How much do custom t-shirts cost in bulk in 2026

A basic bulk custom t-shirt through Print on Demand gets up to 55% off. Independent screen printers charge a similar rate of $5 to $15 per shirt for orders of 100 or more units, depending on fabric, print method, and quantity.

This guide breaks down what drives that price, compares screen printing with digital methods, and flags the setup and shipping fees that can add to a quote for anyone ordering shirts in bulk for a team, event, or brand.

Price out your own bulk order with Printful’s tiered discounts and no minimum order required.

What affects the cost of bulk custom t-shirts

Four variables affect the price of a bulk order: fabric, the number of print colors and locations, the printing method, and the quantity ordered. Each can change the per-shirt cost independently, so two orders of 100 shirts can differ by several dollars based on materials, colors, method, and quantity alone.

Fabric quality and blend

• A standard 100% cotton tee weighs about 5.3 oz per square yard, the same weight class as the Gildan Heavy Cotton T-Shirt 5000, one of the most common blanks used for bulk t-shirt printing.

• Cotton/poly blends are typically 50/50 or 60/40 and can cost less than 100% cotton because polyester fiber is less expensive to produce.

• Performance tees made mostly from 100% polyester pull sweat away from the skin and typically cost more than basic blends. Ringspun cotton costs more than open-end cotton because the spinning process removes short fibers, producing a softer garment that’s built for everyday wear.

Tip:

Compare exact per-blank pricing across styles in Printful’s Product Catalog before choosing one. Extended sizes like 2XL and up typically carry an added charge on the blank itself, as shown on each product’s own size chart in the Catalog.

Number of print colors and locations

Each color in a screen-printed design needs its own screen, so a four-color logo costs four times the setup fee of a one-color logo. Printing in more than one location – front and back, for example – doubles the press passes and adds production time, which raises the per-shirt price. Digital methods like DTG are priced by design complexity rather than color count, so a full-color design costs the same to print as a single-color one.

Printing methods

• Screen printing spreads a fixed setup cost across every shirt in the run, so it gets cheaper per unit as the order grows.

• DTG printing uses an inkjet process to print full-color designs directly onto fabric with no screens or minimum order, which makes it a practical choice for small or highly detailed runs.

• Embroidery works well for a small logo on a chest or sleeve, but can cost more per unit than a printed design of the same size, since it’s priced by stitch count rather than color.

Order quantity and volume discounts

Order quantity is a major factor in bulk pricing, giving larger buyers an advantage on per-unit cost. Printers typically spread setup and labor costs across the total order, so the same design costs less per shirt at 100 units than at 25.

Buyers who fall just below a discount tier – four shirts short of a 50-piece break, for example – may save money by rounding up the order.

Average bulk t-shirt pricing by order size

Prices drop as quantity rises because setup costs get divided across more shirts. The ranges below assume a basic cotton tee with a one- or two-color front print; extra locations, premium blanks, or embroidery can add to the cost at every tier.

Small batches (25-50 shirts)

Expect $9 to $14 per shirt for a basic one-color screen-printed design at this size. This range covers most team orders, birthday parties, and small business launches. Through Print on Demand, a Bella + Canvas 3001 at 25 units gets a 13% discount on Printful, dropping the price from $12.25 to about $10.66 per shirt, for total savings of roughly $39.75 on the order.

Mid-size orders (100-250 shirts)

Per-shirt cost for a basic one-color screen-printed design typically falls to $6 to $10 at this volume. Corporate orders, fundraisers, and event giveaways are common at 100 to 249 shirts, since that quantity can cover a mid-size team or a school fundraiser without overordering.

At 100 units, Printful’s discount on the same Bella + Canvas 3001 grows to 27%, bringing the price down from $12.25 to about $8.94 per shirt, for savings of roughly $331 on the order.

Large bulk orders (500+ shirts)

At 500 shirts and up, per-unit pricing for a basic screen-printed design generally ranges from $4 to $6, since the fixed setup costs make up a smaller share of the total. Extra colors, multiple print locations, or premium blanks can still increase that base cost regardless of quantity.

At 500 units, Printful’s discount on the same shirt reaches 32%, cutting the price from $12.25 to about $8.33 per shirt, for savings of roughly $1,960 on the order.

Pricing note: Printful’s bulk-order discounts can change, so check the bulk order calculator for the current rate.

Screen printing vs digital printing costs for bulk orders

Screen printing charges a setup fee per color before any shirts run through the press. That fee gets divided across the whole order, so it has less impact on a large order but can account for a larger share of the price on a small one. Once an order grows large enough, screen printing becomes the most cost-effective option among traditional bulk printing methods.

• Printful’s DTG printing skips screens entirely. An inkjet head prints the design directly onto the fabric, so the printing cost isn’t based on the number of colors in the artwork, and there’s no minimum order requirement. That makes DTG a practical option for a small run, photo-realistic art, or a t-shirt style where every buyer wants a different name, number, or message.

• Printful’s DTFlex and all-over print sit between these two methods in terms of setup. Both apply designs to the shirt without screens, so setup costs stay lower than screen printing while both can accommodate full-color artwork. A brand testing an idea before committing to a full screen-printed reorder may start with these methods.

Hidden costs to watch for in bulk orders

The quoted per-shirt price rarely reflects the full invoice. Three costs are especially important to watch for:

Setup and screen fees

Screen printing charges a per-color, per-design setup fee as a one-time cost. A three-color front logo and a one-color back logo add up to four separate setup charges before printing starts. Printful’s DTG and DTFlex orders skip this fee entirely, which is one reason Print on Demand competes on price at lower volumes despite a higher per-shirt print cost.

Rush order fees

Traditional screen printers may add a flat fee or a percentage surcharge to rearrange their press schedule for an earlier deadline, and that surcharge may increase as the deadline gets closer.

Printful’s standard fulfillment takes 2 to 5 business days, with no separate rush tier to negotiate.

Shipping and minimum order requirements

Shipping for a bulk order depends on the total weight and destination. Printful charges $4.95 to ship one t-shirt to a US address, plus $2.20 for each additional shirt in the same order. These figures are worth checking against a traditional printer’s flat per-order shipping quote before assuming either option is more affordable.

Some screen printing shops also require a business license or wholesaler status before granting wholesale pricing, while Printful applies the same tiered discount to every customer regardless of business type.

Do you need a minimum order? Bulk printing vs Print on Demand

Screen printing shops that specialize in wholesale t-shirt programs – such as those supplying national retail chains – often set minimums around 2,400 pieces or more per style. Independent local print shops are more flexible, with minimums as low as six pieces for a basic one-color screen print. At many shops, orders above 1,000 pieces move to a custom quote rather than a standard price chart, since freight, fabric sourcing, and press time all shift at that volume.

Print-on-demand services can remove the minimum entirely, without the hassle of managing screens or holding inventory. As mentioned before, Printful’s bulk custom t-shirts offer tiered discounts of up to 55% starting with 25 pieces of the same item, with no requirement to carry inventory or commit to future reorders.

That works well for testing a design before a wholesale run, or for selling without holding stock. Buyers planning a large wholesale reorder may get lower per-unit costs from a dedicated wholesale screen printer.

Get the best price on custom bulk t-shirts

Four adjustments can lower the price of a bulk order: pick a standard cotton or cotton-blend blank instead of a premium fabric, limit the design to one or two colors and a single print location, round the order up to the next discount tier instead of ordering just under it, and confirm setup and shipping fees before approving a quote.

Requesting one printed sample before a full run helps confirm quality and durability and detect color or sizing issues early.

Bulk orders placed through a print-on-demand platform can combine several of these adjustments automatically, since there’s no per-color screen fee and Printful’s discount applies once an order reaches 25 pieces. An online design tool lets a team upload a logo or create artwork from scratch, then see the bulk price change with the quantity before checkout.

For buyers still comparing blanks, t-shirt style affects both cost and how a batch looks in group photos or storefront listings.

Tip:

See our guide on the best blank t-shirts for bulk printing for a side-by-side breakdown by fabric, weight, and fit.

Design a bulk order and watch the per-shirt price update in real time.