7 Factors Affecting Cost of Your Custom Apparel

With endless options available in Redbridge, Ilford for custom apparel, you might be wondering how much it will cost you. Well, the answer is not so simple.

Understanding how the t shirts are priced can help you in making choices and avoid any surprises when you get your final quote.

Here is list of factors that may affect the cost of your customized order.

The type of Fabric:

The material of the t-shirt is one of the main factors that determines the price. Different fabrics have different properties, such as durability, softness, breathability, and colour retention.

Generally, natural fabrics like cotton are more expensive than synthetic fabrics like polyester, because they are more comfortable and eco-friendlier. However, synthetic fabrics can also have some advantages, such as being more resistant to wrinkles and fading.

The type of fabric also affects the printing method that can be used, as some fabrics are more suitable for certain techniques than others which will again affect the cost.

Darker coloured fabric will cost a little more to print on as compared to white fabrics because an extra layer of white ink is required to print the design on dark fabrics.

The complexity of Design:

The complexity and size of the design also affects the price of t-shirt printing. The more details the design has, the more expensive it will be to print.

The size of the design also matters, as larger designs require more ink and material. Therefore, if you want to save money on your t-shirt printing project, you should go for simple and small designs.

The Quantity:

The number of t-shirts you want to print also influences the price. Generally, the more t-shirts you order, the lower the price per unit will be. This is because printing in bulk reduces the fixed costs of setting up the equipment and preparing the materials.

However, this also depends on the printing method you choose, as some methods have higher fixed costs than others. For example, screen printing has a high fixed cost because it requires creating a screen for each colour in the design, but a low variable cost because it uses less ink per t-shirt.

On the other hand, digital printing has a low fixed cost because it does not require any screens or plates, but a high variable cost because it uses more ink per t-shirt.

The Printing Method:

There are many different methods available, such as screen printing, digital printing, heat transfer printing, sublimation printing, and embroidery. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages in terms of quality, durability, speed, and cost.

For example, screen printing produces high-quality and long-lasting prints, but it is slow and expensive for small orders.

Digital printing produces fast and cheap prints, but it is less durable and has lower quality for complex designs.

Heat transfer printing produces vivid and detailed prints, but it is prone to cracking and peeling over time.

Sublimation printing produces durable and fade-resistant prints, but it is limited to polyester fabrics and white or light-coloured t-shirts.

Embroidery produces elegant and professional-looking prints, but it is costly and time-consuming for large designs.

The number of Print Locations

Print locations can be a major contributor to the price of your product. Printing on both sides of your apparel or tote bag can be more expressive but would take the price high.

Similarly printing on pockets, sleeves, hems and sides of the t shirt will count as different locations and will differ the final price accordingly.

In case you are looking for an economical experience, sticking to just one print location would be wise.

The Quality:

The quality depends on several factors, such as the resolution of the design file, the accuracy of the colour matching, the consistency of the ink application, and the finishing of the seams and hems.

The higher the quality of these factors, the higher the price will be. However, higher quality also means higher customer satisfaction and lower chances of returns or complaints. Therefore, if you are looking for premium quality apparel with the best artwork printed on it the price may go up.

Number of Hues/ Colours:

When it comes to screen printing which is a manual method of creating images on various surfaces by using a stencil and a mesh screen. The stencil blocks out the areas that are not to be printed, while the ink is pushed through the mesh onto the surface.

Each colour is printed through a separate screen so, adding more colours would mean adding more screens, more material, more labor and eventually more price.

Want a quote for your custom apparel, our in-house designer team is here to help!