How to Price Screen Printing and Embroidery Jobs
Price custom apparel as setup plus per-piece: $40–$100 to digitize embroidery and $20–$35 per screen per color, then per-piece rates tiered by quantity — commonly $6–$12 a shirt for a one-color print at 24 pieces, less at 144 — with garments marked up 40–100% over wholesale. Set a minimum order and a rush uplift. ShowTheReceipts keeps every tier saved.
Two prices in every apparel quote
- Setup — digitizing or screens, one time, per design
- Per piece — tiered by quantity, color count, and locations
Setup is identical at 12 pieces or 500. That single fact drives every tier on your price list.
Screen printing reference
| Quantity | 1-color front, basic tee |
|---|---|
| 12–23 | $9–$14 each |
| 24–47 | $6–$12 each |
| 48–143 | $5–$9 each |
| 144+ | $4–$7 each |
Add per-piece for each additional color and each additional location.
Embroidery is stitch count, not guesswork
$0.50–$1.25 per thousand stitches with a minimum, plus digitizing. A left chest runs 5,000–8,000 stitches; a jacket back can hit 40,000. Flat per-piece embroidery pricing loses money the first time a customer sends a detailed crest.
Quote the stitch count, not the logo. The design’s size on screen tells you nothing.
Garment markup and minimums
Mark garments 40–100% over wholesale — you’re carrying selection, ordering, receiving, and the risk of a discontinued color. Set a 12-piece minimum on screen printing, lower on embroidery where there’s no screen to burn.
Rush and contract work
Rush carries a stated uplift, not a favour. Contract printing runs 30–50% below retail because the broker brings garments, art, and the customer — but require print-ready files in writing, or the discount evaporates in art time.
What not to do
- Don’t quote embroidery without a stitch count
- Don’t absorb setup to win a 12-piece order
- Don’t print at retail margins on contract work
- Don’t skip the minimum order — press time is press time
Frequently asked questions
How much should I charge per shirt for screen printing?
At 24 pieces, $6–$12 per shirt for a one-color front print including a basic garment, dropping toward $4–$7 at 144+. Each added color and each added location raises the per-piece price, because both add a screen, a setup, and a pass through the press.
How is embroidery priced?
By stitch count in thousands — commonly $0.50–$1.25 per thousand stitches with a minimum, plus the one-time digitizing fee. A left-chest logo is usually 5,000–8,000 stitches; a full jacket back can run 40,000, which is why per-piece flat pricing falls apart fast.
What minimum order should I set?
12 pieces for screen printing is standard, since setup, screen reclaim, and press time are the same at 6 pieces as at 60. Embroidery can go lower — often 6 — because there's no screen to burn, only the digitized file you've already been paid for.
What should I charge for contract printing?
Print-only rates 30–50% below retail, since the broker supplies garments, art, and the customer relationship. Require print-ready files and a spoilage allowance in writing — contract work is volume, and it only stays profitable if the art doesn't need fixing.