Custom T-Shirt Printing, From One Shirt to Thousands

Custom t-shirt printing works best when the method fits the job. We print shirts two ways, DTF and, for orders of 100+ pieces, screen printing, so a one-off birthday tee, a 40-person branded staff order and a 2,000-shirt festival run each get the right process and the right price. Upload your art to our 3D Custom Designer or request a bulk quote for 100+ pieces, approve your design, and we print and ship anywhere in the US. Looking for a style first? Browse our personalized shirts.

How Our Shirt Printing Works, Step by Step

1. Pick your shirt. Choose the style, color and fit: classic cotton, soft ringspun, tri-blend, long sleeve or performance.
2. Send your design. Upload artwork or type text in our 3D Custom Designer, or request a bulk quote for 100+ pieces and we'll lay out your idea.
3. Add sizes and quantities. Mix sizes freely; add personalized names or numbers if each shirt is different.
4. We recommend the method. Based on your design, shirt fabric and quantity, we'll suggest DTF or, for orders of 100+ pieces, screen printing, and explain why.
5. Approve your design. You'll see placement, size and colors before anything is printed: plain DTF print orders are approved in our 3D Custom Designer at checkout, and orders of 100+ pieces get a free mockup from our team.
6. We print, inspect and ship. Finished shirts are folded, packed and shipped to your door, or held for pickup at our Orlando-area warehouse.

The one-time fees are simple: DTF has no setup fee at all, and screen printing, for orders of 100+ pieces through our team, has a setup fee per ink color quoted with your order. Screen setup is charged once per design, so reorders, youth sizes and other shirt styles with the same design never pay it again.

Screen Printing for Bold, Budget-Friendly Runs

Screen printing pushes thick ink through a fine mesh screen, one screen for each color. It's the classic method behind band merch and branded event shirts, and for good reason: the colors are bright and opaque, the print is extremely durable, and once the screens are made, every additional shirt costs very little to print.

That makes it the best value for designs with one to four colors on orders of 100+ pieces, which our team handles. Each color carries a one-time setup fee quoted with your order, so a two-color logo costs the same to set up whether you print 100 shirts or 300, and the more shirts you print, the less that setup adds to each one. For the lowest price per piece on big runs, see our cheap custom shirts collection, and for the full process from film to flash dryer, here's how screen printing works.

Screen printing isn't the right fit for photos, fine gradients or designs with many colors, and on dark shirts it usually needs a white underbase first. On dark garments, your mockup and quote show exactly how the design prints, and a white base layer never adds to screen-print setup.

DTF vs. DTG for Full-Color and Photo Prints

Both digital methods print every color at once with no screens, so there's no setup fee and a photo costs the same to print as a one-color logo. They're the go-to for small orders, one-offs and complex art, which is why our custom t-shirts no minimum collection runs on DTF, the digital method we offer.

DTF (direct to film)

Your design is printed onto a special film with a white backing layer, coated with adhesive powder, cured and then heat-pressed onto the shirt. DTF works on cotton, polyester and blends, in light or dark colors, and it's durable and stretchy. The print has a thin, smooth feel on top of the fabric.

DTG (direct to garment)

DTG works like an inkjet printer for shirts, spraying water-based ink directly into the fibers. It produces the softest print of any method, with fine detail and smooth gradients, and it's ideal for personalized gifts such as faces, pets, artwork and memorial tees on 100% cotton. We don't offer DTG, so we print photo shirts with DTF. For more on photo shirts, see our custom shirts with pictures, faces and photos.

Sublimation for all-over prints

For edge-to-edge patterns on white or light polyester, sublimation turns ink into a gas that dyes the fabric itself. There's nothing on the surface to crack or peel, though it doesn't work on cotton or dark shirts. It's not a method we offer.

Not sure which digital method fits your design? Read DTF vs. DTG printing compared.

Front, Back and Sleeve Print Placements

Most shirts use one or two of these placements: a full front or left chest, plus the back, upper back or a sleeve.

123

Front

45

Back

Front and back line drawings of a crew-neck T-shirt with five numbered print zones, listed below.

1. 1FrontFull frontYour main design or graphic
2. 2FrontLeft chestLogos and small marks
3. 3FrontSleeveFlags, small logos, dates
4. 4BackUpper back / yokeCompany name, website or team name
5. 5BackFull backEvent details, sponsor lists, big graphics

Long sleeves add one more spot: a narrow strip down the sleeve for names, slogans or hashtags.

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Most shirts use one or two of these placements. Typical sizes on an adult tee:

Placement	Typical print size	Notes
Full front	10 to 12 in wide	Top of the print about 3 in below the collar
Left chest	3.5 to 4 in wide	Logos and small marks
Full back	10 to 12 in wide	Event details, sponsor lists, big graphics
Upper back / yoke	up to about 12 in wide, 3 to 4 in tall	Company name, website or team name
Sleeve	about 3 in wide	Flags, small logos, dates
Down the sleeve (long sleeve)	a narrow vertical strip	Names, slogans, hashtags

Youth shirts usually take a front print around 8 to 10 inches wide so the design stays in proportion. Each placement is a separate print, so front and back costs more than front only, and with screen printing each location's colors need their own screens.

Deadlines, Event Dates and Shipping

Rush orders are available, with the rush fee quoted with your order. Real timing still depends on your quantity, the method, blank availability and shipping distance, so tell us your in-hand date when you order, and we'll confirm it before you approve your design.

A few things speed up any custom shirt printing order: choosing DTF when the design allows (no screens to burn), picking a common shirt color, sending print-ready artwork, approving your design quickly and finalizing sizes in one go. We ship finished orders nationwide, and customers across the Orlando metro can pick up at our Orlando-area warehouse instead.

What Changes the Price of Printed Tees

Pricing for custom printed t-shirts comes down to a handful of factors:

• Quantity: setup is spread across every shirt, and production gets more efficient as runs grow.
• Method: DTF suits small orders; screen printing, for orders of 100+ pieces, gets cheaper per shirt as quantity rises.
• Number of ink colors: matters for screen printing (a one-time setup per color, on orders of 100+ pieces), but not for DTF.
• Print size and locations: larger digital prints use more ink and film, and every added location is another print.
• The shirt: fabric, weight and brand tier, with extended sizes often costing more because the blank does.
• Shirt color: on dark garments, your mockup and quote show exactly how the design prints, and a white base layer never adds to screen-print setup.

For worked examples at different quantities, read how much do custom t shirts cost. Want help comparing methods across garments beyond tees? See our printing services.

Artwork Specs That Print Sharp

Good artwork is the difference between a crisp print and a fuzzy one:

• Vector is best. SVG or PDF files with fonts converted to outlines scale to any size without blurring. AI and EPS files can be sent with a bulk quote.
• Raster at full size. For PNGs and photos, use 300 dpi at the printed size. A 12-inch-wide front print needs an image about 3,600 pixels wide.
• Transparent background. Otherwise a white or colored box prints around your design.
• Avoid hairlines. Lines thinner than about 1 point can break up, especially on textured fabric.
• Watch soft edges. Drop shadows and semi-transparent glows print as a halo on screen printing; we convert them to halftone dots or simplify them.
• Name your colors. Pantone (PMS) codes help us match brand colors as closely as possible, especially for screen printing.

If your file isn't print-ready, send what you have and we'll tell you what it needs, or, for 100+ pieces, start with a free mockup.

Printing Personalized Names and Numbers on Each Shirt

Team shirts, branded staff shirts and personalized family-reunion tees often need a different name on every shirt. On orders of 100+ pieces, the shared design can be screen printed for the best price, while each personalized name or number is added individually with DTF, which has no setup fee. Typical sizes are 2 to 3 inch letters for names across the upper back, 8 to 10 inch numbers on the back and 4 inch numbers on the front or sleeve.

Send a roster spreadsheet with each person's name, number and size, and double-check spelling before you approve your design. Personalized shirts are only as good as the list they're printed from.

Polos, Long Sleeves and Performance Shirts for Branded Programs

Branded uniform programs often grow beyond tees. Staff may need a collared shirt, though logos on polos are usually stitched; see our custom polo shirts, embroidered with your logo. For cooler days, outdoor crews and sleeve prints, browse our custom long sleeve shirts.

Performance polyester needs care. Dyed polyester can bleed into light inks when heated, and high heat can leave shiny press marks, so we print these shirts with DTF at lower temperatures with low-bleed ink, at no extra charge (sublimation on white fabric is another option, though we don't offer it). The result is a branded tee that wicks sweat at a summer race and still looks sharp after the post-race photo.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the best method for custom t-shirt printing?

It depends on the design and quantity. Screen printing is best for one- to four-color designs on runs of 100+ pieces. DTF is the most versatile for full color on any fabric. DTG gives the softest feel for photos and detailed art on cotton, though we print with DTF instead. We'll recommend the right one for your order before you approve your design.

How fast can you print shirts?

Rush orders are available, with the rush fee quoted with your order. Timing depends on the method, quantity, blank availability and where we're shipping, so tell us your in-hand date and we'll confirm it before you approve your design. DTF, with no screens to burn, and a quick design approval are the fastest path.

Can you print on the front and back of a shirt?

Yes. Front and back is one of the most popular layouts, often a branded logo on the front and event details or sponsors on the back. Each location is a separate print, so it adds cost, and with screen printing each side's ink colors need their own screens.

What file format should my artwork be?

Vector SVG or PDF files with outlined fonts are ideal, and AI and EPS files can be sent with a bulk quote. Otherwise, send a PNG at 300 dpi at the actual print size with a transparent background. If you only have a low-resolution image, try it in our 3D Custom Designer, or request a bulk quote for 100+ pieces and we'll tell you whether it can be cleaned up.

Is screen printing better than DTF for small orders?

Usually not. For a handful of shirts, DTF has no setup fee, while screen printing adds a setup fee for every ink color (we offer it on orders of 100+ pieces), so DTF is generally cheaper and handles full color. Screen printing pulls ahead on larger runs of simple designs. Our guide on how to choose a t-shirt shop covers what else to compare.

How do I keep a printed shirt looking new?

Wash it inside out in cold water, tumble dry on low or hang it to dry, and never iron directly on the print. Skip bleach and fabric softener on DTF and DTG prints. Following those steps keeps branded and personalized shirts bright for years.