Home Custom Apparel Screen Printing

Custom screen printing for business apparel.
Company shirts, printed to order.

Screen printed t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, work shirts, and high-visibility apparel for companies outfitting crews and staff. Up to eight colors, brand color matching to your Pantone specifications, and a 24-piece minimum with no maximum.

Engraved compliance placards produced by Recognition Products
10–14 DAYS
After proof approval
24 PIECES
Order minimum
LIVE PHONE
Real people. Always.
Commercial screen printing

Shirts for crews, shifts, and whole companies.

Screen printing applies each design color separately to create a durable printed graphic. That makes it the practical choice when a lot of people need the same shirt: the artwork is set up once and then runs across the whole order, so the twentieth shirt costs less to produce than the first.

Most of what we print is company apparel rather than one-off orders — crew shirts for a construction firm, hoodies for a shop floor, work shirts for a service team, replacement stock when someone new starts. If you are still deciding what to order across your whole company, start with our apparel overview.

Crew apparel
Field and site teams
T-shirts and work shirts that identify your people on a job site and survive being worn and washed several times a week.
Shop and plant
Production and warehouse staff
Hoodies, sweatshirts, and tees for indoor teams, usually ordered in volume with a straightforward chest or back design.
Company-wide
One design, everyone wearing it
The same artwork across a large group is where screen printing is at its most economical. Quantity discounts apply as the count rises.
Choosing a method

Screen printing or embroidery?

Neither is better. They suit different garments and different designs, and plenty of companies order both — printed tees for the crew, embroidered polos for the office. The question is what you are decorating and how large the artwork is.

Screen printing fits
Larger designs on lighter, flatter garments, especially when the same artwork runs across a big group.
  • T-shirts, hoodies, and sweatshirts
  • Work shirts and high-visibility apparel
  • Full front and full back graphics
  • Designs with bold shapes and defined color areas
  • Larger runs of one design
Embroidery fits
Smaller, more formal logos on structured garments, and anything worn in front of a customer.
  • Polos, button-downs, and work shirts for office roles
  • Jackets, vests, and hats
  • Left chest logos and sleeve marks
  • Individual employee names and titles
  • Apparel where a stitched finish reads better
See custom embroidery →

A useful rule of thumb: if the design is large and the garment is a tee or a hoodie, print it. If the design is a compact logo and the garment is a polo, a jacket, or a hat, stitch it. If your order includes both kinds of garment, tell us and we will quote them together.

Apparel selection

Choosing the shirt before you choose the print.

The garment does more work than most buyers expect. It sets the comfort, the durability, how the color holds after repeated washing, and a large part of the cost. We help you pick rather than sending a catalog and waiting.

T-shirts
The most-printed garment, and the one with the widest range. Value tees keep the cost down on large runs. Softer, lighter shirts feel better and get worn more often. Midweight and heavyweight options hold up longer in hard-wearing environments.
  • 100% cotton, cotton and polyester blends, and tri-blends
  • Performance fabrics where crews work in heat
  • The usual choice for company-wide orders
Hoodies and sweatshirts
Heavier garments that carry a large print well and get worn outside of work, which puts your company name in front of people who are not your customers yet. Popular for shop floors, outdoor crews, and cooler months.
  • Pullover and full-zip styles
  • Crewneck sweatshirts where a hood is not wanted
  • Front and back prints both work well
Work shirts
Built for trade environments and daily wear. Printing suits work shirts when the design is larger or sits on the back; a small chest logo on a work shirt is often better stitched, and we will say so if that is the case.
  • Field crews, technicians, installers
  • Back prints identify staff at a distance
  • Fabric and construction reviewed before printing
High-visibility apparel
We print on high-visibility shirts where the garment and the artwork suit it. Worth being clear about one thing: any safety rating belongs to the garment itself. Adding a printed logo does not create, extend, or certify a rating of any kind.
  • Crews working near traffic or heavy equipment
  • Placement reviewed against the garment
  • Garment certification is separate from decoration

We work with the same brands available across our apparel work, from cost-effective options through to better-known labels. Tell us the budget and the working conditions and we will bring you a short list rather than a catalog.

Fabric and garment suitability

Not every fabric prints the same way.

We print on 100% cotton, cotton and polyester blends, tri-blends, polyester and performance shirts, work shirts, and high-visibility apparel. What we will not do is pretend every one of those produces an identical result.

Print suitability depends on the garment material, its construction, its color, and the artwork itself. Some fabrics take ink differently from others, and some combinations of garment and design are simply better served another way. We review those factors before production, and if a different garment or a different decoration method would give you a better result, we will tell you at the quoting stage rather than after you have paid for a run you are not happy with.

Placement and size

Where the design goes, and how big it can be.

Full front
The most visible placement, and the reason most companies choose printing over stitching. Suits bold artwork and company names meant to be read at a distance.
Full back
Common on crew apparel, where staff are frequently seen from behind on a site or in a warehouse. Often paired with a smaller front design.
Left chest and right chest
A compact logo where a larger graphic would be too much. Left chest is the default; the right side is usually kept for a second mark.
Upper back
A company name or short line below the collar, above a larger back design or on its own.
Sleeve
A secondary spot for a division name, a phone number, or a website. Narrow, so artwork usually needs simplifying to sit well.
More than one location
Front and back together is a frequent combination. Each additional location is a separate stage of production, so it affects the quote.

On size: print dimensions depend on the garment and the artwork. Many standard larger placements are approximately 12″ × 12″ or smaller, but the final printable area is confirmed for the apparel you select. Seams, pockets, zippers, and layered construction all limit where a print can sit, and a design sized for an adult tee will not sit the same way on every garment in a mixed order.

Colors

Up to eight colors, matched to your brand.

We print up to eight colors in a design. Each color in your artwork is applied separately, so every additional one adds production work and time — which is why color count is one of the two things that moves a screen printing quote most.

PMS
We can match your Pantone brand colors.
If your company uses defined Pantone or PMS brand colors, include those color specifications with your artwork. We can mix screen print colors to those PMS specifications to help maintain brand consistency across your apparel. Send the references with your first order and they carry through to every order after it.
Printing on dark apparel
Light and multicolor designs can be printed on dark t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, and suitable work apparel. Getting a bright color to read correctly on a dark garment takes an extra layer of ink underneath so the color sits true rather than sinking into the fabric. That is normal work; it just means a dark-garment order is built slightly differently from a light-garment one.
Fewer colors, further budget
If a quote comes back higher than you hoped, color count is usually the first place to look. A design simplified from six colors to two often keeps its character and changes the number meaningfully. We will show you what that would look like before you decide.
Artwork

What to send us, and what happens if you do not have it.

1
Vector artwork is what we want
PDF, AI, EPS, SVG, or CorelDRAW. That is usually what your designer or sign company produced when your branding was built, and it scales to any print size without losing definition.
2
Send what you have if that is not it
Plenty of companies only have a logo from a website or a photo of an old shirt. Send it. We will tell you honestly whether it is usable at the size you want. Artwork that needs cleanup or a rebuild starts at $50, quoted per order before we begin any of it.
3
Small text and fine detail get reviewed
There is no single size below which detail stops working in printing — it depends on the artwork, the thickness of the lines and lettering, how many colors are involved, the final print size, and the garment material. Fine-detail artwork is reviewed before production, and if something will not hold at the size you want, we tell you and suggest what to change.
4
Include your brand colors
Pantone or PMS references, if your company has them, sent alongside the artwork. It is the difference between a color that is close and a color that is right.
How orders are counted

Minimums, mixed styles, and garment colors.

This is the part buyers most often get wrong, and it is worth understanding before you plan an order rather than after we quote it.

24
Garment color affects how the minimum is counted.
Our minimum is 24 pieces, with no maximum. But if the same design will be printed on substantially different garment colors, the order may need to meet the 24-piece minimum for each compatible color group. Six shirts each in four different colors is not the same as twenty-four shirts in one color, even with identical artwork. We confirm this when reviewing your quote — so tell us your color split early and we will structure the order around it.
Mixing apparel styles
Different styles can sometimes be combined in one production group when they carry the same artwork, have compatible print requirements, use similar garment colors, and are made from compatible fabrics. Tees and hoodies in the same color with the same front design is a common example. Not every combination works that way, so we confirm it when quoting rather than promising it up front.
No maximum
There is no upper limit. Larger runs are where screen printing earns its place, and quantity discounts apply as the count goes up.
What affects the price

Screen printing is quoted, not priced from a table.

No published figure would be right for more than a handful of orders. These are the things that actually move the number, roughly in order of how much they matter.

Number of colors
Each color is applied separately, so each one adds production work. Going from two colors to six changes a quote more than most buyers expect.
Number of print locations
A front print alone costs less than front and back. Each location is handled as its own stage of the job.
The garment you choose
A value tee and a heavyweight hoodie are different garments at different costs before anything is printed on them.
Quantity
Quantity discounts apply, and printing rewards volume more than most decoration. Counting the whole crew once usually beats ordering twice.
Garment colors in the order
Splitting one design across several garment colors changes how the order is grouped, which affects both the minimum and the price.
Artwork preparation
A one-time cost only when artwork needs cleanup or rebuilding, starting at $50 and quoted with the order rather than added afterward.
Approval and production

From quote to delivered apparel.

1
You send artwork and the basics
The design, roughly how many pieces with a size breakdown if you have one, the garment colors you want, and where the print should go.
2
We review artwork and apparel together
Colors, print size, garment suitability, and how your color split affects the order structure. If something needs changing we raise it now, not later.
3
You get a quote
Priced for the order as it will actually run, including any artwork preparation, with nothing added after the fact.
4
You approve a digital proof
On new orders we send a digital proof showing the design, its placement, and its size on the garment. Nothing is printed until you have approved it.
5
Production runs
Standard production is 10–14 days after proof approval. That clock starts at approval, not at your first email. Rush service is available with pre-approval, though we will not promise every rush request — call and we will tell you honestly whether your date works.
6
Pickup or shipping
Collect from our Chico shop during business hours, or we ship nationwide. Multi-site companies often have one order split and sent to each location.
Repeat orders

What a reorder actually saves you.

We keep your artwork, your approved design, your garment selections, and your previous order details on file. When you come back for more shirts, we are not starting from scratch — the design that gets printed is the one you already approved, so a new hire in November wears the same shirt the crew received in March.

Worth being straight about what that does and does not mean. Repeat orders still include production setup; printing requires that work every time a job runs, and we would rather say so than let a reorder quote come as a surprise. What you save on a reorder is the artwork stage, the decisions, and the back-and-forth — not the setup itself.

For companies ordering through the year — replenishing worn shirts, outfitting new staff, adding seasonal apparel — that consistency is the point. Your brand looks the same in the fourth order as it did in the first.

Apparel sourcing

We supply the apparel for screen printing.

Screen printing orders are produced on apparel we source as part of the order. We do not print on garments supplied by the customer.

Sourcing the apparel ourselves means the garment and the production requirements are confirmed together: the fabric, the color, the print size, and the artwork are all checked as one job before anything runs. It also means that if something is wrong, it is ours to put right — which is not the case with apparel bought elsewhere. Tell us the style you have in mind, or the budget and the working conditions, and we will put options in front of you.

Who we print for

Companies with crews to outfit.

Construction
Contractors and general builders
Crew tees and work shirts with a back print that identifies the company across a site. Frequently reordered as crews change through the season.
Trades
HVAC, plumbing, and electrical
Shirts worn into customers' homes and businesses, where clear identification matters as much as durability.
Industrial
Manufacturing and production
Tees, hoodies, and sweatshirts for shop-floor teams, usually ordered in volume with straightforward artwork.
Service
Facilities and commercial services
Property maintenance, restoration, pest control, and cleaning teams working at a customer's site under your name.
Corporate
Offices and internal programs
Company-wide shirts for events, milestones, and staff apparel programs, ordered once for everyone at the same time.
Multi-site
Companies with several locations
One approved design, one order, split and shipped to each site so every location looks the same.
Why work with us

Built for companies that reorder.

We have been decorating apparel and identification for businesses since 1982, and our screen printing is produced in-house at our Chico shop. What keeps companies with us has less to do with any single order than with what happens on the fourth one.

Your artwork and order details stay with us
Approved designs, garment selections, and past order information are kept on file so repeat orders match rather than approximate.
Brand colors held consistent
Send your Pantone references once and we work to them on every order, so your company color does not drift between runs.
Commercial capacity, sensible minimum
24 pieces is the minimum and there is no maximum. Small enough for one crew, large enough for a company-wide roll-out.
We tell you when printing is the wrong answer
If your garment or design would be better embroidered, or a different shirt would serve you better, you will hear it at the quoting stage.
A real person answers
Call during business hours and you reach someone in Chico who can talk through garments, colors, and timing. We respond to quote requests within 4 business hours.
Frequently asked

Ordering screen printed company apparel.

What is the minimum screen printing order?
24 pieces, with no maximum. One thing to plan around: if the same design is going on substantially different garment colors, the order may need to meet the 24-piece minimum for each compatible color group. Twenty-four shirts in one color is straightforward; six each in four colors usually is not. Tell us your color split early and we will confirm how the order needs to be structured.
How many colors can you print?
Up to eight. Each color in the design is applied separately, so every additional color adds production work and cost. If a quote comes back higher than you expected, reducing the color count is usually the most effective change, and we will show you what a simplified version would look like before you decide.
Can you match our exact brand colors?
Yes. If your company uses defined Pantone or PMS brand colors, include those specifications with your artwork and we can mix screen print colors to them, which helps keep your branding consistent across apparel and across orders. This is one place printing differs from embroidery, where thread comes in fixed colors and we match to the closest practical one.
How big can the print be?
It depends on the garment and the artwork. Many standard larger placements are approximately 12″ × 12″ or smaller, but the final printable area is confirmed for the apparel you select. Seams, pockets, and garment construction all affect what will sit correctly, and we check that before production.
Can you print light colors on dark shirts?
Yes. Light and multicolor designs can be printed on dark t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, and suitable work apparel. Bright colors need an extra layer of ink underneath so they read true rather than sinking into the fabric, which is normal work — a dark-garment order is simply built a little differently from a light-garment one.
Can we send you shirts we already bought?
No. Screen printing orders are produced on apparel we source as part of the order. That way the garment, the fabric, the color, and the print requirements are all confirmed together before anything runs, and if something goes wrong it is ours to put right. Tell us what you have in mind and we will source it.
Do we pay setup again on a reorder?
Repeat orders do include production setup — printing requires that work each time a job runs, and we would rather tell you that plainly than surprise you with it. What a reorder saves is the artwork stage and the decision-making: your approved design, garment selections, and order details are on file, so the shirts match the last run without starting over.
How small can text be in a printed design?
There is no single minimum. How well fine detail reproduces depends on the artwork, the thickness of the lettering and lines, the number of colors, the final print size, and the garment material. Send the artwork and tell us the size you want it printed, and we will review it and tell you honestly whether it will hold.
Can we mix different shirt styles in one order?
Sometimes. Different styles can be combined when they carry the same artwork, have compatible print requirements, use similar garment colors, and are made from compatible fabrics — tees and hoodies in the same color with the same front design, for example. Not every combination works that way, so we confirm it when quoting rather than promising it in advance.
Should we choose screen printing or embroidery?
Screen printing suits larger designs on t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, and work shirts, particularly when the same artwork runs across a large group. Embroidery suits compact logos on polos, button-downs, jackets, vests, and hats, and it is the option that handles individual employee names. Many companies order both, and we will quote them together.
What do you need to quote our order?
Your artwork, roughly how many pieces with a size breakdown if you have one, the garment or a style you have in mind, the garment colors you want, and where the print should go. If you are missing some of that, send what you have and we will ask about the rest. We respond within 4 business hours during our Monday–Friday 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM PT hours.

Ready to get your company shirts printed?

Send your artwork, a rough headcount, and the garment colors you have in mind. We will come back with apparel options and pricing, and a proof for your approval before anything is printed. We respond within 4 business hours.