Why printing on a White Shirt will save you money

A white 100% cotton shirt is the easiest type of shirt to screen print, therefore also making it the cheapest.  You can easily print any color or type of design on a white shirt.  Now if you print on a dark color shirt, for example: reds, blacks, purples, blues, it becomes more complicated to print and prices go up. 

Why is it more cumbersome to print on colored shirts? It’s all about the color of the shirt and the color of the design.  In order for the design colors to show up correctly on a colored shirt, the screen-printer needs to put down a white base under the design.  This white base acts as a barrier between colors and will allow the design colors to show up correctly on the printed shirt.  If a white base was not used, the color of the shirt will alter the color of the design.  For example, if you printed a blue design on a red shirt without a white under base, then the blue design will take on a reddish tint from the shirt.  The screen printer then needs to make sure that the following screens properly cover the base, so that the white base is hidden in the final product.   These extra steps raise the cost of printing on colored shirts, making it more cost-effective to print on whites.