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How Much Do Custom T-Shirts Cost? A No-BS 2026 Pricing Guide

Updated July 2026 · 9 min read · Harborside Print Co.

Short answer: $5.50 to $24.50 per shirt, depending mostly on quantity and print method. This guide breaks down every variable that moves the price, shows what you'll actually pay at each quantity tier, and calls out the sneaky fees other shops hide until checkout.

The 30-second answer

For a standard adult tee, one-color front print on a Gildan 5000, at Harborside:

• 1 shirt — $24.50 shipped (includes a small-run surcharge)
• 12 shirts — $8.25/pc = $99 shipped
• 24 shirts — $7.25/pc = $174 shipped
• 48 shirts — $6.50/pc = $312 shipped
• 100+ shirts — $5.50/pc = $550 shipped

No setup fees. No screen fees. Shipping always free. See full pricing for embroidery, hoodies, polos, and Carhartt upgrades.

What actually drives custom t-shirt pricing

Six variables control your total. Move any one and the price shifts:

1. Quantity (the biggest lever)

Screen printing has fixed setup costs — burning screens, mixing inks, prepping the press. Those costs get spread across every shirt in the run, so per-piece cost drops fast as quantity climbs. Going from 12 to 24 shirts cuts your per-piece cost by ~12%. Going from 24 to 100 cuts it another 24%. That's why "how many are you ordering" is always the first question a printer asks.

DTF transfers don't share this dynamic. Because there are no screens to burn, one shirt costs the same per-piece as fifty — DTF wins on small runs. Screen printing wins once you're past ~24 pieces.

2. Print method

Three main options, each priced differently:

• Screen printing — $5.50–$9.00/pc. Best for solid colors, volume, and durability.
• DTF (direct-to-film) transfers — $5.50–$9.00/pc. Best for full-color art, photos, and small quantities. Same price bands as screen printing at Harborside because we don't upcharge for full color.
• Embroidery — $8.95–$14.50/pc. Best for polos, hats, jackets, and premium-branded workwear.

3. Garment style

Different garments = different blank costs. On top of the decoration price you pay a "style upcharge":

• Long sleeve: +$4
• Polo: +$5
• Semi-premium tee (Bella+Canvas, Next Level, Comfort Colors): +$3
• Crewneck sweatshirt: +$10
• Hoodie: +$14
• Heavyweight hoodie: +$22
• Carhartt K87 tee: +$25
• Carhartt K121 hoodie: +$58

4. Print placement (how many print locations)

A front-only print is the base price. Every additional location adds:

• Front + back: +$4
• Single sleeve: +$3
• Both sleeves (flags, monograms): +$6
• Front + back + sleeve: +$7
• All-around (front + back + both sleeves): +$10

5. Extended sizes

2XL, 3XL, 4XL cost more from the wholesaler because more fabric = more money. Standard upcharges: 2XL +$2, 3XL +$3, 4XL +$4 per shirt. This is normal across the industry.

6. Rush production

Standard turnaround is 5–8 business days in production plus tracked shipping. Need it in 2 days? Rush production is $35 flat — not per shirt, not per hour. Any quantity.

What real orders actually cost

Example 1: Single gift shirt

1 full-color DTF tee, Gildan 5000. $9.00 + $15.50 small-run surcharge = $24.50 shipped. One-of-one, photo-quality, no setup fee.

Example 2: Restaurant staff (15 shirts)

15 tees, one-color front, Port & Company PC54: 15 × $8.25 = $123.75 shipped. No minimum penalty, no setup fee.

Example 3: Contractor crew (12 embroidered Carhartts)

12 Carhartt K87 tees with embroidered left-chest logo: 12 × ($11.95 embroidery + $25 Carhartt upcharge) + $55 one-time digitizing = $498 shipped. Reorders skip the $55 forever.

Example 4: Big event or fundraiser (100 shirts)

100 tees, two-color front, screen printed on Gildan 5000: 100 × $5.50 = $550 shipped. That's dropped from $9.00/pc at qty 1 to $5.50/pc at qty 100 — the volume discount is real.

Example 5: Team hoodie run (24 hoodies, embroidered)

24 Port & Company PC78H hoodies with embroidered chest logo: 24 × ($10.95 + $14 hoodie upcharge) = $598.80 shipped. Digitizing is FREE on 24+ embroidered pieces (a $55 value baked into our current promo).

Hidden fees to watch for from other shops

Custom apparel is riddled with fees other shops bury. Here's what to ask about before signing:

• Setup / screen fees — some shops charge $20–$50 per color per design. We charge $0.
• Art fees — a "file preparation" charge for anything not perfectly print-ready. We include basic art review free.
• Shipping — often $15–$40 on smaller orders. We ship free on every order.
• Minimum-order surcharges — some shops require 24+ pieces and charge a penalty below. We have no minimum.
• Rush fees per shirt — some shops charge per-piece rush. Ours is $35 flat, any quantity.
• Sample fees — a physical sample can be $25–$75 elsewhere. We send a free digital proof within 24 hours; you approve before we print.

How to actually save money on your custom t-shirt order

1. Order at a price break. Ordering 22 shirts? Bump to 24 to drop from $8.25/pc to $7.25/pc — you save $3 per piece, gaining 2 free shirts. Same math at 46 → 48 and 95 → 100.
2. Consolidate designs. Two designs of 15 shirts each = two 15-piece orders. One design of 30 shirts = 30 × $7.25 = $217.50 — dozens of dollars cheaper.
3. Skip the extra print locations you don't need. A front + back tee costs $4 more per shirt than front-only. At 100 shirts that's $400. Only add locations you actually need for the design.
4. Use standard sizes when possible. Bulk of your order in S–XL keeps costs down. Extended sizes are extra per piece.
5. Order in one shipment. If your season needs 50 shirts total but you split into a 20 and a 30, you pay two small-run tiers. Combined 50 = 48-piece pricing at $6.50/pc.
6. Approve your proof quickly. The clock on production doesn't start until you approve. Slow approvals push you into rush pricing.

Screen print vs. DTF vs. embroidery — what should YOU order?

Quick rules of thumb:

• Screen print: 24+ shirts, 1–4 solid colors, standard cotton or blends
• DTF: 1–24 shirts, OR any full-color/photographic/gradient design at any quantity
• Embroidery: polos, hats, jackets, corporate/uniform apparel where "premium" matters

Deep dives: Screen Printing vs. DTF and Embroidery vs. Screen Printing for Workwear.

What Harborside charges (bottom-line pricing)

Everything laid out on the pricing page — no login required, no "call for quote," no salesperson between you and the number. The order page calculates your exact total live as you fill in the quantity and options.

Ready to price your order?

Get your exact price on the order page →

Questions before you commit? Email orders@harborsideprint.com or call (609) 624-8750. Same-day reply, Mon–Fri.