At French Press Custom in Santa Fe Springs, 50 black Independent SS4500 hoodies cost $30.13 each with a 1-color screen printed front, $38.66 each with a full-color DTG front, and $31.54 each with an embroidered left-chest logo plus a one-time $45 digitizing fee. The same three on a Gildan 18500 are $29.47, $38.00 and $30.88.
The method that costs least depends on your quantity and your artwork. Below 36 pieces screen printing is not available, so DTG and embroidery are the options. From 36 pieces up, screen printing is usually the lowest price for a simple design. Every price on this page comes from the same pricing engine as our quote calculator, per hoodie, before sales tax, sizes S to XL.
Custom hoodie prices by method and quantity
Independent SS4500, black
| Quantity | Screen print, 1-color front | Screen print, 1-color front + 1-color back | DTG, full-color front | Embroidery, left chest (5,000 stitches) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Not available (36 minimum) | Not available | $43.66 | Not available (24 minimum) |
| 24 | Not available (36 minimum) | Not available | $43.66 | $33.29 + $45 once |
| 36 | $32.86 | $40.96 | $38.66 | $33.29 + $45 once |
| 50 | $30.13 | $35.82 | $38.66 | $31.54 + $45 once |
| 100 | $28.07 | $31.92 | $33.66 | $30.22 + $45 once |
Gildan 18500, black
| Quantity | Screen print, 1-color front | Screen print, 1-color front + 1-color back | DTG, full-color front | Embroidery, left chest (5,000 stitches) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Not available (36 minimum) | Not available | $43.00 | Not available (24 minimum) |
| 24 | Not available (36 minimum) | Not available | $43.00 | $32.63 + $45 once |
| 36 | $32.20 | $40.30 | $38.00 | $32.63 + $45 once |
| 50 | $29.47 | $35.16 | $38.00 | $30.88 + $45 once |
| 100 | $27.41 | $31.26 | $33.00 | $29.56 + $45 once |
Screen print prices include screen setup. Black hoodies also get a white underbase screen under each print so the ink stays bright, and that is already in the price. The $45 embroidery digitizing fee is charged once per design. Spread over 50 hoodies, the embroidered SS4500 comes to $32.44 per hoodie.
White hoodies cost less to print
Light hoodies skip the underbase in screen printing and the white ink layer in DTG, so the print costs less.
| Quantity | SS4500 white, screen print 1-color front | SS4500 white, DTG front | 18500 white, screen print 1-color front | 18500 white, DTG front |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Not available | $38.66 | Not available | $38.00 |
| 50 | $29.09 | $35.66 | $28.43 | $35.00 |
| 100 | $27.43 | $31.66 | $26.77 | $31.00 |
Heather grey counts as a dark color here. The SS4500 in Grey Heather and the 18500 in Sport Grey price the same as black for both screen print and DTG.
Sizes 2XL and up
Larger sizes carry a supplier upcharge. At 50 pieces with a 1-color front, a 2XL SS4500 is $37.45 and a 2XL 18500 is $34.83. With a DTG front at 24 pieces, a 2XL SS4500 is $50.98, a 2XL 18500 is $48.36, and a 3XL 18500 is $53.24. The calculator prices each size in your run.
Which method should you choose for hoodies?
Screen printing: lowest price from 36 pieces
For one design on every hoodie, with one to a few solid colors, screen printing wins. At 100 black SS4500s, a 1-color front is $28.07 against $33.66 for DTG. Extra colors add less than you might expect: a 3-color front on 50 black SS4500s is $32.21, still below the DTG price. Screen printing is also the only way to get puff ink, the raised print that streetwear hoodies are known for. See our specialty inks page for puff and other options.
The trade-off is the 36-piece minimum per design, and a back print is a second set of screens: on 50 black SS4500s it takes the price from $30.13 to $35.82.
DTG: full color, photos and small orders
DTG prints the design like an inkjet, so color count does not matter. A photo, gradient or 12-color illustration costs the same as a 1-color logo. That makes DTG the right pick for detailed art at any quantity, and for orders under 36 pieces. There is no minimum and no setup fee: one black SS4500 with a full-color front is $48.66, and 12 are $43.66 each.
The price drops at 12, 31 and 51 pieces, but it never falls as far as screen printing, because every print costs the same ink and press time. At 100 pieces a front and back DTG print on a black SS4500 is $43.66. Our DTG hoodie printing page covers how DTG works on fleece.
Embroidery: company and team hoodies
A stitched left-chest logo looks like a uniform, not a giveaway, and thread does not crack or peel in the wash. For companies, coaches and staff hoodies it is the usual choice. At 50 pieces the embroidered SS4500 is $32.44 per hoodie with digitizing spread across the order, against $30.13 for a 1-color screen print. Embroidery starts at 24 pieces per design, and a reorder of the same logo skips the $45 fee. More detail on our hoodie embroidery page and the embroidery cost guide.
Embroidery is priced by stitch count, not color count. A 5,000 stitch logo is a typical left-chest size. Large back designs are usually 10,000 to 20,000 stitches, which raises the price, so for a big back graphic screen printing or DTG is the better fit.
Quick guide
| Your order | Best method |
|---|---|
| Under 24 hoodies, any art | DTG |
| 24 to 35 hoodies, simple logo, professional look | Embroidery |
| 36 or more, 1 to 3 solid colors | Screen printing |
| Any quantity, photo or full-color art | DTG |
| Raised, puff look | Screen printing with puff ink |
| Company, staff or team logo on the chest | Embroidery |
One more option for small runs: DTF transfers start at 12 pieces, and 12 black SS4500s with a DTF front are $29.41 each. DTF works well for bold logos; our DTG vs DTF guide explains the difference in feel.
What is different about printing on a hoodie?
A hoodie is not a flat tee, and three things change where your design can go.
- The pouch pocket. On a pullover hoodie the kangaroo pocket sits across the lower front, so a front print has to sit above it and clear the drawcords. The pocket, not the printer, usually sets how tall a front print can be. Our DTG printers take prints up to 16 x 20 inches, but on a hoodie front we size the design to fit above the pocket and show you exactly where it lands on the proof.
- The left chest. A chest logo sits above the pocket and off to the side of the drawcord eyelets. A left-chest logo around 3 to 3.5 inches wide is the standard size for embroidery and for small prints.
- Fleece and stitch density. Fleece is softer than a polo, so very dense embroidery can dimple it. We keep dense fills under control at digitizing so the logo lies flat.
The back is the open canvas. It has no pocket or drawcords, which is why big graphics usually go there.
SS4500 or 18500?
Both are pullover hoodies with a pouch pocket and a classic fit, per the S&S Activewear catalog. The Independent SS4500 is an 8.5 oz 80/20 ring-spun cotton/polyester fleece with a 100% cotton face and a jersey-lined hood. The Gildan 18500 is an 8 oz 50/50 cotton/polyester fleece with a double-lined hood and 1x1 rib with spandex. The SS4500's cotton face gives prints a smooth surface and is our usual pick for streetwear and puff. The 18500 is the familiar school and team hoodie and costs a little less. We compare them, plus the Lane Seven LS14001, in the best hoodie blanks for printing.
Our take
A common hoodie decision is DTG versus screen printing at 24 to 50 pieces. If you are close to 36 and your logo is one color, it is often worth getting to 36: 24 black SS4500s with a DTG front come to $1,047.84 before tax, and 36 with a 1-color screen print come to $1,182.96, so you get 12 more hoodies for a small step up in the total. If your art is full color, DTG is the honest answer at any of these quantities, because it prints every color in one pass with no screens to make.
For staff hoodies, we often suggest an embroidered left chest and nothing on the back. It holds up for years of washing and keeps the price close to a screen print.
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.
Every order gets a free digital proof showing the placement on your hoodie, and production starts only after you approve it. Price DTG hoodies, screen printed hoodies or embroidered hoodies in the calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a custom hoodie cost?
At French Press Custom, a black Independent SS4500 hoodie costs $30.13 with a 1-color screen print front at 50 pieces, $38.66 with a full-color DTG front, or $31.54 with an embroidered left-chest logo plus $45 digitizing once. Prices are per hoodie before tax, sizes S to XL.
What is the lowest-cost way to print custom hoodies?
From 36 pieces, a 1-color screen print is usually lowest: 100 black Gildan 18500s are $27.41 each, or $26.77 on white. Under 36 pieces, DTF transfers start at 12 pieces and run $28.75 each on 12 black 18500s.
How much does it cost to print one custom hoodie?
DTG has no minimum. One black SS4500 with a full-color front is $48.66 before tax, with no setup fee.
Is DTG or screen printing better for hoodies?
Screen printing is lower priced for simple designs from 36 pieces, and it is the only way to get puff ink. DTG is better for full-color or photo art and for orders under 36.
How much does it cost to embroider a hoodie?
A 5,000 stitch left-chest logo on a black Gildan 18500 is $32.63 per hoodie at 24 pieces and $29.56 at 100, plus a $45 digitizing fee once per design.
Can you print over the hoodie pocket?
A front print goes above the kangaroo pocket and clear of the drawcords, so the pocket sets how tall it can be. We show the exact placement on your proof before anything is printed.
How much more does a front and back print cost on a hoodie?
On 50 black SS4500s, a 1-color back screen print takes the price from $30.13 to $35.82. A DTG front and back on the same hoodie is $53.66 at 50 pieces.
