Selling T-shirts, or custom T-shirts, is easily the best way to start up a clothing brand. T-shirt making is very accessible and affordable – which makes it an ideal starting point for new business. If you are thinking about launching your own custom T-shirt brand, you might wonder “How much are custom T-shirts”.
It really depends. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the real reality of custom t-shirt production and unveil the secret ingredients that make up the price potion.
How much does it cost to make a custom shirt?
The cost for custom T-shirts can start from around 10 and go up to over 50. On average, a normal custom T-shirt can cost around $20.
There are a variety of factors that decide the exact cost of custom T-shirts, for example, the number of orders, material quality, print method, printing providers, and so on.
What factors influence the price of custom t-shirts?
Now, let’s go through all the factors that affect the cost of making a custom T-shirt.
1. Quantity: Larger order, better price
The simplest way to get a better price is to increase your order quantity. As the old adage goes, “The more, the merrier" – and in this case, the more, the more affordable.
Normally, T-shirt suppliers would offer discounted rates for bulk orders. For instance, ordering 100 t-shirts for a promotional event will likely cost less per shirt compared to making a smaller order of only ten.
From the supplier’s point of view, the larger your order is, the more profit they got. They wouldn’t mind lowering the price per T-shirt by a small margin. Moreover, a larger production volume also helps to optimize the production process and lower the production cost per unit. So, it’s a win-win situation for both the supplier and your business.
But don’t rush to order a large number of T-shirts. The more product you made, the higher risk of holding unsold stock – which is the most popular cause of profit loss in business. A good way to lift the inventory burden is through print on demand. With print on demand, your T-shirt is only produced once you secure the order. While the cost per T-shirt might be a bit higher than bulk-making items, it will assure that every penny you put into production will be returned.
2. Fabric Quality: From Basic to Premium
There is no doubt that material quality is a big factor that affects the cost of a product. For example, cotton fabric usually costs more than polyester. And among cotton types, organic cotton, and tri-blends are more expensive than standard cotton.
Generally, the higher quality and more premium fabric types usually cost more than the regular options.
However, when it comes to choosing the material, the more expensive fabric doesn’t equal the best T-shirt material. Instead, consider what quality your customers are looking for. Do they want something soft, moisture-wicking like premium cotton or something durable and light like polyester?
By understanding their expectations and finding a fabric that meets those needs within your price range, you can ensure that you’re offering a high-quality custom t-shirt that benefits both your customers and your bottom line.
3. Print Method: Techniques That Make a Difference
Apart from the material, printing technique also has a share in the production cost of custom t-shirts.
To make creative and unique T-shirts, design printing is essential. Different printing options, like screen printing, heat transfer, or embroidery, come with their own cost considerations.
- Screen printing, a popular option for larger orders, involves the creation of screens for each color in the design, resulting in initial setup costs.
- Heat transfer may require special materials or equipment, which can influence the price. Not to mention other costs for cutting and sewing if you are making all-over print T-shirts.
- Embroidery is one of the most expensive because it requires specialized machinery, skills, and additional time. Still, the cost is justifiable as embroidered t-shirts have an intricate look and premium feel compared to other printing options.
To better understand each T-shirt printing technique and pick the right method, read our guide on the best T-shirt printing options.
4. Design Complexity: Aesthetic Appeal Comes at a Price
If you opt for printing methods like screen printing, factors like the complexity of your custom t-shirt design can decide the cost going into making a T-shirt.
With screen printing, you can only print on color with each screen. It means the more colors you use, the more time and labor it requires to print them all into the fabric.
But it wouldn’t be a matter of concern if you use other digital printing options or heat transfer techniques. These new technologies push the limitations of design complexity. Complicated designs will be printed with higher precision in a cost-effect manner.
5. Customization Options: Uniqueness Comes with a Price Tag
Personalization is an emerging tactic for T-shirt sellers to appeal to a new generation of customers who prefer unique, one-of-a-kind products. But to make such personalized T-shirts, you must put more attention, time, and effort to make adjustments to each design – which might cost a few more bucks to do.
Another thing about making personalized T-shirts is that you will make them in small orders. And as far as we know, the smaller your order is, the higher cost it takes.
But here is a useful tip for making personalized T-shirts in a cost-effective and seamless way: Print on demand.
Print on demand accepts orders with no minimum quantity, making it perfect for making personalized orders. Plus, at the moment, there are plenty of integrated plug-ins that allow a smooth, effortless, and error-free personalization for print-on-demand products.
With print on demand, you can keep your personalization cost relatively low compared to the traditional T-shirt-making options. The best part is that, with personalized T-shirts, you can dial up the price tag and customers are still happy to buy. This way, you can increase your profit margin easily.
6. Brand or Manufacturer: Quality and Reputation Matter
A very understandable logic behind the manufacturing cost is that an established manufacturer will charge a higher price for their products and services. Having high credibility and strong branding, of course, they have all the right to jack up the price.
However, it didn’t mean that all newer and less-known manufacturers couldn’t deliver what big names offer. For them to compete against the powerhouses, they must level up their services and be strategic with their pricing.
An important task when starting your T-shirt selling business is to find manufacturers and providers that can give you the best price yet still manage to meet your specific requirements and deliver consistently high-quality services.
8. Branding and accessories
To develop sustainable strong branding, you might want to include items or accessories like branded packaging, hang tags, labeling, or other unique embellishments. These enhancements, while can significantly boost your branding and perceived value, come at an additional expense.
Branding is crucial for your business in the long run. But if you are just starting out, be strategic with your branding accessories – keep it simple, effective, and affordable.
If you are selling print-on-demand T-shirts, Merchize got something great to offer you – We deliver branding services with various branding options along with the on-demand Brand Packaging Kit. These branding offers allow you to customize your own branding kit and elevate your business branding, at very reasonable prices.
9. T-Shirt Style
A simple T-shirt can come in different styles (Crew neck, V-neck, etc.), fit (regular fit, slim fit, classic fit, etc.), features (pocket, without pocket, short sleeve, long sleeves, cut-outs, etc.) And different t-shirt styles can come with varying price tags.
Obviously, common, popular T-shirt styles are usually more bucket-friendly than other specialty, fashion-forward styles. Keep that in mind and choose the style that matches your expectations and budgets.
>>> Explore Merchize’s wide range of T-shirt products here.
10. Color Options
While a lot of T-shirt providers and manufacturers (like Merchize) offer flat prices for all T-shirt colors, some can charge higher costs for less common colors. Don’t forget to double-check if there’s any price difference between different colors of the same T-shirt design before. Some providers may charge extra for these unique color choices.
So, whether you’re leaning towards a vibrant shade that stands out or a classic neutral tone, be aware that your color preference can play a part in shaping the price of your custom t-shirt.
11. Size Range
Offering different sizes keeps your brand friendly to customers with different body shapes and sizes. Other than meeting your customer’s needs, providing more size options is also an opportunity for you to gain more sales.
But before making bulk orders for all sizes, note that there are possibly different price tags for plus sizes. It should be taken into consideration that the extended size ranges, in most cases, aren’t the most popular choices.
Don’t order the same quantity for all sizes – Instead, allot your quality orders smartly across the size ranges in accordance with the popularity.
If you are selling print-on-demand T-shirts, it shouldn’t be a problem. You can add as many sizes as you want and don’t have to worry about shortages or unsold stock.
12. Special request
To make your brand distinguished from the competition, you might want to add some twists to your T-shirt products. For example, you want to change add extra pockets, add new print areas, extend size ranges, or even try completely new T-shirt styles that aren’t available before.
Of course, you can raise these requests to your providers, but in all likelihood, your providers might have a special quote for these curtailed orders.
13. Shipping and delivery
Shipping and delivery are an important part of your pricing strategy. While shipping and delivery costs are usually on the customers, you, as a seller, shouldn’t overlook this part.
Most customers want to pay as little as possible for shipping costs. It is even better if they get free shipping. While shipping cost is not a part of the product price, it is a huge factor that might encourage or discourage your buying decisions.
To give a little push for customers to make the purchase, or at least, not put them off buying, find an affordable shipping option. You also find a workaround to adjust the product pricing and lower the shipping price.
14. Fulfillment time
The last factor that determines the cost of your T-shirts is fulfillment time. Rushed or expedited orders are usually more expensive than regular orders. Tight deadlines might necessitate overtime work, expedited shipping, or prioritized production schedules. That is why manufacturers would charge extra fees for these orders.
Rush fees can be avoided if you have good stock planning and an effective process. Besides good stock management, you should also ensure a good profit margin so that you won’t be at a loss under these circumstances.
By understanding how much are custom T-shirts, you will know exactly how and where to balance your budget and cut off the cost to maximize your profits. Always consider cost factors to ensure you make well-informed choices that align with your goals and budget.
