# advice about a printing company (help needed!)



## ifrikia.street (Jun 28, 2009)

Hey!

First of all this site is the best! I've picked up alot of knowledge about the t-shirt business just by reading threads in this site so thanks!

I live in Sweden and i'm currently working on a clothing line (streetwear) for the swedish market. Im doing all my design by myself and right now im searching for a company that can print my designs.

I've been in contact with one printing company in Sweden that seems to have a high standard when it comes to t-shirts specially clothing lines. I've now made an inquiry for a quote and I got that quote today...

Im quite chocked and I dont know what to do really..I want to print a collection of totally 50 t-shirts. These 50 t-shirts consists of six different designs. Each design consists of one design in the front with about 2-4 colours and 2 design on the back with one colour. 

The price I got for these were:

*T-shirt one:* 7 tees with one 2-3 colours print and two 1 coulored print = 63,7 $ per t-shirt.

*T-shirt two:* 6 tees with one four coloured print and two 1 coloured prints = 56,6 $ per t-shirt.

*T-shirt three:* 12 tees with one three coloured print and three one coloured prints = 50,9 $ per t-shirt.

*T-shirt four: *7 tees with one two coloured prints and one one coloured print = 38 $ per t-shirt.

*T-shirt five:* 12 tees with one two coloured prints and three one coloured prints = 50,9 $ per t-shirt.

*T-shirt six: *6 tees with one three coloured print, one two coloured print and one one coloured print = 56,6 $.


2616,67 $ taxes excluded for 50 tees does not seem right and I want your opinion on this. What should I do? I really don want to compromise the design of my shirt just to get cheaper.. Is the price they want really that high or am I being hustled?

Sorry if my thread is long but this is really concerning me and this seems to be the best site for these kind of questions!

Any insight or answer is helpful!

Best regards/
Kareem


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## spexel (Oct 28, 2009)

im new on this forum too but my guess would be that your order is too small so you get a very high price for each shirt. With my little experience so far it seem that you start getting a good price when you have around 50+ tees.


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## TshirtGuru (Jul 9, 2008)

You are ordering too small of a quantity to get good prices for screen printing. You may want to try DTG but that won't be that great in price either.

I'm surprised that they'd even screen print that few of shirts per design.

Edit: Realized you didnt mention how they were printing your shirts. DTG or screen print? OR something else?


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## ifrikia.street (Jun 28, 2009)

Thanks for the reply's! I forgot to tell that it is screenprinting that I want to print my t-shirts with.

I've just made a new inquiry and this time I made an inquiry quote of 50 t-shirts per model, hopefully this will keep the price down.


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## Threadbird (Sep 29, 2009)

Hey Karim,

How did that new quote at 50 pieces per design work out for you? I do agree with the others that being at around 50 is a better idea - or at the very least 36. You will usually find price breaks around the qtys of 50, 72, 100, 144, 200, 250, 288, 600, 1200 per design - just depends on the company and if they do price breaks by the dozens or more rounded numbers.

Hope this helps.

Steve - Storenvy


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## ifrikia.street (Jun 28, 2009)

StorenvyPrinting said:


> Hey Karim,
> 
> How did that new quote at 50 pieces per design work out for you? I do agree with the others that being at around 50 is a better idea - or at the very least 36. You will usually find price breaks around the qtys of 50, 72, 100, 144, 200, 250, 288, 600, 1200 per design - just depends on the company and if they do price breaks by the dozens or more rounded numbers.
> 
> ...



I have just gotten new prices from the same printer. This time I asked the price for 50 pieces per design.

The most expensive design to print will cost me 15,6 $ per t-shirt. The least expensive design to print will cost me 14 $ per t-shirt.

So around a total of 255 t-shirts will cost me 3821 $. I still think its kind of expensive but if i manage to sell every t-shirt I would still make a profit. 

What's your thoughts on this?


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## Threadbird (Sep 29, 2009)

Hey Karim,

That does seem to be a bit high but I couldn't know for sure without knowing what brand/style garments you're wanting to have and what type of specialty decoration you may be wanting. But yes, assuming you're wanting even up to the typical premium t-shirts with somewhat standard decoration, that does seem to be a bit of a high price. I would encourage getting another quote to compare.

Steve - Storenvy Printing


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## Rhinestones fun (Nov 4, 2009)

Yes, you should get another quote. But keep in mind that your requested T-shirts are around 3-5 colors and are double sided (back and front).


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## ifrikia.street (Jun 28, 2009)

The printer actually told me that if I chose to get my design printed on t-shirt from fruit of the loom or Gildan it would be 3,5 $ per t-shirt. 

My designs are basically one design with 2-4 colours on the front and two smaller design in one colour on the back.


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## Threadbird (Sep 29, 2009)

Karim,

Got your message and tried to reply but your box is full. Thanks for the kind words about our website. You can feel free to shoot over any information to [email protected] We do all of our production out of the Chicago area.

Sincerely,

Steve - Storenvy
www.storenvy.com/printing


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## red514 (Jul 21, 2009)

From what you last said it seems the quotes you're getting are not bad for what you are asking. I'm guessing these quotes the printer is giving you is including all costs (blank tees, color separation and films, screens and set up charges).
I'm guessing the printer is quoting you as a 1 time small run job. If these are just samples to start and you plan to do a production run of these or repeat orders, your costs will start to drop.

I've been given some quotes where everything is included and the quote is given on a /unit basis, so everything is included. I prefer quotes that give the printing cost as /design/unit and the 'initial costs' (films,screens, setup,ect..) quoted separately. This is because if you're doing repeats or samples prior to production, some printers offer to keep files on hand and will wave the initial costs on repeats or large volume production (they do often charge just a setup charge per design).

It's the 'initial costs' that are the most expensive with silkscreening. The more you produce the cheaper it gets because those 'initial costs' are allocated over the entire production run.


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## studog79 (Jul 13, 2006)

It might be cheaper getting shirts printed else where. We print for a customer close to you in Norway.


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## ifrikia.street (Jun 28, 2009)

studog79 said:


> It might be cheaper getting shirts printed else where. We print for a customer close to you in Norway.


Where are you located?


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## ifrikia.street (Jun 28, 2009)

ifrikia.street said:


> Hey!
> 
> First of all this site is the best! I've picked up alot of knowledge about the t-shirt business just by reading threads in this site so thanks!
> 
> ...



Finally went with an american printing company named Storenvy. I have just made my order and so far I'm very satisfied much due to the great customer service I experienced (thanks Steve!).


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