The larger the order then the more affordable each shirt becomes. So, it's always best to order large quantities at a time. This is because the amount of prep work that goes into printing 5 shirts is the same as printing 500 shirts.

No matter what the number of shirts is we still must go through the process of:

1.  Pulling the shirts from stock 

2. Giving them to production 

3. Setting up the artwork 

4. Creating a screen for each color 

5. Placing screen on the press to line up for print 

6. Print a sample to make sure it looks okay 

7. Printing the shirts 

8. Curing the shirts 

9. Packaging the shirts 

10. Shipping the shirts

Whew! That's a long process for only a few shirts...but for an order of 500, those costs are being split up between more shirts, making it seem more affordable per item. To see the process with visuals look on our infographic up above.

Keep reading for a few useful tips on how to keep t-shirt costs low and ensure that your design meets your budget.

The amount of work that goes into printing t-shirts depends largely on how many colors your design requires. 

For every new color we must clean, expose, and burn a new screen. When we align these screens onto the press, it takes a great deal of time to make sure each color goes in the right spot on the shirt. So the more screens, the more work, and the more work, the higher the end price will be. That's why for smaller orders it can be pricey when dealing with an array of print colors.

100% cotton is always your best bet for finding an affordable material to work with. If you choose ring spun cotton or moisture wicking polyester, it will be more expensive because of the prices set by the manufacturing companies.

The fewer number of locations you have, the more affordable the tee will be. So if you have a front and back design it will cost more than just a front design. This is because not only do we have to make more screens but we must also stop production to turn the shirt around. The most inexpensive tee you can get is one that has one print location (front or back) and one color.

So there you go! Hopefully you better understand what happens to your shirt and the process involved in printing your designs and the costs associated with it. 

If you have any questions contact us at 1 609-393-5455 or email us at: threadwolfshop@gmail.com