Coloso Crew — workwear and team kit production | colosocrew.com

Coloso Crew — workwear and team kit production | colosocrew.com

What decoration actually costs

Decoration cost is setup charged once plus per-unit work repeated — and the method decides which side of that line dominates.

Screen printing's fixed cost is the setup: commonly USD 25-60 per screen, per side, with one screen for every colour. A four-colour design printed front and back therefore carries eight setups before a single garment is printed, which is why small multi-colour runs quote high.

Embroidery's variable cost is the stitch. A left-chest logo is typically 3,000-8,000 stitches, and the per-unit price falls as the artwork is simplified — fewer colour changes, larger filled shapes, less fine detail. Cap-back embroidery is priced as one location regardless of area.

The signature mark of this site, drawn as a plate

On narrow screens, swipe or scroll the plate sideways.

Minimums exist because the setup has to be amortised across the run: typically 12-24 pieces for embroidery and 24-50 for screen printing. Below those numbers the fixed charge outweighs the garments themselves.

Unit prices break downward as the run grows, because the same setup is spread over more pieces. The practical question for a buyer is not the headline per-piece figure but where the next price break sits.

Colour matching also carries a cost implication. Screen printing cannot hit an exact hex because inks are mixed from a physical swatch; DTG prints process colours and gets closer to a digital reference at small runs. Choosing the method on colour grounds changes the whole cost structure, so this decision belongs in the specification described on Specifying the order — and it affects the schedule on Lead times and repeat orders.

  • Screen setup — USD 25-60 per colour, per side
  • Embroidery — priced per stitch, 3,000-8,000 for a left chest
  • Minimums — 12-24 pieces embroidery, 24-50 screen printing
  • Price breaks — unit cost falls as the setup is spread wider
  • Colour matching — swatch-mixed ink versus DTG process colour

Further reading