How much does a custom T-shirt cost in Québec?
Why it’s so hard to get a price
Ask five Montréal shops for the price of a custom T-shirt and you’ll get three things: a quote form, a price sheet per hundred pieces, and silence. It isn’t bad faith. The price depends on several variables, and many shops prefer to sort them out on the phone rather than post them.
The problem is that without a posted price, you can’t compare. You get a quote at $31 a unit without knowing whether it includes logo setup, shipping or a second position. That’s why we post our prices, and why we explain here where the gap between shops comes from.
Price by technique
Technique is the first price factor. There are three main ones in Québec.
Digital transfer printing. The artwork is printed on a film, then heat-pressed into the fabric. No screen to prepare, no limit on colours. It’s the most economical technique in small and medium quantities. At Maison Brody, a printed T-shirt is $23.
Embroidery. The logo is stitched into the fabric, thread by thread. It first has to be converted into a stitch file, which is called digitizing. The result lasts as long as the garment. At Maison Brody, an embroidered T-shirt is $27, and digitizing ($7) is free from five embroidered pieces.
Screen printing. Ink is pushed through a screen, one screen per colour. Screen fees make it expensive for small runs but very competitive at high volume with few colours. We don’t do screen printing: if your project is thousands of one-colour pieces, it’s probably the right technique, and we’ll tell you so.
Maison Brody’s price list
| Piece | Technique | Unit price |
|---|---|---|
| Slim-fit T-shirt | Printing | $23 |
| Slim-fit T-shirt | Embroidery | $27 |
| Heavyweight T-shirt | Printing | $26 |
| Heavyweight T-shirt | Embroidery | $30 |
| Logo digitizing | Embroidery | $7, free from 5 pieces |
| Setup fee | Printing | $0 |
Prices include the shirt and one logo in one position. Taxes and shipping extra. The full list, from caps to hoodies, is in the shop.
What makes the price vary
- The technique. Embroidery costs $4 to $8 more per piece than printing, depending on the style.
- The quality of the shirt. A thin promotional T-shirt and a heavyweight cotton one don’t cost the same to buy. The very low prices posted online often refer to the former. Always ask for the brand and model.
- The quantity. The bigger the order, the lower the cost per piece. At Maison Brody, the discount is 5% from 25 pieces, 10% from 50 and 15% from 100, applied automatically in the cart.
- Setup fees. Digitizing, screens, setup, proofs: the fees you only see on the invoice. On a small order, they can change the unit price completely. We only have one: $7 digitizing for embroidery, free from five pieces.
Three worked examples
| Situation | Order | Total |
|---|---|---|
| A team of 6 | 6 embroidered T-shirts at $27, digitizing free | $162 |
| An event for 40 | 40 printed T-shirts at $23, 5% discount | $874 |
| A rollout of 120 | 120 printed T-shirts at $23, 15% discount | $2,346 |
Totals before taxes and shipping, using Maison Brody’s posted prices.
How to compare two quotes
- The shirt model. Ask for the brand and model number. Without it, you’re comparing two different products.
- Setup fees. Ask whether they’re included, and how many times they’re charged if you reorder.
- The number of positions. A logo on the front and another on the back is two positions, so two prices.
- Shipping. Flat rate, actual cost or markup? On a small order, the difference shows quickly.
- Lead time. A low price with three weeks of production isn’t worth much if your event is in ten days.
Frequently asked questions
What does a single custom T-shirt cost?
At Maison Brody in Montréal, a slim-fit T-shirt is $23 printed and $27 embroidered, even for a single piece. Most shops that accept single pieces add setup fees that push the real price up.
Why does embroidery cost more than printing?
Embroidery requires converting the logo into a stitch file (digitizing) and machine time for every piece. At Maison Brody, the gap is $4 to $8 per piece depending on the style.
From how many pieces does the price go down?
At Maison Brody, the discount applies automatically: 5% from 25 pieces, 10% from 50 and 15% from 100, across all techniques and styles.
Are taxes included in the posted prices?
No. Posted prices are before GST and QST, as is standard for business purchases in Québec. Shipping is billed at actual cost.
Is screen printing cheaper?
At very high volumes with few colours, yes. Under a few hundred pieces, screen fees charged per colour make digital transfers the better deal. Maison Brody doesn’t do screen printing.
All our prices are in the shop, no form to fill out. Pick a piece, upload your logo, watch the total add up.
Go to the shop
