How many ink colors do you need, and dark vs light shirts
Every ink color is a screen, a setup and a pass on the press. The fastest way to lower a screen print quote is to use fewer colors; the second fastest is to print on a light shirt. This guide shows how Battle Born Clothing counts colors and what dark shirts add.
How colors are counted
One ink color at one location is one screen. A two-color logo on the front is two screens. The same two-color logo on the front and a one-color line of text on the back is three screens. Screens are $20 each. Each color is also a separate print pass, so the per-piece rate goes up with color count; one color is $4.34 per location at 48, more colors are quoted per job.
| Job | Screens | One-time fee |
|---|---|---|
| 1 color front | 1 | $20 |
| 1 color front + 1 color back | 2 | $40 |
| 2 colors front | 2 | $40 |
| 2 colors front + 1 color back | 3 | $60 |
| 3 colors front + 1 color back + 1 color sleeve | 5 | $100 |
Dark shirts and the flash
Ink is translucent. Printed straight onto a black shirt, yellow looks brown. So on dark shirts we print a white underbase first, flash-cure it, then print the color on top. That is the $0.25 flash per location. On white, natural, ash, light grey and most safety colors there is no underbase and no flash. The underbase does not count as one of your colors.
| Shirt color | All-in each | |
|---|---|---|
| White, ash, Safety Green | $4.34 | $10.38 |
| Black, navy, red, maroon | $4.59 | $10.63 |
Cutting a logo to one color
- Print the logo in the shirt color's opposite: white on black, black on white. Most logos read fine.
- Use halftones. A single ink printed as dots fakes a lighter tint of the same color for free.
- Use the shirt as a color: a two-color logo where one color is white can print one color on a white shirt.
- Move the second color to a second location. Same screen count, but a back print often matters more than a second color on the front.
When more colors are worth it
Sponsor backs with logos in different brand colors, a retail merch design, or a brand standard that forbids a one-color version. For four or more colors on under 48 shirts, DTF is usually cheaper; we quote both.
Light or dark: which should you pick?
| Pick light when | Pick dark when |
|---|---|
| Budget is tight (no flash) | Shirts are for a crew or kitchen (hides dirt) |
| Art is dark or multi-color | Art is white or one bright color |
| Event is in summer | You want a discharge print on cotton |
Questions
Does the white underbase count as a color?
No. It is covered by the flash charge, not a screen fee.
Can you print a photo?
With screen printing, as a halftone in one color, or as a simulated process in several colors (quoted per job). For full color on a short run, DTF.