How screen-print prices come about
Screen-print prices consist of three components:
Set-up costs (one-off per print motif and colour): about 30-80 euros per colour for films and screen creation. These costs occur once — whether you print 25 or 5,000 pieces.
Unit costs (per shirt): depending on print size and number of colours, 1.50-4.50 euros per piece.
Textile price: depending on brand, 4-15 euros net per shirt.
The set-up costs are the decisive lever. Anyone printing 25 pieces spreads 30-80 euros set-up across 25 shirts (1.20-3.20 euros per piece). Anyone printing 500 pieces spreads the same set-up across 500 shirts (0.06-0.16 euros per piece) — negligible.
More background detail in our screen-print overview.
Sample calculation — 1-colour chest print on a standard t-shirt
Assumption: Stanley/Stella Creator t-shirt (8 euros net), 1 print colour, chest print (about 25 cm). Set-up costs 50 euros flat.
| Quantity | Textile cost | Print unit cost | Set-up share | Total per piece | Total order |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 80 € | 25 € | 5.00 € | 11.00 € | 110 € |
| 25 | 200 € | 62.50 € | 2.00 € | 11.70 € | 292.50 € |
| 50 | 400 € | 125 € | 1.00 € | 11.30 € | 565 € |
| 100 | 800 € | 250 € | 0.50 € | 11.00 € | 1,100 € |
| 500 | 4,000 € | 1,250 € | 0.10 € | 10.72 € | 5,360 € |
(Values are sample calculations; your specific enquiry via the bulk order form gets binding prices.)
Insight: At only 10 pieces the set-up share is so high that screen printing is often more expensive than digital printing. From around 25-30 pieces the advantage shifts. From 100 pieces screen printing is clearly cheaper than digital printing.
Comparison screen print vs. digital print
| Quantity | Screen print (1 colour) | Digital print (DTG) | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | High due to set-up | Comparable, from 1 piece | Digital print |
| 25 | Comparable | Comparable | Both possible |
| 50 | Cheaper | More expensive | Screen print |
| 100 | Significantly cheaper | Much more expensive | Screen print |
| 500 | Clearly cheaper | Not economical | Screen print |
Break-even point: about 30 pieces. Below it digital print pays off, above it clearly screen print. More on DTG in our digital-print overview.
When is screen printing always right?
- Runs of 50+ and a single-colour logo: Easy decision. Screen print cheap and brilliant.
- Club kit, carnival, promotion runs: typical large quantities here.
- High-end brand merch: screen print looks more refined and lasts longer than digital print.
- Special effects: metallic prints, glitter, high-gloss varnish only work in screen printing.
When is screen printing less suitable?
- Small quantities below 25: set-up costs too dominant.
- Photo motifs with many colours: every colour = its own screen = multiple set-up costs.
- Many variations (e.g. different names per shirt): personalisation is practically impossible in screen printing. DTF or digital print help here.
Multicolour prints — watch out for set-up
For each additional colour the set-up costs rise. Example: 4-colour print = 4 × 50 euros = 200 euros set-up. At 25 pieces that is 8 euros per piece for set-up alone. Economics tip quickly here — digital print or DTF often cheaper.
Tip: If you have a multicolour logo, check before ordering whether you can create a reduced 1- or 2-colour version for screen print. That halves the set-up.
Special case — bulk orders from 500 pieces
Here screen-print prices are extremely competitive. Unit prices below 8 euros incl. print are realistic — even with 4-colour motifs. Anyone planning large quantities (e.g. city festival, marathon, festival) is practically always cheapest with screen printing.
Use case — quantity discount comparison
A club orders 80 t-shirts with a 1-colour logo:
- Screen print: about 11 euros per piece, total 880 euros
- Digital print (DTG): about 14 euros per piece, total 1,120 euros
- Saving: 240 euros via screen printing.