How Much Does Custom T-Shirt Screen Printing Cost in Saskatoon?

Screen printing is the most common way Saskatoon businesses, teams, and events get custom t-shirts made, and the first question is almost always the same: what will it cost? Screen printing is priced per job rather than off a fixed menu, but a short list of factors decides most of the difference between one quote and the next. Once you know what they are, budgeting a shirt order gets a lot more predictable.

What Decides the Price of a Screen-Printed T-Shirt?

Five things drive nearly all of the price difference between quotes:

• Quantity, the single biggest factor. Screen printing has a fixed setup cost per design, so the more shirts you print, the more that setup spreads out and the lower the per-shirt price.
• Number of ink colours. Each colour in your design is a separate screen and a separate setup, so a one-colour logo runs cheaper than a four-colour illustration.
• Number of print locations. A front-only print costs less than front, back, and a sleeve.
• Garment choice. A basic cotton tee, a ringspun fashion tee, and a premium blended shirt are three different starting prices before any printing.
• Turnaround. Standard lead time is built into the quote. A true rush order that jumps the production queue can carry a rush charge.

How Does Quantity Change the Per-Shirt Price?

Screen printing rewards volume. The setup work of burning screens and lining up the press is the same whether you print 12 shirts or 200, so that cost is divided across the whole run. At 12 pieces you are covering setup across a small order. By 24 pieces the per-shirt price drops meaningfully, and it keeps falling through 50, 100, and beyond. If your order sits just below a price break, printing the next tier up often adds only a little to the total and leaves you with spare shirts for new staff or latecomers.

What Is the Minimum Order for Screen Printing?

Sandstar Graphics recommends a minimum of 12 pieces for screen printing. Below that, the setup cost per shirt climbs high enough that a different method makes more sense. For runs under 12, or for designs with many colours, DTF (direct-to-film) printing gives full-colour results with no screen setup, which is usually better value at low quantities. Our screen printing page covers both methods.

Is Screen Printing or DTF Cheaper?

It depends on quantity and design. Screen printing wins on cost once you are into the dozens of shirts with a design of roughly one to three colours, because the per-shirt ink cost is low and setup is spread across the run. DTF wins for small orders, photographic or many-colour artwork, and one-off pieces, because there are no screens to make. As a rough guide, a six-shirt order with a five-colour design is almost always cheaper as DTF, while 72 shirts with a two-colour logo is cheaper as screen printing.

How Far Ahead Should You Order?

Standard turnaround is 1.5 to 2 weeks after artwork approval, so plan to send your quote request at least 3 to 4 weeks before you need the shirts in hand. That leaves room for a proof, one or two rounds of revisions, and production. If you have a hard event date, say so up front. Rush production can often be arranged, but it is easier to plan around than to squeeze in at the last minute.

How Do You Get an Exact Quote?

Send your design, or a rough idea of it, along with the shirt quantity and the garment style you have in mind. You will get back an itemized quote that breaks out setup, per-shirt printing, and garments, so you can see exactly where the cost sits and adjust quantity or colours before committing. Request a free quote here.

Also worth reading: Screen Printing vs. DTF vs. Vinyl and The Saskatoon Business Owner's Guide to Ordering Branded Apparel.

Frequently Asked Questions