Screen Printing Pricing: Why Run Size Changes Everything
Screen printing has high fixed costs (screen burning, setup time) and low variable costs per shirt. That's why a run of 12 shirts might cost $18/shirt to produce, while a run of 100 drops to $8/shirt. Understanding this curve is essential for quoting jobs profitably.
Cost Components
Your true cost per shirt has four parts: blank cost (garment), ink cost (varies by coverage and colors), screen setup (amortized across run size — one screen per color), and labor (printing time at your hourly rate).
Pro Tip: Always quote a minimum run size. Printing fewer than 12 shirts rarely makes sense economically — the setup cost overwhelms the shirt price. Set your minimum at 24 shirts and offer a small discount at 48, 72, and 144 to encourage larger orders.
Screen Printing FAQs
Why does cost per shirt drop with larger runs?▼
Screen setup is a fixed cost — you pay to burn each screen once regardless of how many shirts you print. As run size increases, that fixed cost spreads across more shirts, dramatically lowering your per-unit cost. This is why minimum order quantities exist.
How do I calculate ink cost per shirt?▼
Weigh your ink before and after printing a test run. The difference divided by shirts printed gives you ink per shirt in grams. Multiply by your cost per gram. Most shop owners use $0.25–$1.00 per shirt per color as a rough estimate.
What's the difference between spot color and CMYK screen printing?▼
Spot color printing uses pre-mixed Pantone inks — one screen per color. CMYK (process printing) uses four screens to simulate full color. Spot colors are sharper and more vibrant for logos; CMYK is needed for photographs and complex gradients.
How many shirts per hour can I screen print?▼
A solo operator on a manual press typically prints 60–120 shirts/hour for simple designs. An automatic press can hit 500–1,000+/hour. Build your labor estimate around realistic output, not theoretical maximums.