Real numbers
What live printing costs
Most events land between $5K and $15K, all-in. Here's exactly what moves the number — and what never shows up as a surprise.
The anchor
$5K – $15K
where most events land, all-in · itemized quote within 24 hours
The five things that move your number
Guest count
More guests, more garments, sometimes more presses. The single biggest input — a 150-person party and an 800-person conference are different machines.
Hours of printing
A two-hour cocktail window costs less than a six-hour festival shift. Most private events book three to four hours.
Garment tier
Classic tees anchor the budget; soft fashion tees sit a notch up; hoodies and crewnecks are the premium tier. Mixing tiers is the smart play.
Methods
Live screen printing is the base. Adding a DTF station for full-color art and guest names adds a station and an operator.
Travel
$0 in Orange County, LA, and San Diego. Beyond SoCal, transport and lodging ride the quote at cost — stated plainly, never padded.
What every quote includes
- The crew — two professional printers standard, scaled up for bigger builds
- The hardware — two screen-printing presses, flash dryers, tables, and station setup
- Your designs — art direction plus screens burned with two to four custom designs
- The garments — blanks in your colors with a full XS–4XL size curve on hand
- Unlimited printing — every shirt pulled during your window, no per-piece meter
- Setup & teardown — about 90 minutes in, about 60 minutes out, invisible to guests
Where events tend to land
A focused single-press party build with tees and two designs sits near the bottom of the range. The most-booked shape — two presses, soft tees plus a hoodie or tote tier, three to four hours, 200–350 guests — lands mid-range. Multi-station builds with DTF personalization, fleece tiers, or travel push toward the top. The budget guide breaks down all three shapes, and the cost answer page goes deeper on the math.
Because they'd mislead you. Two events with identical hours can be thousands apart depending on garments and crew size. An itemized quote tied to your actual event is more honest than a teaser rate with asterisks.
Yes — a deposit holds your date, with the balance due around event day. The exact split is spelled out on your quote with zero fine print.
Tell us as soon as you know. Garment counts flex up or down ahead of the event, and SoCal events can even restock mid-party if a size runs hot.
No. The quote lists crew, presses, garments, printing, and (outside SoCal) travel at cost. If it's not on the quote, it doesn't exist.
We size builds to the event — smaller parties get smaller builds. If your budget is below where a live build makes sense, we'll say so plainly and suggest alternatives.
