Screen printing is the industry standard for bulk custom apparel. Using mesh screens, ink, and a squeegee, screen printing produces bold, durable prints that last for years. It's the most cost-effective method for medium to large orders.
What Is Screen Printing?
Screen printing (also called silk screen printing) uses a mesh screen with a stencil of your design. Ink is pushed through the open areas of the screen onto the garment using a squeegee. Each color in the design requires a separate screen, which is why screen printing has setup costs.
Once screens are created, printing additional shirts is fast and inexpensive, making screen printing the most economical choice for orders of 25+ pieces.
Advantages of Screen Printing
- Most cost-effective for bulk orders (25+ pieces)
- Bold, opaque colors that last for years
- Wide range of specialty inks (metallic, glow-in-the-dark, puff, etc.)
- Works on virtually any garment type
- Industry standard for teams, events, and promotions
- Extremely durable — prints outlast the garment
Common Screen Printing Applications
- Team jerseys and sports uniforms
- Corporate events and branded merchandise
- Concert tour merchandise
- School spirit wear and class shirts
- Nonprofit fundraisers and awareness campaigns
How to Find Screen Printing Shops Near You
Use our free directory to search for screen printing shops by zip code. Enter your zip above to see nearby stores, compare turnaround times, and find shops that offer same-day screen printing.
Find screen printing Shops Near You
Search 500+ verified shops by zip code. Free, no sign-up required.
Search Now — It's FreeFrequently Asked Questions
Most screen printing shops have a minimum of 12-25 pieces per design due to screen setup costs. However, some shops offer smaller runs at a higher per-shirt price. Check with individual shops for their minimums.
Screen printing is the most durable printing method. Properly done screen prints can last 50-100+ washes and often outlive the garment itself.
Screen printing can handle unlimited colors, but each color requires a separate screen, adding to setup cost and time. Most shops recommend 1-6 colors for cost-effective orders. Full-color process printing is possible but more expensive.
For orders under 12-25 pieces, DTG or DTF printing is usually more cost-effective since they have no setup costs. Screen printing becomes economical at higher quantities.