How to Start a Screen Printing Business
in 2026
📅 Last updated: March 07, 2026
Everything you need to launch a profitable screen printing business — from legal setup and equipment to pricing, marketing, and getting your first 10 clients. Plus: how AI can run your operations.
Skip the manual work. Let AI run your business.
Bizzby gives you a full AI team — marketing, sales, bookings, invoicing, client management — for $199/mo. One human VA costs $3,000-$4,000/mo and does a fraction of the work.
Use this execution order to launch with clear pricing, reliable delivery, and consistent lead flow in your first 30 days.
Define Your Screen Printing Services
Screen printing businesses earn from custom apparel, team uniforms, event merchandise, and brand promotional products.
- Custom t-shirts (bulk orders) — 24+ pieces for teams, events, and businesses. $8-$15 per shirt. Your highest-volume service.
- Small-batch custom apparel — 12-24 piece orders for small businesses and organizations. $12-$20 per shirt. Higher per-unit pricing.
- Promotional products — tote bags, hats, and hoodies with custom prints. $10-$40 per item. Diversifies beyond t-shirts.
- Brand merchandise lines — create and sell your own branded apparel. $25-$40 retail per shirt. Highest margins when selling DTC.
- Event and fundraiser merchandise — runs, festivals, and charity events. 50-500+ piece orders. Rush fees for tight deadlines add 20-30%.
Set Up Your Screen Printing Equipment
Start lean, but buy equipment that lets you finish jobs safely and profitably.
- small-batch production setup ($400-$8,000)
- packaging + labeling supplies ($150-$2,500)
- inventory and reorder tracking system ($0-$120/mo)
- Etsy/Shopify storefront tools ($0-$80/mo)
- product photography and content kit ($100-$1,200)
Price Screen Printing by Quantity and Color Count
Screen printing costs decrease dramatically with volume. More shirts = lower cost per screen setup = better margins.
- 1-color print (24+ shirts): $8-$12 per shirt. Single screen setup. Fast and profitable. Your bread-and-butter order.
- Multi-color print (24+ shirts): $10-$18 per shirt depending on color count. Each color adds a screen setup fee of $20-$35.
- Small orders (under 24): $15-$25 per shirt. Higher per-unit to cover setup time. Some shops set a 12-piece minimum.
- Screen setup fee: $20-$35 per color per design. Separate from per-shirt pricing. Covers screen preparation and ink mixing.
- Rush order premium: 25-50% surcharge for orders needed in under 5 business days. Charge it — rush jobs disrupt your schedule.
Get Screen Printing Orders
Custom apparel clients are schools, sports teams, businesses, and event organizers. Build relationships with repeat buyers.
- Local business cold outreach — walk into businesses with samples. Restaurants, gyms, and retail stores all need branded apparel.
- School and sports team sales — contact coaches, booster clubs, and school administrators. Team orders are 24-100+ shirts. Repeat annually.
- Google Business Profile — rank for "screen printing near me" and "custom t-shirts near me." Local search drives walk-in and call-in orders.
- Event organizer outreach — contact 5K race organizers, festival promoters, and charity event planners. Event merch is bulk and repeating.
- Online order form — let customers upload designs and request quotes through your website. Reduces phone time and captures leads 24/7.
Scale Production and Revenue
Solo screen printers handle $50K-$100K in annual sales. Adding equipment and staff pushes toward $200K-$500K+.
- Upgrade to an automatic press: auto presses print 10x faster than manual. Investment of $5K-$20K pays off quickly at volume.
- Hire a printer: $15-$20/hour. Train them on your presses and quality standards. Frees you to focus on sales and design.
- Add embroidery: embroidered polos, hats, and jackets. $5-$15 per item. Same customers, complementary product offering.
- Launch your own brand: design and sell your own apparel line alongside custom work. DTC margins are 60-70% vs. 40-50% on custom orders.
- Build annual accounts: schools, leagues, and businesses reorder every year. 20 annual accounts at $2K each = $40K in predictable revenue.
A home-based screen printing setup can launch for under $2,000. A professional shop with production dryer and multiple presses runs $8,000-$20,000.
| Item | Budget Start | Professional Setup |
|---|---|---|
| Manual press (4-color, 1-station) | $400-$800 | $1,500-$3,000 |
| Exposure unit (UV light box) | $200-$500 | $1,000-$2,500 |
| Aluminum screens (set of 10) | $150-$300 | $400-$800 |
| Plastisol ink set (8 colors) | $150-$300 | $500-$1,500 |
| Flash dryer + conveyor dryer | $300-$600 | $2,000-$6,000 |
| Squeegees, flood bars, tools | $100 | $300 |
| Emulsion + screen chemicals | $100-$200 | $500 |
| LLC registration + EIN | $100-$300 | $300-$500 |
| Business insurance (general liability) | $500/yr | $1,500/yr |
| Business operations (Bizzby) | $199/mo (Starter) | $499/mo (Scale) |
| Total | ~$2,000 | ~$17,000 |
Screen printing income scales directly with press capacity and order volume. Margins are excellent once equipment is paid off — cost per shirt is $2-$5; revenue per shirt is $12-$30+.
Screen printing pricing depends on quantity, color count, and garment type. Larger orders have lower per-unit prices but generate more total revenue per setup.
Bizzby replaces the need for a receptionist, marketing team, bookkeeper, and office manager. Here's what each plan includes.
🚀 Starter — $199/mo
Everything you need to run a one-person business professionally. AI handles scheduling, invoicing, client communication, review requests, and basic marketing. You focus on the work.
- AI receptionist (24/7 call & text handling)
- Online booking & scheduling
- Automated invoicing & payments
- Review generation & management
- Basic email marketing
- Client CRM
⚡ Scale — $499/mo
Everything in Starter, plus advanced marketing, team management, and growth tools. Built for businesses ready to scale from solo to team.
- Everything in Starter
- Advanced marketing campaigns
- Team scheduling & dispatching
- Multi-location support
- Advanced analytics & reporting
- Priority support
- Custom integrations
Follow this and you'll have your shop set up, first orders in, and your first payments collected within a month.
Week 1-2: Foundation
- Purchase a manual screen printing press (4-color, 4-station minimum)
- Buy screens, emulsion, inks, and a flash dryer or conveyor dryer
- Set up a clean workspace with exposure unit and washout station
- Register LLC, get EIN, and open business checking
- Get general liability insurance
- Source blank shirts from wholesale suppliers (SanMar, S&S Activewear)
- Create a pricing sheet by quantity and color count
Week 3-4: Launch
- Print your first sample run of 24+ shirts to practice quality and registration
- Photograph your sample prints for your portfolio
- Walk into 10 local businesses with sample shirts and your price list
- Contact 5 schools, sports teams, or booster clubs about custom apparel
- Set up a Google Business Profile and a simple website with an order form
- Complete your first paid custom order
- Ask your first client for a photo wearing the shirts and a Google review
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