[hayatiggs]

Working up designs for new shirts and I've always done three colors or less. However I've come up with a simple design that uses 4 colors. My printer charges $.50 per color per location, which comes out to $2.50 total for front and back. At what point does another method become a better option?

I have no experience with anything other than screen printing so I'm ignorant to everything else. Anyone wanna educate me?

 

[PatWibble]

Printing them yourself would be cheapest.
The problem with most of the other methods such as DTG the price doesn't drop much with volume. Great for short runs of multi-colour prints but not so good when volume increases. Quality is not as good as screen printing either, which is important if you are retailing your designs.
How big are your designs - could you get more than one onto a plastisol transfer? If so then that may be your cheapest option.

 

[Comin'OutSwingin]

Unless you're talking about doing single shirts, or VERY low volume sparingly, screen printing is going to be your best option with multicolor designs and medium to high volume.

 

[TheBradley]

I'm not sure what qty you are looking to have printed, but $2.50 would almost certainly be better than any DTG pricing you would get. I'm not familiar enough with heat transfers to know if that is an option, but I would think your screen printers rate might be hard to beat with alternative methods.

 

[joey1320]

I'm not sure what qty you are looking to have printed, but $2.50 would almost certainly be better than any DTG pricing you would get. I'm not familiar enough with heat transfers to know if that is an option, but I would think your screen printers rate might be hard to beat with alternative methods.

What he said. That's a very reasonable price for 4 colors and front and back. At least from the places I have seen or quoted.

As far as plastisol transfers, 4 colors will he extremely expensive. Just check out Semo or Seay graphics and see their pricing chart.



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[hayatiggs]

Ok, then I suppose I will stick with screen printing, as I'm *hoping* to eventually do large quantities. Like I said, being ignorant to the other methods I wanted to get y'all's advice.

I wish I could print them myself.. Just not an option at the moment. And the designs will be pretty big, about 12" square, roughly.

 

[hayatiggs]

And I guess I maybe should specify, that price doesn't include cost of shirts, just the cost of the printing.

 

[joey1320]

And I guess I maybe should specify, that price doesn't include cost of shirts, just the cost of the printing.

Oh yeah figured that. How much total? Again $2.50 for front and back 4 colors seems plenty reasonable.

If you look on YouTube, you can see videos by either Ryonet or CatspitProduions and you will see exactly what it takes to make a screen printed tee. Once you see the amount of time, patience and true passion involved, you will understand why it costs what it does.

Sent from my HTC One X using T-Shirt Forums

 

[hayatiggs]

My shirts are gonna run me about $6.50 each, but the final shirt will retail for about $30.

I know it takes a long time to make screens and dry colors and so on. I'm all about paying someone their worth. I used to do wedding cakes, got complaints all the time that it was expensive for "just flour and eggs," lol. I just didn't know if there was another transfer method that would be more ideal with more colors involved

 

[calhtech]

My shirts are gonna run me about $6.50 each, but the final shirt will retail for about $30.

I know it takes a long time to make screens and dry colors and so on. I'm all about paying someone their worth. I used to do wedding cakes, got complaints all the time that it was expensive for "just flour and eggs," lol. I just didn't know if there was another transfer method that would be more ideal with more colors involved

Like was mentioned before, DTG is ok for just a handful, but does not get much cheaper with volume. Screen Printing goes down exponentially with volume. Are you buying transfers or is this direct screen printing?

CalhTech>

 

[Celtic]

I'm guessing that you must be ordering a lot of shirts to get the price down to .50 per color.
Costs money to make money. And, your mark up gives you a lot of profit.
Your screenprinter does A LOT of work for that .50 per color, with lots of expensive equipment, software, materials and skill.
We are in business to make a living and hopefully a profit too.

 

[hayatiggs]

It's direct screen printing. I'm getting it at that price because it's a side business of a friend of mine.. Basically something for her friend and son to run.

With me just getting my feet wet I'm learning a lot and I greatly appreciate all of the info.