Types of Custom T-Shirts Available
The shirt decides how it feels and how long it gets worn. The print method decides how the logo looks. Start with the shirt.
Everyday Cotton Tees
Everyday cotton tees are the standard event and giveaway shirt. Gildan and Port & Company make most of them in 100% cotton or cotton blends, at the lowest cost per shirt. Most 5K, school and volunteer orders land here, usually screen printed.
Soft Ring-Spun and Tri-Blend Tees
BELLA+CANVAS, Next Level and District tees are lighter and fit closer, like a shirt bought in a store. They cost a few dollars more per shirt, and they are the shirts people keep wearing after the event.
Performance and Moisture-Wicking Tees
Performance tees are polyester shirts, led by Sport-Tek, built to pull sweat away from the skin. Use them for races, gyms, outdoor crews and summer events. Polyester takes some print methods better than others; see the print-method section below.
Long Sleeve T-Shirts
309 long sleeve styles stretch the season for staff shirts and spirit wear. The sleeve is its own print location, so the logo can go on the chest and a web address down the arm. For real cold, see our custom sweatshirts and hoodies.
Women's and Youth T-Shirts
There are 339 women's and 206 youth styles, and many adult shirts have a matching women's or youth cut. Sizes are entered separately and mixed in one order, which matters for schools, families and mixed staff.
Retail Brand Tees
Comfort Colors, Nike, Adidas and Carhartt cost more and get used that way: client gifts, company stores and merchandise people would otherwise buy. Comfort Colors custom t shirts are a common pick for spirit wear that gets sold.
Screen printing is the best choice for logos in one to a few solid colors on 24 or more shirts, and it gets cheaper per shirt as the quantity rises. For full-color art, photos or orders under 24, DTG and DTF print every color at once, and embroidery stitches the logo for a more formal look.
| Method | Best for | Colors | Feel on the shirt | Typical order size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen printing | Bold logos and text on staff and event shirts | 1 to 8 solid ink colors, priced per color | Ink sits in the fabric; soft with one or two colors | 24 and up; cheapest per shirt at volume |
| Direct to garment (DTG) | Full-color art, photos and gradients on cotton | Full color, no per-color cost | Printed into the fibers; very soft | 24 and up |
| Direct to film (DTF) | Full-color logos on cotton, blends and polyester | Full color | A thin, flexible film on the surface | 6 and up; small runs and mixed fabrics |
| Embroidery | Left-chest logos with a premium look | Thread colors | Stitched and textured | 6 and up; best on heavier tees |
Three questions decide it. How many colors are in the art? A two-color logo makes clean, inexpensive screen printed t shirts; a photo needs DTG or DTF. What is the shirt made of? DTG t shirt printing works best on cotton, while DTF also handles polyester. How many shirts? Large runs go to screen printing, and 6 to 23 shirts need embroidery or DTF.
You do not have to decide alone: custom t shirt printing starts with your logo, and our art team recommends a method on your free proof. Embroidered t shirts give a cleaner staff look on a heavier tee; for everyday work wear, compare our custom polo shirts too.
Worn for years
A t-shirt that fits gets worn on weekends, at the gym and to the next event, for years.
Room for the whole message
A full front print holds a logo, a line of copy and a web address. No hard good offers that much room.
One item, three audiences
The same design works as a staff shirt, a customer giveaway and an event souvenir.
Sized for everyone
Adult, women's, youth and tall sizes mean nobody gets stuck in a shirt they won't wear.
Staff and Crew Uniforms
Company t shirts for restaurants, retail and trade crews: heavyweight cotton, screen printed front and back. Front-of-house staff look sharper with an embroidered left-chest logo. Add matching caps and hats.
5Ks, Walks and Charity Events
Performance tees for runners and everyday cotton for volunteers. Screen print the event logo on the front and sponsors on the back.
Schools, PTAs and Spirit Wear
Youth and adult sizes in one order, screen printed in school colors. For spirit wear that gets sold, a ring-spun tee or Comfort Colors is worth the extra few dollars.
Sports Teams, Leagues and Gyms
Moisture-wicking performance tees, with DTF for numbers and small full-color logos. Gyms often add tank tops for summer classes.
Trade Shows and Company Merchandise
Ring-spun or tri-blend tees with a full-color DTG print give logo t shirts a retail feel. Nike or Carhartt suit client gifts.
Reunions, Camps and Church Groups
Full-color designs for small groups: DTF from 6 shirts or DTG from 24, on everyday cotton to keep costs low.
Four things set the price of custom t shirt printing: the shirt, the number of print colors, the number of print locations and the quantity. Setup and screens are included in the price on every product page, so there is no separate setup charge at any quantity.
6 to 23 shirts
Orders of 6 to 23 shirts are available with embroidery or direct to film. That covers a small staff, a single team or a family reunion, and it is a lower minimum than many promotional products suppliers offer. Choose embroidery or DTF on the product page and the price updates as you enter sizes.
24 to 499 shirts
Screen printing and DTG start at 24 shirts, where most event and school orders of bulk custom t shirts land. Prices step down at 50, 76, 150 and 300 pieces. On the Gildan Light Cotton Tee, for example, the product page estimates about $8.39 a shirt at 24 with a one-color front print, and about $5.25 at 150.
500 and up
Bulk t shirt printing at 500 and above gets wholesale pricing on printed tees, with further breaks at 750 and 1,200. The same Gildan tee estimates about $4.57 a shirt at 500. Above the highest quantity listed, ask for a quote; here is how wholesale custom t shirts are priced.
Lead time: 7 business days after you approve the proof, or 3 business days with rush t shirt printing, available on every style. See our rush service policy. Need jackets, polos or hats on the same order? Browse all custom apparel.
- Low minimums. 6 pieces with embroidery or DTF, 24 with screen printing or DTG.
- No setup charge. Setup and screens are included in the price you see.
- Free artwork proof. Every proof comes with a print-method recommendation, so the logo is checked before it prints.
- 3-business-day rush. Available on every t-shirt style.
- Name-brand blanks. Gildan, BELLA+CANVAS, Next Level, Sport-Tek and more, across 1,291 styles.
- Mixed sizes. Each size is entered separately in one order.
Filter 1,291 styles by brand, fit, fabric or price.
Each size has its own quantity box, and sizes can be mixed freely.
Send the file you have; our art team prepares it for printing.
You see placement, size and colors, plus our recommended print method. Nothing prints until you approve.
7 business days after approval, or 3 with rush. Tracking is emailed when the order ships.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get a Free Proof on Your T-Shirts
Whether you need 6 embroidered shirts or promotional t shirts for a whole company, we mock up your logo on a free proof before anything prints.
Request a Free Proof
