Two quotes for “500 custom t-shirts” can differ by a factor of three and both be honest. Here is what is actually moving.
The blank
This is the biggest single variable and the one least often specified. A basic 4.5oz promotional tee and a retail-weight ringspun cotton shirt are different products that happen to share a name. If a quote does not name the blank, it is not comparable to one that does.
Color count and positions
Screen printing needs a screen per color, and each screen is a setup. A four-color front and a one-color back is five setups. Reducing the design by one color often saves more than negotiating on the garment.
Quantity, against the price breaks
Setup costs are fixed, so they spread thinner as volume rises. This is why 100 shirts can cost nearly as much in total as 250. Ask where the breaks are before settling the quantity — ordering slightly above one is frequently cheaper overall than ordering below it.
Dark garments
Printing light ink on a dark shirt usually needs an underbase — effectively an extra print layer — which adds a color to the count. Same artwork, same quantity, more money, entirely because of the garment color.
What barely moves it
Size range, within reason. Mixed sizes across a normal run are not usually a cost driver, though extended sizes sometimes carry an upcharge.
How to get comparable quotes
Specify the blank by weight and construction, the number of colors, the number of positions, the garment color and the quantity. Five lines, and every quote you receive becomes a like-for-like comparison.
Our general pricing guide covers the variables across categories, and setup charges explains why color count matters so much.