# Pad Printing Inner Labels, Costs?



## blobert (Jul 30, 2009)

Hello Folks,

I'm just wondering how much it would cost to pad print a basic t shirt label onto the inside of a t shirt, much like Threadless etc do?

Just a rough idea of the cost per garment?

I'm not sure how the process works either, are the print plates expensive to make?

As an alternative I was thinking of screen printing some info (company logo plus designers name) in a back corner of the t shirt like Design by Humans do.

Depends on how expensive pad printing is I suppose, the screen printing option is likely to be quite expensive.

Thanks in advance


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Most of the tagless labels you see are silkscreened, not pad printed. Either directly on to the shirt, or using plastisol transfers.

Direct printing would cost between .50 and $1.00 for 1 color. Transfers, depending on the number ordered, could go as low as .02 to .05 cents each. You will need a heat press to apply them though.


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## blobert (Jul 30, 2009)

Many thanks for the reply Joe.

So it seems transfers are the cheapest way to go.

Could I print the platisol transfers myself and perhaps just pay someone to heat press them on? Is it a lengthy process to put them on, ie I dont have a heat press so by the time I've paid someone to press them for me is it likely to get close to the costs of the direct print?

The tags on current Threadless shirts do not look or feel like they are screenprinted, they feel more like a transfer or something else.

I'm basically looking for the most cost effective option.

Thanks again for your help.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

blobert said:


> Could I print the platisol transfers myself


You could if you had silkscreen equipment. But at that point it's easier to print directly to the shirt. 

The average time to press a transfer to the shirt would be 20 seconds each.

Screening your own shirts directly on your own equipment is the most cost effective way to do tagless labels.


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## adivito (Aug 25, 2006)

If you have printing equipment screen them in better feel, and quality.


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## Firebird (Nov 19, 2009)

Here are some basic prices for pad printing.
For a setup it would be anywhere from $35 - $55 depending on where you go. The price I think is slightly higher then screen printing because the screens (cliches in the pad printing world) are permantly etched once they are burned. Also, at least from my point of view, it is easier to register a simple spot color design for screen printing then it is to do that on my pad press.
The cost per shirt would be $.50 to a $1.00 probably. Again that depends on where you go. You could probaby get them printed for as low as $.20 some places since ink is so cheap per print. That would be for a one color, one location print.
For multiple colors or locations you would add $.20 for each color/location. 
And for multiple color setup the prices would go up to 2 color setup: $60. 3 color setup: $115. 4 Color setup: $155. 
Prices of course will vary depending on where and what type of equipment the shop has.
Hope this helps.


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