How much does screen printing cost in the UK?
There’s a whole range of price options when it comes to screen printing T-shirts, hoodies, bags and other items in the UK. That’s why it certainly pays to shop around. However, there are a few factors that influence the price of printing specific orders, which can mean one job might be cheaper at printer A, while a different one would be cheaper at printer B – assuming there are no other discounts in play. And of course, any savings could be absorbed by different delivery charges, as well as the extra work you’re making for yourself.
So while there’s no definitive answer to the question in the title, we can go through the variables so you know what to look out for, and give a few examples from our own price card.
bulk buy
As with pretty much any purchase, the more you buy in a single transaction, the less each unit will cost. It’s exactly the same as buying a large box of cornflakes compared to a smaller one – you might pay more, but the price per cornflake will be less. When buying screen-printed T-shirts, the printers will usually divide the amounts into ranges, for example 1–10 items, 11–100 items, 101–500 items, 501–1000 items, or similar. This is partly because there are two costs with screen printing: setup and materials. Setting up means processing the order, creating the screens, setting up the machine, loading the colours and so on. Material costs are basically the T-shirts and the inks, but there are also per-unit costs for drying and finishing.
Remember, the quoted cost on the card is for a single order, so if you need 70 today and another 70 in a few months, you’ll pay less by buying 140 today than by making two orders of 70, because the per-unit cost will be in a cheaper range. Obviously, your cash flow and monthly budgets also matter, so we do appreciate how it’s not always possible. If you want an amount that’s just below the threshold for a bulk rate reduction, it’s sometimes cheaper to buy more. That’s not just per-unit cheaper – actually cheaper in total.
EXAMPLE:
- 45 two-colour prints = (45 x £4.30) = £193.50
- 50 two-colour prints = (50 £3.65) = £182.50
check your minimums
The setup stage of screen printing is quite labour-intensive. The image files need to be printed onto transparent sheets, which are then used to expose the mesh screens to light (just like photographs) and processed in chemicals and dried to form a stencil. And that needs to be done for each colour used. Once created, however, the screens can be used over and over again as long as they are looked after. For that reason, screen printing simply isn’t cost-effective if you are only getting one print, or even a handful. In such cases, direct-to-garment (DTG) printing is usually better. Note that when it comes to cost, DTG is the opposite to screen printing because there are hardly any setup costs, but materials costs are higher. So small runs might be cheaper with DTG, but screen printing gets cheaper as orders grow in size.
Because of this costing structure, most screen printing businesses will state a minimum order (typically 25 units, but sometimes more), and shortish runs (less than 100, say) can still be relatively expensive.
choose your colours wisely
Another variable is the number of colours. A single colour only requires one stencil, so it will always be the cheapest option. But of course, that might not suit your design. There’s no theoretical limit to the number of colours you can have, but when you reach a certain number, other options might become more viable. One option is to print the image in CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black). Using computer software, the image is separated into the three colours, plus black for density. That means you only need four stencils. With this method, you have effectively unlimited colours, as the cyan, magenta and yellow can be mixed in different amounts, like the pixels on your TV.
It’s worth noting that usually, a distinct ink colour rather than CMYK will provide a more solid, consistent hue, especially in large blocks, and will be more appropriate for detailed work like small writing, which can appear “pixellated” in CMYK. It is possible to have CMYK for photographic parts of an image and single-colour inks for blocky sections, borders or text.
EXAMPLE:
- 200 prints using 7 colours = (200 x ££3.50) = £700.00
- 200 prints using CMYK (4 colours) = (200 x £2.40) = £480.00
quality is (usually) important
Most of the time, the quality of the print and the item being printed will be at a premium. You probably don’t want inks that disappear after a few washes, especially if your items are representing your business (i.e. corporate wear or event giveaways). Similarly, better quality cotton T-shirts will take inks much better than cheap T-shirts made from lower-spec thread. For that reason, if quality is important to you, it’s worth knowing that cheaper printers are probably low-cost because they use throwaway inks and low-quality T-shirts. You can always ask for samples of items printed using the inks and fabrics you are considering, so you can do a test wash and check for cracking and flaking.
That said, quality isn’t always paramount. If you’re looking to kit out a team for Tough Mudder or are looking for something for a stag or hen party, they’re probably only going to be worn once and never washed, so it is an opportunity to go for the economy option.
find a supplier that has a wide choice
Some screen printing companies do just that, while most also sell T-shirts, hoodies, bags and so on. But do they sell items from top brands, with a range of styles, cuts and colours? Or are you forced to use whatever off-the-shelf brands of clothing they happen to stock? The look, feel, and quality of garments are very important when you’re supplying a team and need to have a branded, consistent look throughout. That’s why it makes sense to check if your potential screen printing company stocks a wide range of known brands for you to choose from.
check delivery policies
Don’t forget that the price on the card might not include shipping, or free shipping might only apply to large-volume orders. It’s a cost that’s easy to overlook, and might actually make it better to use a supplier that has slightly higher per-unit costs, but low or zero shipping fees.