What does a printed t-shirt cost in 2026?
The honest answer: it depends on model, technique and run length. You see the final price in the configurator once you've chosen brand, print size and quantity. Four factors drive the price: the shirt model (budget classic like Gildan 64000 or organic premium like Stanley/Stella), the printing technique (DTG from 1 piece, screen print from 50 pieces), the run length (volume discount from 3 pieces, tiered 3% → 10% → 15% → 25% → 30% → 32% at 3/20/50/100/200/500) and the colour count (screen print gets more expensive with each spot colour, DTG does not).
A few examples make the range tangible. A stag-do set for six on Fruit of the Loom Valueweight runs in digital print (DTG), because it is below the 50-piece screen-print threshold: per our price matrix €3.32 net per piece for a motif up to 15 × 10 cm, plus the shirt. A club order of 25 pieces also runs in digital print with us. For a 100-piece class order with single-colour screen print, print costs per our price matrix €1.16 net per piece on white shirts or €1.43 on coloured ones (the white underbase counts as one more colour), plus €20 or €40 setup (net); the shirt comes on top, and the 25 % volume discount applies to it only.
Print-price table: digital print, one piece
These values are not bait prices but our price matrix (September 2026, net, plus VAT, per print position, excluding textile and shipping). The configurator shows the shirt price per model, colour and size:
| Motif size | 1 piece (digital print, net) |
|---|---|
| up to 15 × 10 cm (e.g. logo 10 × 10 cm) | €3.32 |
| up to 25 × 20 cm (e.g. A5) | €4.16 |
| up to 40 × 25 cm (e.g. A4) | €5.00 |
| over 1,000 cm² (e.g. 30 × 40 cm) | €5.84 |
From 50 pieces screen print comes in. Per our price matrix, print for one colour on a white shirt costs €1.93 (50 pieces) or €1.16 (100 pieces) net per piece and print position, on coloured shirts as 2 colours €2.20 or €1.43, plus €20 setup per screen (net), on every order. The configurator shows the final price including the shirt.
Shipping: €4.95 flat within Germany, free above €100 order value. Volume discount starts at 3 pieces (3 %) and tiers up to 32 % at 500: 3 % → 10 % → 15 % → 25 % → 30 % → 32 % at 3/20/50/100/200/500 — it applies to the shirt, not to print and setup.
What makes a t-shirt cheap — and where it backfires
"Cheap" doesn't mean "low quality". An affordable t-shirt can be high quality — if material, print and shipping match the run length. It can disappoint when you save on the wrong dial. Five points make the difference:
- Fabric weight — 140 gsm (Gildan 5000) feels light and somewhat transparent, 180 gsm (Gildan Softstyle 64000) is the mainstream optimum, 190 gsm (B&C Inspire) feels heavier and more premium. Above 165 gsm prints still look fresh after 30 washes.
- Cut quality — slim fit (Gildan Softstyle, Stanley/Stella) is the popular cut for 22- to 35-year-olds. Regular fit (Fruit of the Loom Valueweight) runs slightly fuller, suits clubs and mixed groups.
- Printing technique — DTG for small runs, screen print from 50 pieces with 1 to 3 colours, DTF for full-colour designs on dark shirts. Choosing DTG for 100 single-colour club shirts costs more than necessary on the print: per our price matrix at least €2.06 net per piece instead of €1.36 (screen print on white shirts) or €1.83 (on coloured ones), each net including the setup share.
- Run length — we offer screen print from 50 pieces only, because the setup (€20 per screen, net) only spreads from there. For 6 stag-do shirts, DTG is the choice.
- Certified goods — Stedman ST2000 comes with OEKO-TEX certification. Cheaper stock goods save a few cents but are rarely certified.
Where it backfires: a single-layer 140 gsm shirt with DTG print and a 60 °C wash fades visibly after eight to ten washes. A 180 gsm shirt with DTF print survives 40 washes at 40 °C. Difference in wear life: double.
The four cheapest bestsellers — from budget to organic premium
We carry four models that together cover roughly 80 % of B2C orders. They differ in fabric weight, cut and price anchor — all four are printable from 1 piece.
Gildan Softstyle 64000 cheap printing is the volume champion: 180 gsm ring-spun cotton, 32 colours, slim fit. Top choice for stag-do crews, club shirts and anyone wanting a modern, clean standard shirt with strong print quality.
Fruit of the Loom Valueweight T 61-036 is the classic since 1992: 165 gsm, 41 colours, regular fit. One of the most affordable serious branded shirts in our range — well suited to 50- or 100-piece bulk orders where budget is the first priority.
Stedman Comfort-T 185 ST2100 is the mid-tier: 185 gsm, slim fit, OEKO-TEX certified. We recommend Stedman whenever the order needs a touch of premium despite a budget — company event, graduation crew, sports event.
Stanley/Stella Premium Organic Creator STTU169 is the premium anchor: 180 gsm organic cotton, GOTS certified, Fair Wear Foundation member. For gifts, premium photoshoots and anything that should feel different from a standard shirt the moment you pick it up.
Which printing technique is cheapest?
There isn't one cheapest technique — there is the right choice per run length. The rule of thumb is simple:
| Technique | Min. quantity | Price from 1 piece (net) | Price from 25 pieces (net) | Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital print (DTG) | 1 | €3.32–5.84 | €3.15–5.67 | Full-colour, photos, no setup |
| Screen print | 50 | – | only from 50 pieces: €1.93 print (1 colour on white) + €20 setup per screen | Long runs, brilliant colours |
| DTF print | 1 | same as digital print: €3.32–5.84 | €3.15–5.67 | Dark shirts, full-colour motifs |
| Flex print | 1 | on request | on request | Pure lettering, crisp |
Digital print and DTF: price per print position by motif area (four size tiers by motif area), excluding the textile. All prices net, plus VAT.
Below 50 pieces choose DTG or DTF — no setup, no quantity lock-in. From 50 pieces screen print is available; for single-colour motifs it is then usually cheaper because the setup spreads. For logos and lettering on a single colour, flex print delivers the crispest and most durable look. More details in our printing technique comparison.
Volume discount — when does a bulk order pay off?
Our volume discount starts at 3 pieces (3 %) and tiers up: 3 % → 10 % → 15 % → 25 % → 30 % → 32 % at 3/20/50/100/200/500 pieces. It applies to the shirt, not to print and setup. For a single-colour motif this means for the print:
- 1 to 49 pieces: digital print, per our price matrix €3.15 to €5.84 net per piece and print position depending on motif area, no setup
- 50 pieces: screen print €1.93 net per piece on white shirts, €2.20 on coloured ones, plus €20 or €40 setup (net)
- 100 pieces: screen print €1.16 or €1.43 net per piece, plus €20 or €40 setup (net)
For clubs, school classes and company events from 50 pieces, screen print is worth a look — and with multi-colour motifs every colour you drop saves a screen (€20 setup, net) and one colour step in the unit price, on 100 white shirts for example €1.65 instead of €1.93 net for 3 instead of 4 colours. For orders above 100 pieces, contact us for a custom quote — we calculate beyond the standard staircase.
Upload your design or build it in the configurator
You don't need graphic software to design your t-shirt. Three steps lead from idea to order button:
- Choose a model — filterable by availability, size, colour, brand and price
- Upload a design or build it in the configurator — own logo as PNG, SVG or PDF (min. 300 DPI, transparent background) or pick text and template directly in the browser
- See live pricing + order — gross/net toggle included, volume discount calculated automatically
Print-file format: min. 300 DPI at final print size, max. motif area 30 × 40 cm, transparent PNG or vector background. If your file doesn't fit, we contact you by email by the next business day (Monday to Friday) at the latest — the print-data check is always free, even on single-piece orders.
Have only a photo and no finished layout? Just upload it — for DTG digital print we print photos at photo quality from 1 piece. For flex print on lettering, you only need the text; flex print is available on request, price on request.
Who benefits most from cheap t-shirt printing?
Six use cases make up the largest share of our orders:
- Stag-do crew (6–12 people) — Bachelorette / stag-do shirts with "Team Bride" or "Last Night of Freedom". Recommended: Fruit of the Loom Valueweight, single-colour DTG.
- Club event (25–100 people) — Club shirts with club logo and sponsor name. Recommended: Gildan Softstyle 64000, from 50 pieces two- to three-colour screen print, below that digital print.
- Company event (10–50 people) — staff t-shirts or crew wear for trade fair or campaign day. Recommended: Stedman ST2000 or Stanley/Stella, single-colour embroidery or DTG. More under business clients.
- Class shirt / graduation crew (20–100 people) — year shirts, class shirts, graduation crew. Volume discount from 3 pieces (3 %), 15 % from 50 pieces. Recommended: Gildan Softstyle 64000, from 50 pieces single- to two-colour screen print, below that digital print.
- Festival crew (4–20 people) — Wacken, Glastonbury, Roskilde. Recommended: heavy 190 gsm shirt, full-colour DTF print.
- Marathon team (10–50 people) — run crew, helpers, training camp. Performance fabric or cotton, flex print with bib number. More under sports event shirts.
What sets ShirtStore apart from pure discount platforms?
There is an honest reason we don't compete with pure wholesale platforms on the lowest blank-shirt price: we don't sell a blank shirt. Four points make the difference:
- Finished in Berlin — no Asian stock logic, no customs delay, short paths
- Configurator from 1 piece (no MOQ) — live price as you design, even for a single shirt
- Personal advice by phone and email — reply by email by the next business day (Monday to Friday) at the latest, German landline
- Print-data check before production included — we verify resolution, colour profile and format before the press runs
Trust stripe: Secure payment (PayPal, Klarna, SEPA, invoice), 14-day right of withdrawal for unprinted orders.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a printed t-shirt cost from 1 piece?
A printed t-shirt at our shop costs the shirt plus the print. Digital print (DTG) for 1 piece costs per our price matrix €3.32 net per print position for a motif up to 15 × 10 cm and €5.00 net for A4, no setup. The shirt comes on top depending on the model — from the budget classic Fruit of the Loom Valueweight to the premium Stanley/Stella Creator organic. The price depends on model, technique, run length and print size. Live pricing in the configurator — no log-in, no minimum.
What's cheaper — screen print or digital print?
Below 50 pieces you print with us in digital print (DTG) — we offer screen print from 50 pieces only. From 50 pieces screen print is usually cheaper for single-colour motifs because the setup (€20 per screen, net) spreads across the run. At 100 pieces screen print for one colour costs per our price matrix, including the setup share, €1.36 net per piece on white and €1.83 net on coloured shirts. Digital print costs €2.06 to €4.58 net at 100 pieces depending on motif area. Rule of thumb: one-off photo motif → DTG. Club logo from 50 pieces → screen print.
Can I print a t-shirt from 1 piece?
Yes — our configurator shows live pricing from the first piece. No minimum, no account, no phone enquiry. For single-piece orders we recommend digital print (DTG) or DTF — both techniques have no setup and price from piece one.
More frequently asked questions
From which quantity does screen print beat DTG?
We offer screen print from 50 pieces. Below that, DTG is the choice — fast and without screen setup. From 50 pieces with a one- to three-colour motif, screen print becomes an option — a setup of €20 per screen (net) on every order (one screen per spot colour, plus a white underbase screen on coloured shirts), plus per our price matrix for one colour €1.93 net per print at 50 pieces, €1.16 at 100 pieces and €0.72 from 1,000 pieces. More colours and the underbase on coloured shirts raise the unit price by that number of colours. For one colour, screen print is cheaper than digital print at every motif size from 100 pieces; at 50 to 99 pieces and with several colours it depends on motif size and shirt colour.
Which t-shirt brand is the cheapest for printing?
Fruit of the Loom Valueweight T 61-036 is one of the most affordable branded options. Gildan Softstyle 64000 offers slim fit and 32 colours instead. The configurator shows the current price per colour and size. For pure-budget bulk orders from 50 pieces, FOTL Valueweight is the first choice; for the 22–35 persona we recommend Gildan Softstyle.
How long does delivery take for printed t-shirts?
Standard lead time: 7–10 working days in Germany including finishing. Express delivery in 3–5 working days is available on request. In peak season May to September allow 4 weeks of lead time — stag-do, wedding and festival orders overlap, presses are busy. Tracking via DHL.
Is the t-shirt print wash-resistant at 60 °C?
Screen print and flex print are wash-resistant at 60 °C (50+ wash cycles). DTG we recommend washing at 40 °C, then it lasts 30–40 washes without visible fading. DTF is very robust — colour-fast even at 60 °C. For all techniques: first wash cold and inside out, then normal machine wash.
Is there a minimum order quantity?
Not in general. We print from 1 piece with DTG or DTF — no setup cost. We offer screen print from 50 pieces; for embroidery we recommend runs from about 20 pieces for economic reasons, but smaller runs are technically possible. The configurator automatically suggests the cheapest technique for your quantity.
Which printing technique lasts longest?
Screen print lasts longest — 50+ washes at 60 °C without visible fading, because the ink penetrates the fibre. DTF follows with 40+ washes. DTG lasts 30–40 washes at 40 °C. Flex print is extremely durable on pure lettering because the foil doesn't release from the fabric.
How large can the motif on the t-shirt be?
Standard print area on front or back: max. 30 × 40 cm (DIN A3+). Chest logo: 8 × 8 cm. Full-front print or all-over print on request. For embroidery the limit is 7 × 7 cm due to the placket on polos. In the configurator the print size is live-matched with the motif — you instantly see whether the resolution suffices.
Do you print on hoodies, polos and caps too?
Yes — we finish hoodies, sweatshirts, polos, caps and bags with the same techniques as t-shirts. Print and embroidery are priced with the same price matrix as for t-shirts (net, per print or embroidery position); the configurator shows the price per model and lists all models and finishings.