T-Shirt Printing Prices in South Africa: The Honest 2026 Guide
T-Shirt Printing Prices questions answered by the team that prints it every day. Platinum Digital Printing runs its own presses, embroidery machines and large-format printers in Randburg, Johannesburg — this guide shares what we tell our own clients, with no sales fog.
What Drives T-Shirt Printing Prices
Three things set your price: the garment, the print method and the quantity. A quality 145gsm cotton crew costs less than a performance golfer; a one-colour screen print costs less per unit than a full-colour DTF transfer; and 100 shirts always beat 10 on unit price.
Unit prices drop sharply with volume because setup costs spread across the run. If your budget is tight, increasing quantity often costs less than you expect per unit.
Price Ranges by Method
Screen printing is the bulk champion — from roughly R60–R120 per shirt all-in at volume for simple prints. DTF full-colour runs land higher per unit but need no minimums. Embroidery is priced by stitch count and suits corporate wear where durability beats cost.
Sublimation all-over prints sit at the premium end but never crack or fade — standard for sports kits.
Hidden Costs to Watch
Cheap quotes often exclude artwork setup, extra print positions and delivery. Ask for an all-in price: garment + print + setup + delivery. A second print position (back or sleeve) typically adds a modest per-unit amount, not a doubling.
Supply a print-ready PDF with 3mm bleed at 300dpi where possible. Not sure? Send what you have — our prepress team checks every file free and flags problems before they cost you money.
How to Get the Best Price
Consolidate orders across departments, choose stock garment colours, keep designs to fewer colours for screen printing, and order before your deadline squeezes you into express fees.
Because production happens in-house at our Randburg centre, Gauteng clients can collect same-day on many products, and national orders courier within 1–3 working days.
Need T-Shirt Printing Prices Handled?
Exact quote within the hour — free artwork check, digital proof, same-day options in Gauteng.
T-Shirt Printing Prices — Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to print 50 t-shirts in South Africa?
With screen printing on quality cotton shirts, 50 units typically lands in the R70–R130 per shirt range depending on print colours and positions. Request a quote for exact pricing.
Is DTF more expensive than screen printing?
Per unit at volume, yes — but DTF has no setup fees and no minimums, so for under ~20 shirts DTF is usually cheaper overall.
Do I pay less if I supply my own shirts?
You pay only for printing, but check garment suitability first — we verify fabric before accepting supplied stock.
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Further reading: screen printing.
