Apparel Pricing: Why Do Screen Printers Charge by the Color?
If you are ordering custom t-shirts for the first time, the quote process can be confusing. One of the most common questions we get is why a five-color logo costs significantly more to print than a one-color logo. The answer lies entirely in the physical mechanics of traditional screen printing.
The Mechanics of Ink
Screen printing is a highly physical, labor-intensive process.
- The Setup: Each individual color requires its own completely separate physical screen, a dedicated squeegee, and extensive alignment setup on the massive printing press.
- The Cost Efficiency: Because of this setup time, 1-color prints are drastically cheaper and much faster to produce in massive bulk quantities.
The Raven32 Recommendation
You do not need six colors to make an amazing shirt. As printing and promotional experts, we love finding creative solutions. If you are on a tight budget, our prepress team can easily convert your complex 4-color logo into a highly stylish 1-color halftone design to save you hundreds of dollars on your run. Contact us today to optimize your apparel order.