a run of t-shirts. Most of these factors influence the price in different ways as well. The cost of your order will normally be based on the quantity ordered, method of production, design, base shirt, timeline, and finally the method of shipping and order location. Again, this information is a generalization and the manufacturer that you choose to work with may go about business differently.
Quantity
The way quantity affects your order is really simple and to be quite honest, you should already know this if you are going into business. The higher the amount of shirts that you order, the lower the cost per united produced. The average printer or manufacturer has what is called a minimum order quantity (MOQ) which is the lowest number of units that you are allowed to order. The MOQ for most printers is about 25-30 units, but can also be lower if you are going with direct to garment printing. Keep in mind, if you purchase the lowest number possible, you will likely be paying the highest cost per shirt. Like I said before, the larger the quantity, the cheaper the cost per unit. Before you go and order 1,000 shirts though you should definitely read our article about why you should start small which will be posted in two weeks. In the beginning ordering closer to the MOQ will be safer for your brand.
Production Method and Design
There are plenty of ways to get shirts produced, but to keep this article simple I am only going to focus on screenprinting and direct to garment (DTG) printing since they are among the most common. If you do not know the difference between screen printing and direct to garment printing, we will be releasing an article about them next week.
I’m pairing the production method and design variables because they are normally correlated. Whether you choose to get your design silk screened or DTG printed is ultimately up to you, but there are methods that are most ideal and cost effective. If your design has a lot of different colors you probably want to look into DTG printing. Getting a design screen printed means that your manufacturer will need a different screen for each color in your design, plus an extra screen for a base layer of white ink if your base shirt is dark. For each additional screen that your design requires there is normally a set up fee of around $15-$35 since each screen needs to be made. Direct to garment printing is often more ideal for a design with many colors because although there is still a set up fee, you do not get charged for each extra color since it is essentially the same as an inkjet printer.
As I stated before, the method you choose is up to you though. If you go the screenprinting route you should expect a set up or preparation fee of around $30-$50. Then there will be a fee for each screen that is needed, and do not forget that if you are getting your design printed on a darker shirt, they will also need to make an extra screen so that they can print a white base layer. Then the cost per shirt for the actual printing will usually be in the $4-$8 range depending on your design and manufacturer. On the other hand, if you go with DTG printing, there will be a $10-$20 set up fee and then it will be about $4-$8 per shirt more or less.
Base Shirt
The cost of the base shirt that you choose also has a lot of different variables. Are you providing the base, or having your manufacturer provide it? What type of base do you want? Do you want a cut and sewn base designed by you or a premade one from companies like Delta Apparel or Alstyle Apparel? How many do you need? Just like for printing, a large quantity of base shirts will have a cheaper cost per unit than a smaller quantity. I recommend having your printer provide it unless they are giving you an outrageous quote because they normally get good deals from the companies that make the bases. Plus then you do not need to worry about shipping or delivering them to your printer. If you are ordering 25-30 shirts the average unit cost will be about $4 per shirt. If you know the right people or have accounts with some base manufacturers you can potentially get them for $2-$3 per shirt, but you normally won’t see prices like that unless you order a large amount.
Timeline, Shipping, and Location
Obviously if you need your order rushed it will cost you more. Shirts are not small and definitely not light so shipping can cost a lot too, especially if you want it overnighted or rushed. Finally, the location of your printer can influence the cost of your order as well. The cost of living and cost of running a business varies around the country. I’ve gotten great quotes from manufacturers around California (some that I ended up working with), but have also gotten lower prices from printers in Illinois or Virginia for example. If you go with a printer that is located far away from you, make sure that the cost of shipping does not make working with them more expensive that working with someone closer because that is one thing that people often overlook.
Overall Cost
I’ve said it thousands of times this post since the cost of your first run of shirts really will vary based on the factors I mentioned above, so remember the numbers I am about to throw out may not be accurate for what you want done. Since 2013 I’ve talked to about 20 different manufacturers and worked with about five or six of them (I have a bad memory). Each one quoted me between $7.50 and $15 per shirt. The guy that quoted $7.50 was giving me a great deal because of some mutual connections because that job should have been more expensive. The order that got quoted $15 per shirt was for a more complex design that also included some cut and sew aspects. I would say for an order of 25-30 simply designed shirts on cheaper bases you can expect to pay about $8-$12 per shirt. Take that how you’d like to, I hope this helps you get a better idea of how much money you will need to spend to put out one design.
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The Curator 