Below we’re detailing what makes custom t-shirt prices fluctuate
It seems like everything has gotten more expensive within the last few years, and it’s true that custom t-shirt prices have generally gone up in price as well.
We understand how confusing it can be to have purchased a particular t-shirt product in the past and then see that same product be a higher price within a year’s time, so below we’re detailing the factors that come into play when it comes to custom t-shirt prices!
What Makes Prices Go Up For Custom T-Shirts?
The vast majority of factors that increase t-shirt prices are out of the control of printing companies like ARES, but they’re still important to know about from a coach or school administrator’s perspective.
Some of these price-increasing factors include the following:
- Increases in wholesale garment prices due to increases in raw material costs. This is particularly the case when it comes to apparel materials like cotton, rayon, polyester and bamboo that have all seen considerable increases within the last year.
- Increases in manufacturing prices have gone up nationally and throughout the world due to many reasons, including wholesale shipping cost increases and gas/oil prices. Prices for shipping containers have at least tripled since the initial stages of the pandemic, and truckload prices have also significantly increased as well.
- Supply chain halts and port congestion issues have had a detrimental impact on ink manufacturing, which has caused a major halt in ink shipping efficiency and has also increased prices.
- Inflation continues to be a growing problem even in the custom apparel industry. As of May 2022, inflation has increased over 8% signaling one of the biggest spikes in recent decades.
- Apparel brands have increased their own prices on a broad scale, anywhere from 5-15%. This has also negatively impacted the overall availability and color selection for many t-shirt products.
Key Strategies To Keep The Costs Of Your Custom T-Shirts Down
The following are some great strategies to help you save money on your next custom t-shirt orders:
- Carefully Choosing Your Products: Every t-shirt is unique in terms of its construction and overall quality. What’s great about shopping with ARES Sportswear is that we offer a wide selection of t-shirts that just so happen to come in at unparalleled prices. But from a shopper’s perspective, it’s important to remember the overall purpose of your t-shirts and make appropriate decisions based on those purposes.
- Increasing Your T-Shirt Order Quantity: ARES Sportswear will calculate discounts based upon your order quantity, and our custom apparel experts will help you narrow down these price fluctuations based upon your unique needs!
- Reducing Print Colors: Another good tip to lower costs is to make the most of half-tones, as opposed to utilizing many different colors. Half tones can help you reduce the amount of screens required to print a t-shirt, which goes a long way to reduce per unit costs.
- Reducing Print Locations: Limiting your custom design to your most important print locations with limited colors will also go a long way to reduce overall t-shirt order costs.
- Get Your Sizing Right The First Time: It’s always a bummer when you need to place second and third orders due to size guessing, so understanding your size ratios will help you get the best price break for your order. Making sure your t-shirt order is a one-and-done deal will save you a ton and ensure that you’re keeping your apparel order as cost-effective as possible.
- Choosing An Affordable Decorating Method: Complicated, detailed designs featuring many colors will always be more expensive as compared to more basic design concepts when it comes to screen printing. That’s why direct-to-garment printing can be a better option when you need to maintain your existing aesthetics but want to also save a good bit.
- Reducing Personalization: We’ll always be more than happy to offer custom personalization for your t-shirts, but if you don’t need this type of personalization then you can skip these extra costs.
Contact The ARES Team To Learn More About The Prices For Your Next Custom T-Shirts!
ARES Sportswear has been there for many teams and schools when it comes to custom t-shirts, and we understand how important it is to remain within your set budget for these types of apparel investments.
Our team will answer your questions and help you make cost-effective purchasing decisions, and feel free to contact us online to get in touch with us today to learn more about what impacts custom t-shirt costs!