Screen printing for custom tees
Screen print is the cheapest way to put one or two ink colors on 48 or more shirts, and a properly cured print outlasts the shirt. Battle Born Clothing prints in our own shop in Yerington, NV with plastisol, water-based and discharge inks on a conveyor dryer, then ships to every state. No hard minimum; 48 and up is where it makes sense.
What it costs
| Job | Blank | All-in each | Screens (one-time) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 color, front, light shirt | $6.04 | $4.34 | $10.38 | $20 |
| 1 color, front, dark shirt (flash) | $6.04 | $4.59 | $10.63 | $20 |
| 1 color front + 1 color back, light shirt | $6.04 | $8.68 | $14.72 | $40 |
| 1 color front + 1 color back, dark shirt | $6.04 | $9.18 | $15.22 | $40 |
Two colors on the front means two screens ($40 for the front alone) and a per-piece rate quoted for the job. Quantities other than 48 are quoted per job. Worked totals are on the pricing page.
Inks: plastisol, water-based, discharge
- Plastisol: the standard. Opaque, bright, sits on top of the fabric. Works on cotton, blends and polyester. Our default for company and event tees.
- Water-based: soaks into the fiber for a soft hand. Best on light 100% cotton like the PC450.
- Discharge: removes the shirt dye and replaces it with ink color. Softest result on dark 100% cotton such as the Comfort Colors 1717. Not for blends or polyester.
The flash charge, explained
On a dark shirt we print a white underbase and flash-cure it before the top color so the logo is bright instead of muddy. That is the $0.25 per flash per location on the invoice. On a white, ash or safety-color shirt it is usually not needed, so a light shirt is $0.25 cheaper per location.
Artwork we need
- Vector (AI, EPS, PDF, SVG) is best. A 300 dpi PNG at print size works.
- Name the ink colors or give Pantone numbers.
- Left-chest logos run 3.5 to 4 inches wide; center chest and back prints run 10 to 12 inches wide.
- Keep text at least 0.25 inch tall and avoid very fine lines; they drop out on a screen.
When to pick something else
Under 48 pieces or full-color art: DTF transfers. Polos, hoodies and a logo that needs to look stitched: embroidery.
Questions
Is there a minimum for screen printing?
No hard minimum. We recommend 48 and up because screens are a fixed cost; under that we usually quote DTF instead.
Do you reuse my screens for a reorder?
Screens are reclaimed after a job. A reorder of the same art is set up again from your kept files; we tell you the screen charge with the reorder quote.