Plastisol screen printing is the print method behind the majority of event tees, band merch, and corporate uniform shirts. It dominates bulk printing because per-unit cost drops sharply at volume, and durability far exceeds DTG.
How it works
- A mesh screen is coated with light-sensitive emulsion, then exposed to UV light through a film positive of the design. The emulsion hardens everywhere except the design area, creating a stencil.
- Plastisol ink (a PVC-based ink that doesn’t dry at room temperature) is forced through the open mesh areas onto the garment.
- The garment passes under a heat flash to “gel” the ink between colours.
- A final cure at 320°F bonds the plastisol permanently to the fabric.
One screen per colour. A 4-colour design requires 4 separate screens — hence the per-colour setup fee ($20–$40 per screen at most shops).
Cost profile
| Quantity | Screen printing (1-colour) | DTG (1-colour) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Not economical ($40+ setup for 1 shirt) | $15–$18 |
| 12 | $11–$14/tee (setup amortised) | $14–$17 |
| 25 | $9–$12/tee | $12–$15 |
| 50 | $7–$10/tee | $11–$14 |
| 100 | $5.50–$8/tee | $10–$13 |
| 200 | $4–$5.50/tee | $9–$11 |
The crossover: screen printing becomes cheaper than DTG at approximately 25 units for a simple 1-colour design.
Durability advantage
Plastisol inks sit on top of the fabric rather than bonding with the fibres (as DTG inks do). This surface layer is highly resistant to washing because the PVC polymer is chemically stable. Industry standard: plastisol prints retain full colour for 50+ machine wash cycles. DTG prints typically show visible fade at 30–40 cycles under the same conditions.
For items that will be washed frequently — staff uniforms, gym wear, sports team tees — screen printing’s durability advantage is material.
Limitations
- Minimum order quantity: economical only at 25+ units. Below 25, setup cost per shirt is too high.
- Colour count cost: each additional colour adds $0.25–$0.75 per shirt per side. A 4-colour front + 2-colour back on a 100-shirt order can double the effective per-unit cost.
- Photo-quality images: screen printing can’t reproduce photographic gradients accurately. Halftone dots approximate gradients but look pixelated at close range. For photo prints, DTG is the right method.
- White ink on dark garments: screen printing handles this extremely well (the opaque plastisol ink covers dark fabric completely). This is one area where screen outperforms DTG significantly.
Providers that do screen printing
- RushOrderTees — transparent group-order quoting, 5-day production, free shipping over $300
- Custom Ink — best design lab for group orders; 30–40% premium over RushOrderTees
- Local screen printers — typically $7–$9/tee at 200 units, in-person proofing, 4-day turnaround
- Underground Shirts (NYC/online) — competitive pricing; publishes transparent cost data
Related pages
- DTG vs screen printing — the full crossover analysis
- Event tees under 100 units — when screen printing is the right call
- Setup fee (screen) — understand the per-screen charge
- Custom Ink review — the most-recognised screen printer online