# Direct print vs transfers, a cost comparison



## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

Years ago I was a screenprinter. I have direct printed and also printed transfers so I know something about the process. Transfers can be fussy to nail the variables like temperature + time for drying without over curing (they don't stick to the shirt) to under curing (the transfers stick to each other). But once you nail that temperature, transfers are easier, faster, and cheaper to produce than printing shirts. So why are they often more expensive than direct printing? I have three contract screenprinters doing work for me, my examples will reflect the most expensive screenprinter and least expensive transfer printer I use. My business is custom printing. My most common order is about 50-100 one color prints. Second most common is 50-100 two color prints. Most common image size is 10" wide x 12" tall. 

50 one color
direct $1.93
transfer $1.50 + labor

100 one color
direct $1.40
transfer $1.15 + labor

50 two color
direct $2.47
transfer $2.50 + labor

100 two color
direct $1.67
transfer $1.75 + labor

You can see the only time I really come to break even is at 100 one color transfers. At every other price point I lose money.

Now lets make it a two sided shirt:

50 one color
direct $1.93 +1.40
transfer $1.50 + 1.50 + labor

100 one color
direct $1.40 + 1.00
transfer $1.15 + 1.15 + labor

50 two color
direct $2.47 + 1.67
transfer $2.50 + 2.50 + labor

100 two color
direct $1.67 + 1.20
transfer $1.75 + 1.75 + labor

Even when the transfers come out cheaper, I have to add labor so I'm not making money.

More examples:

150 one color
direct $1.00
transfer $1.05 + labor

300 one color
direct $0.87
transfer $.75 + labor

150 two color
direct $1.20
transfer $1.60 + labor

300 two color
direct $1.00
transfer $1.25 + labor

So if I were printing my own stock designs and selling retail, transfers would make more sense but for custom orders the transfers are just priced too high. If a customer wants a color change, say 50 in one color, 50 in another color, that's a +$5 charge with direct printing but doubles the cost in transfers.

Many transfer printers have prices in the retail screenprinting range yet are selling to contract printing customers. It's unlikely that a price shift will occur anytime soon since many transfer printers are keeping very busy but from my perspective the pricing doesn't make sense. 

Obviously if you are ordering large gang sheets that's a different story, those can be much less expensive than direct printing so it just depends on what you are selling.


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## marzatplay (May 25, 2014)

Amen! You hit the nail on the head. Even those transfer prices are cheaper then what I have seen. Which is your lease expensive transfer company that you used in the above examples?


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

No doubt if you are producing 1 off runs of customs shirts, direct printing is the way to go....

One of the variables you are missing is the extra sales after the 1st batch is delivered....My typical transfer client orders on an ongoing basis....They might start with 50 or 75 shirts but then order more shirts weekly or monthly....Schools, churches, small businesses, etc. I usually order a minimum of 150 transfers and have some clients that have ordered 1,000s of the same design over the year.....

Or shirts for event......Sometimes I can press at an event and sell 2 or 3x as many shirts as an organizer would want to order as stock.....Again this changes the math.....

Certainly transfers are not the answer all the time, however, they certainly do have a place....


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

I tried ordering extras for repeat customers and burned myself so many times that I don't do it anymore. I order too many and never use them all. Or I order too few extras and have to order more. Or the the customer changes their design. Now I put the onus on the customer to order the right amount.


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