Minimums

Most screen printers have minimum order quantities (MOQs), which vary. At Machine we offer a minimum of just 20 shirts for a one-colour design on white garments. Printing costs are averaged over the number of shirts, so smaller orders are proportionally more expensive

Screen printing requires significant setup time regardless of order size. This includes steps like art preparation, screen creation, and test prints. This overhead cost (e.g., $200) is spread across the order. Therefore, printing just one shirt would be prohibitively expensive (e.g., $200 for one shirt).

Some companies offer “no minimum” printing using a different process called Direct-to-Garment (DTG). DTG printing is similar to inkjet printing on paper and requires less setup than traditional screen printing, but the print quality can differ.

One screen is used for each colour to be printed. Screens must be lined up and printed on test sheets to ensure that all of the colours line up correctly. Inks are then pushed through the screens one colour at a time onto the apparel. Finally, each piece is run through a large dryer to cure the inks.