At French Press Custom in Santa Fe Springs, a small-business uniform kit of three logo tees and two embroidered hats per person costs $91.85 per employee for a crew of 12 and $64.15 per employee for 50. Two embroidered Harriton M265 polos per person run $60.85 per employee at 12 and $51.86 at 50, before tax.
Santa Fe Springs shares a border with both Whittier and Norwalk, and our shop at 14130 Rosecrans Ave also serves Orange County contractors, offices and service businesses. Every price below comes from the same engine as our quote calculator, with live wholesale garment prices. For the general ordering process (sizing, budgets, timelines), our complete small-business uniform ordering guide covers it; this page is the kit and the numbers.
What goes into a small-business uniform kit?
Most small businesses we work with build the kit from five pieces. Pick the ones that match the work.
| Piece | Our usual pick | Fabric and build | Sizes | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logo tee | Gildan 5000 | 5.3 oz, 100% US cotton | S to 5XL | Crews, warehouse, events |
| High-visibility tee | Gildan 8000 in Safety Green | 5.5 oz, 50/50 cotton/poly | S to 5XL | Yard, delivery, light site work |
| Certified hi-vis tee | Kishigo 9118 (Class 3) or Berne HVK012 (Class 2) | Polyester with 2 in reflective tape | M to 5XL (Kishigo), S to 4XL (Berne) | Road, traffic and job sites that require ANSI class |
| Button-up work shirt | Red Kap SP24 | 4.3 oz, 65/35 poly/cotton poplin, soil release, wrinkle resistant | S to 6XL | Techs, drivers, service calls |
| Polo | Harriton M265 or Gildan 8800 | M265: 5.6 oz, 65/35 poly/cotton piqué. 8800: 6 oz, 52/48 cotton/poly | XS to 6XL (M265), S to 5XL (8800) | Office, estimators, front desk, supervisors |
| Hat | Richardson 112 | Structured trucker, cotton/poly front, mesh back, snapback | M/L and XL | Everyone, especially outdoor crews |
| Jacket | CORE365 88184 soft shell | 7.5 oz poly/spandex bonded to fleece, water resistant | XS to 5XL | Winter mornings, client-facing staff |
Specs are from the S&S Activewear catalog data we price from. The Harriton M265 is listed as tested to 50 industrial washes, which is why we suggest it for crews whose polos go through a uniform service. The Red Kap SP24 comes in 25 colors and has two button-through pockets and a pencil stall.
How much does it cost for 12, 24 or 50 employees?
Each line is priced at the quantity a business that size usually orders, per piece before tax, sizes S to XL. Embroidered lines include the one-time $45 digitizing fee spread across the pieces.
| Item (decoration) | 12 employees | 24 employees | 50 employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logo tee, Gildan 5000 black, 1-color left chest + 1-color back, 3 each | $21.94 (36 tees) | $16.19 (72) | $12.57 (150) |
| Hi-vis tee, Gildan 8000 Safety Green, 1-color back, 3 each | $14.35 (36) | $11.31 (72) | $9.39 (150) |
| Class 3 hi-vis tee, Kishigo 9118 Lime, 1-color back, 3 each | $46.23 (36) | $43.19 (72) | $41.27 (150) |
| Class 2 hi-vis tee, Berne HVK012, 1-color back, 3 each | $44.95 (36) | $42.50 (72) | $40.91 (150) |
| Work shirt, Red Kap SP24 navy, embroidered left chest, 2 each | $38.23 (24) | $35.54 (48) | $33.73 (100) |
| Polo, Gildan 8800 black, embroidered left chest, 2 each | $23.56 (24) | $20.88 (48) | $19.07 (100) |
| Polo, Harriton M265 navy, embroidered left chest, 2 each | $30.43 (24) | $27.74 (48) | $25.93 (100) |
| Hat, Richardson 112, embroidered front, 2 each | $20.88 (24) | $18.62 (48) | $16.82 (100) |
| Jacket, CORE365 88184, embroidered left chest, 1 each | Below the 24 minimum | $66.48 (24) | $63.75 (50) |
Embroidery covers logos up to 5,000 stitches, which fits most left-chest and hat-front logos. Sizes 2XL and up carry a supplier upcharge: the same Gildan 5000 tee in 2XL is $19.03 at 72 pieces instead of $16.19, and the M265 polo is $29.54 in 2XL at 48 instead of $27.74.
What does a whole kit cost per employee?
When the whole kit is on one order, our calculator sets the volume tier from the order total, so the kit comes in below the lines added up separately.
| Kit per employee | 12 employees | 24 employees | 50 employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crew: 3 logo tees + 2 hats | $91.85 each ($1,102.20 order) | $74.48 ($1,787.64) | $64.15 ($3,207.50) |
| Hi-vis crew: 3 Safety Green tees + 2 hats | $75.14 ($901.68) | $63.87 ($1,532.76) | $57.13 ($2,856.50) |
| Field and service: 2 Red Kap work shirts + 2 hats | $112.06 ($1,344.72) | $108.31 ($2,599.44) | $96.74 ($4,837.00) |
| Office: 2 embroidered M265 polos | $60.85 ($730.20) | $55.48 ($1,331.40) | $51.86 ($2,593.00) |
| Office with jacket: 2 M265 polos + 1 soft shell | Jacket needs 24 | $120.20 ($2,884.80) | $114.29 ($5,714.50) |
All kit figures are before tax and assume sizes S to XL.
What should crews wear and what should the office wear?
The split most small businesses land on is simple: printed tees and hats for the people doing physical work, embroidered polos or button-ups for the people meeting clients.
- Crews and warehouse staff go through shirts fast. Three screen printed tees each is the usual starting point, and a big back print makes the company easy to spot on a site or in a parking lot. Screen printing starts at 36 pieces per design, so a crew of 12 reaches it with three shirts each.
- Service techs and drivers who walk into homes and businesses look sharper in a button-up work shirt with an embroidered logo. The Red Kap SP24 is built for that, with soil release and a gripper at the neck.
- Office, sales and estimators get embroidered polos. For a construction company in Orange County, where the estimator wears the same polo to a site walk and a client meeting, we lean toward the M265 because it is wrinkle resistant and built for industrial laundering. The softer Gildan 8800 costs less. Our best polo shirts for embroidered company uniforms compares more options, and embroidered company polos and hats in Orange County covers OC orders in more detail.
- Hats are the piece every crew actually wears. The hat minimum is 24 per design, so a crew of 12 gets two each.
Do you need certified hi-vis shirts?
It depends on where your people work. Gildan states that Safety Green on the 8000 and 5000 is compliant with ANSI/ISEA 107 high-visibility color standards. Those tees have no reflective tape, though, so they are a high-visibility color, not a Class 2 or Class 3 garment.
If a site, city contract or traffic plan calls for a class, choose a certified shirt. The Kishigo 9118 is listed as ANSI/ISEA 107 Type R Class 3 with 2 in reflective material, and the Berne HVK012 as Type R Class 2 with 2 in reflective stretch tape. We print the logo on the fabric and keep it off the reflective tape. Ask your safety lead whether your contract limits logo size on certified garments. Our workwear and safety apparel guide goes through the requirements by industry.
How do reorders and new hires work?
Small businesses hire a few people at a time, so plan for it on the first order.
- We keep your files. The embroidery stitch file stays on record, so a reorder of the same logo skips the $45 digitizing fee.
- Minimums apply per order. Embroidery is 24 pieces per design and screen printing is 36, so ordering two or three polos for one new hire is not practical. Most owners order a few extra in M, L and XL with the first run and keep them on a shelf.
- Small tee top-ups work with DTF. DTF starts at 12 pieces. Twelve black Gildan 5000 tees with a left-chest and back DTF transfer are $16.14 each.
- Keep the colors standard. Black and navy are offered on every tee, work shirt, polo and jacket in this kit except the hi-vis styles, which makes it easier for a second order to match the first.
Our take
The detail that changes most uniform quotes is the shirt color under a screen print. On black, navy or any dark tee we lay down a white underbase so your logo stays bright, and the quote adds that screen automatically. That is part of why the black logo tee with a front and back print is $21.94 at 36 pieces while the Safety Green tee with one back print is $14.35.
The second is digitizing. Each embroidered design is digitized once, and hats are digitized separately from polos because a curved front stitches differently from a flat chest. On a small order that $45 is a visible share of the cost; on a reorder it disappears. Pickup is free at 14130 Rosecrans Ave, Santa Fe Springs, which shares a border with Whittier and Norwalk. See our corporate apparel and company uniforms page, and the local pages for Whittier and Norwalk.
Ordering from Los Angeles or Orange County
- Where we are. 14130 Rosecrans Ave, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670, serving Los Angeles and Orange County.
- Minimums. DTG none, DTF 12, embroidery 24, screen printing 36 pieces per design.
- Timing. About 2-3 weeks after art approval. Rush available depending on the schedule. Tell us your date.
- Contact. Mon-Fri 8am-4pm PT, (562) 407-3800, sales@frenchpresscustom.com.
Price your polos now, or price the crew tees or the Red Kap work shirts.
Frequently asked questions
How much does custom shirt printing cost for a small business in Whittier, CA?
At French Press Custom in Santa Fe Springs, which borders Whittier, 72 black Gildan 5000 tees with a 1-color left chest and 1-color back print are $16.19 each before tax. At 150 tees the same shirt is $12.57.
Where can I get custom work uniforms with our logo in Norwalk, CA?
French Press Custom at 14130 Rosecrans Ave in Santa Fe Springs, next to Norwalk, prints and embroiders work uniforms in-house. Embroidered Red Kap SP24 work shirts are $38.23 each at 24 pieces, and free pickup is available at the shop.
How much are embroidered polo shirts with a logo for a construction company in Orange County?
A Harriton M265 polo with a left-chest logo up to 5,000 stitches is $30.43 each at 24 pieces and $25.93 at 100, including the one-time $45 digitizing fee. The lighter Gildan 8800 is $23.56 at 24.
What is the minimum order for company uniforms?
Embroidery is 24 pieces per design, screen printing is 36, DTF is 12, and DTG has no minimum. Hats are 24 per design whatever the decoration.
Can we order uniforms for only 12 employees?
Yes. Two embroidered M265 polos each for 12 people is $60.85 per employee, and three logo tees plus two hats each is $91.85 per employee, because those quantities reach the minimums.
Are Safety Green shirts ANSI compliant?
Gildan states its Safety Green color meets ANSI/ISEA 107 high-visibility color standards, but the plain tee has no reflective tape and is not a Class 2 or 3 garment. Certified Class 3 Kishigo 9118 tees with a 1-color back print are $43.19 each at 72.
How long does a uniform order take?
About 2-3 weeks after art approval. Rush is available depending on the schedule; tell us your start date or event date with the quote request.
