How Much Does Custom T-Shirt Printing Cost?

Custom T-Shirt Printing Cost Overview

At T-Shirt Elephant a one-colour print on a Gildan 5000 costs $7.98-$24.95 per shirt including the blank and printing. Small orders cost $24.95 for one shirt (full-colour DTF) and $19.03 each at 12 (screen printed). Bulk orders cost $13.45 each at 50 and $7.98 at 1,000. Setup of $25.00 per colour per location applies for screen printing only.

Quick Price Breakdown

• 1-24 shirts: $21.95-$24.95 each (DTG/DTF, no setup fees)
• 25-49 shirts: $17.95-$21.95 each (DTG/DTF)
• 50-99 shirts: $12.20-$13.45 each (one-colour screen print, $25.00 setup per colour included)
• 100-499 shirts: $10.00-$11.70 each (screen printing)
• 500+ shirts: $7.98-$9.00 each (screen printing)

Prices include a Gildan 5000 blank + a one-colour front print. Additional costs for extra colors, print locations, dark fabrics, and rush orders.

Cost by Quantity

Gildan 5000 blank read live from our catalogue; printing from our design tool's pricing.

Why Bulk Pricing is Cheaper

Screen printing requires creating screens ($25.00 per colour per location). This one-time setup cost spreads across more shirts in bulk orders (a three-colour design):

• 12 shirts: $75.00 setup ÷ 12 = $6.25 per shirt extra
• 100 shirts: $75.00 setup ÷ 100 = $0.75 per shirt extra
• 500 shirts: $75.00 setup ÷ 500 = $0.15 per shirt extra

For orders under 50 shirts, DTG/DTF avoids setup fees entirely.

Hidden Costs to Watch For

1. Screen Printing Setup Fees

• $25.00 per colour per print location
• Front + back = 2 designs (double setup fees)
• Each color adds another screen
• Example: 3-colour front + 2-colour back = 5 screens × $25.00 = $125.00 setup

2. Additional Print Locations

• Front only: Base price
• Front + back: A one-colour back adds $12.04 per shirt at 24 and $6.75 at 100
• Sleeves: The same per sleeve: $12.04 per shirt at 24, $6.75 at 100
• Left chest: The same: $12.04 per shirt at 24, $6.75 at 100

3. Dark Fabric Surcharge

• DTG on dark shirts: Add $1-2 per shirt (requires white underbase)
• Screen printing: No surcharge (same price all colors)

4. Rush Order Fees

• Standard (10 business days): No fee
• Guaranteed rush (7, 5, 3 or 2 business days): Add 30%, 50%, 75% or 100% of the product subtotal, picked at checkout
• Same-day or next-day (Toronto only): Quoted per order

5. Design/Artwork Fees

• Print-ready files: no charge
• Minor adjustments, full design creation and logo vectorization cost extra

6. Shipping

• Free shipping: Orders $250+ (most providers)
• Standard shipping: Calculated at checkout (Canada-wide)
• Express shipping: included with a guaranteed rush date, $25.00 under $250 and free at $250 and up

How to Save Money on Custom T-Shirt Printing

1. Order the Right Quantity

• Under 50 shirts? Use DTG (no setup fees)
• Over 50 shirts? Use screen printing (lower per-shirt cost)
• Near 50? Get quotes for both methods

2. Reduce Colors

• Each colour adds $25.00 setup per location (screen printing)
• 1-color designs are cheapest
• 2-3 colors still affordable
• 5+ colors? Consider DTG instead

3. Print Front Only

• Front-only printing saves $12.04 per shirt at 24 (a one-colour back)
• Back printing doubles setup fees (screen printing)
• A one-colour left chest logo adds $12.04 per shirt at 24

4. Use White/Light Shirts

• DTG on white shirts: No surcharge
• DTG on dark shirts: +$1-2 per shirt
• Screen printing: Same price all colors

5. Order in Advance

• Standard turnaround (10 business days): No fee
• Guaranteed rush dates cost 30-100% more
• Plan 2-3 weeks ahead to save money

6. Provide Print-Ready Files

• Vector files (AI, PDF, EPS): no charge
• High-res PNG (300 DPI): no charge
• Low-res JPEG/logo redraw: design fees apply

7. Bundle to Hit Free Shipping

• $250+ orders ship free
• Combine multiple items to reach threshold
• Stock up on blanks to qualify

8. Compare Total Cost (Not Just Per-Shirt)

• Example 1: 40 Gildan 5000 shirts, DTG/DTF = 40 × $17.95 = $718.00 total
• Example 2: 50 Gildan 5000 shirts, Screen (1 colour) = 50 × $12.95 + $25.00 setup = $672.50 total
• Ordering 10 more shirts SAVES $45.50 by switching methods