Screen printing pushes ink through a mesh stencil, one screen per color — it's the most cost-effective method at volume, and the least flexible for small or highly detailed orders.
Indy Custom Apparel connects Indianapolis-area customers with independent custom apparel providers. We don't own or operate a print shop — pricing, production and turnaround are set by the provider handling your order. See how it works →
We'd rather tell you upfront where this method doesn't make sense than match you to the wrong provider.
✓ Bulk orders — cost drops sharply as quantity rises
✓ Bold, simple graphics and wordmarks
✓ Standard cotton and cotton-blend fabrics
✓ Long print runs with consistent color matching
✕ Per-color setup fee makes small orders expensive
✕ Full-color or gradient art needs many screens — costly and often impractical
✕ Not ideal for one-off or highly variable designs per shirt
✕ Minimum order sizes (often 12-24 pieces) apply at most shops
Each ink color needs its own screen, its own setup, and its own pass through the press — a 4-color design costs meaningfully more to set up than a 1-color design, regardless of quantity. Simplifying your color palette is the single biggest lever for lowering a screen print quote.
Screen printing wins decisively past 100+ pieces with 1-3 colors. Below 24-50 pieces, or with full-color art, DTF almost always comes out cheaper once you account for setup fees. We'll flag which side of that line your order falls on during matching.
Garment type, quantity and design.
Your project matched to a provider suited to screen printing.
A qualified provider reaches out with pricing.
Proofs and production handled directly by that provider.
No — Indy Custom Apparel is a matching service. We connect you with a qualified Indianapolis-area provider whose equipment fits your project. Production, pricing and turnaround are handled by that provider.
A one-time charge per color to create and mount the screen used for that color. It's fixed regardless of quantity, which is why it matters less on large orders and more on small ones.
Most shops handle up to 6 colors on standard equipment. Beyond that, cost and complexity climb quickly, and DTF usually becomes more practical.
Free to submit. No obligation until you approve a quote from a matched provider.
