Screen print color counts and what they cost
Every ink color is a screen ($20) and a pass through the press. Every location is a separate print. Here is how that adds up on a hoodie order at Battle Born Clothing.
The published rate
| Location(s) | Light garment | Dark garment (adds $0.25 flash) | Screens (one-time) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front only | $4.34 | $4.59 | $20 |
| Front + back | $8.68 | $9.18 | $40 |
That is one color per location at 48 pieces. More colors, more locations and other quantities are quoted per job, but the structure is always the same: a per-piece charge for each color at each location, plus $20 per screen.
Why dark hoodies cost $0.25 more
Light ink on dark fleece needs a white underbase so the color stays bright. The underbase has to be flash-cured before the top color goes on. That flash is $0.25 per piece per location. A white print on a black hoodie is one screen and no flash; a red print on a black hoodie is two screens (white underbase plus red) and a flash.
Worked examples on an Independent IND4000 ($22.75 blank) at 48
| Job | Per piece | Screens | Order total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-color front, light hoodie | $27.09 | $20 | $1,320.32 |
| 1-color front, dark hoodie | $27.34 | $20 | $1,332.32 |
| 1-color front + 1-color back, dark | $31.93 | $40 | $1,572.64 |
| 2-color front, dark | Quoted per job | $40 | Quoted per job |
Ways to keep the count down
- Print in one color that matches the garment family (white on dark, black on light).
- Put the multi-color art on one location and keep the other location one color.
- Use the garment color as a design color: a two-color logo on a matching hoodie becomes a one-color print.
- Under 48 pieces with full-color art, ask about DTF instead.
Ink type does not change the color count
Plastisol, water-based and discharge each need one screen per color. Discharge on dark cotton-rich fleece can replace the white underbase, which is why it is quoted per job after we see the garment.
Questions
How many colors can you print?
Send the art and we will tell you. Most hoodie jobs are one to three colors per location; more is quoted per job.
Do I pay for screens again on a reorder?
Screens are reclaimed after a job, so a reorder is re-screened at $20 per color. Digitized embroidery files, by contrast, are kept.