Print Methods &
Volume Pricing

Screen print wins on total cost for most 24-piece orders — but the math depends on your logo's color count. Take Port Authority K500 as an example: Embroidery at 24 pcs = $24/pc × 24 = $576 total (no setup fee). Screen print at 24 pcs = $18/pc × 24 = $432 apparel + $35 setup fee (1-color logo) = $467 total — saving you roughly $109. Add a second color and setup jumps to $70, bringing the total to $502, still $74 cheaper than embroidery. Where embroidery wins: premium polos (Devon & Jones, Mercer+Mettle), logos with fine detail or gradients that screen print can't replicate, and runs under ~12 pieces where embroidery has no setup overhead. Rule of thumb: 1–3 color logo on a budget or mid-range polo, 24+ pcs? Screen print. Premium polo or complex artwork? Embroidery.

The key difference is the hood — hoodies have one, sweatshirts don't. Both use premium fleece construction and work beautifully with Screen Print and DTF. Hoodies tend to have a bulkier, more athletic silhouette and a higher price point (from $49.99); sweatshirts are cleaner, more versatile, and more affordable (from $39.99). Sweatshirts also have a fully flat front panel which gives you more printable surface area. Hoodies are the go-to for premium merch drops, outdoor events, and athletic orders. Sweatshirts shine for corporate uniforms, collegiate orders, and large-volume runs where cost and turnaround matter. See our full side-by-side comparison on the Pricing page under 'Hoodies vs Sweatshirts'.

Both produce full-color prints with no minimums and no setup fees. Heat Transfer is the more affordable option and great for most designs. DTF (Direct-to-Film) costs $2 more per piece but delivers sharper detail, stronger adhesion on stretch fabrics, and better durability over repeated washes — making it the premium choice for complex artwork.

Screen Print is the go-to for high-volume orders of 50+ pieces with spot-color designs (logos, text, limited colors). At that scale, it offers the lowest per-piece cost, the most vibrant colors, and prints that last for years. The trade-off: a one-time setup fee per color and a 24-piece minimum order.

Correct — zero minimums for both Heat Transfer and DTF. You can order a single piece if you need it. Screen Print is the only method with a minimum (24 pcs) because the screen setup process requires a base quantity to be cost-effective.

Each color in your design requires its own screen to be created before printing begins. The setup fee covers that one-time process per color. For example, a 2-color logo has a setup fee for each of those 2 colors. The fee is charged once per order, so the more pieces you order, the less impact it has on your per-piece cost.

Before a design can be embroidered, it must be converted from artwork (a logo file, PNG, etc.) into a stitch file — a format that tells the embroidery machine exactly where to place each thread. This conversion process is called digitization, and it's a one-time fee charged per design. The good news: you only pay it once. Reorders using the same design don't incur the fee again.

Most clean logo designs, text, and icons translate beautifully to embroidery. However, very fine details, gradients, thin lines, and photographic images are difficult or impossible to reproduce accurately with thread — we'll advise you on any simplifications needed. Complex designs with many colors may also require additional stitching time. When you submit your quote, our team reviews your artwork and flags any concerns before production begins.

Yes, fully automatic — no promo codes needed. Discounts are applied based on the quantity in your order: 50–99 pcs = 10% off, 100–249 = 20% off, 250–499 = 30% off, 500+ = 35% off. The discount applies to all products in your order, across all categories.

Absolutely. Each product line item in your order can have a different print method. For example, you can order T-shirts with Screen Print and Hats with Embroidery in the same quote request — just specify per item in your notes when submitting your quote.

For the best results, we recommend vector files (AI, EPS, or PDF) for logos and text-based designs, and high-resolution PNG or TIFF (300 dpi+) for photos and detailed artwork. When submitting your quote, paste a Google Drive or Dropbox link to your artwork file — our design team will review and confirm suitability.

Production time begins after you approve the digital proof (typically within 1 business day of quote acceptance). Heat Transfer: 3–5 days. DTF: 5–7 days. Screen Print: 7–10 days. Embroidery: 7–12 days. Shipping time is additional. Rush production is available — mention it in your quote request.