If you need custom t-shirts in Los Angeles in a few days, the honest answer from French Press Custom in Santa Fe Springs is: rush is available depending on the schedule, so tell us your date and we will tell you plainly whether we can hit it. Your best odds are print-ready art, a common blank like the Gildan 5000, one print location, and DTF or DTG, which need no screens. A quick-turn DTF front print on a black Gildan 5000 is $9.77 per shirt at 24 pieces before sales tax.
We will not promise three days in a blog post, because whether we can do it depends on what is already on the production schedule that week. What we can do is explain what makes a fast order possible, so the date you ask for has the best chance of a yes.
What a quick-turn order costs at 24 and 50 shirts
Every price below comes from the same pricing engine as our instant quote calculator, using live supplier blank prices. Prices are per shirt, size L, one front print, before sales tax. There is no separate setup fee on any of these: DTG has no setup, and the DTF and screen print setup is already built into the per-shirt price.
| Shirt and color | Method | Price per shirt at 24 | Price per shirt at 50 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gildan 5000, white | DTF | $9.22 | $8.24 |
| Gildan 5000, black | DTF | $9.77 | $8.79 |
| Bella+Canvas 3001, white or black | DTF | $12.52 | $11.54 |
| Gildan 5000, white | DTG | $19.09 | $16.09 |
| Gildan 5000, black | DTG | $24.64 | $19.64 |
| Bella+Canvas 3001, white | DTG | $22.39 | $19.39 |
| Bella+Canvas 3001, black | DTG | $27.39 | $22.39 |
| Gildan 5000, white, 1-color front | Screen print | Not available (36 minimum) | $9.52 |
| Gildan 5000, black, 1-color front | Screen print | Not available (36 minimum) | $11.11 |
| Bella+Canvas 3001, black, 1-color front | Screen print | Not available (36 minimum) | $13.86 |
As whole orders before tax, 24 black Gildan 5000 tees with a DTF front print come to $234.48, and 50 come to $439.50. Sizes 2XL and up carry a supplier upcharge, so an order with a size spread lands a little higher. The calculator prices each size for you.
The Gildan 5000 is a 5.3 oz, 100% cotton classic-fit tee (heather colors are cotton/poly blends). The Bella+Canvas 3001 is a 4.2 oz combed and ring-spun cotton tee with a softer, retail fit. Both come in a wide range of colors (83 and 96 colors in our catalog), which matters when time is short and you need a color and size run that is easy to get.
What makes a fast order possible
Speed is mostly decided before the shirts reach a press. These five things make the biggest difference.
1. Print-ready art
The most common delay on a rush job is artwork. If your file needs to be redrawn, cleaned up, or rebuilt at print size, that work comes before anything else can start. A high-resolution PNG with a transparent background, or a vector file (AI, EPS, SVG or PDF), lets us go straight to the proof. Run your file through our free artwork check before you send it; it shows file type, resolution at print size and whether the background is transparent. For more detail, see how to prepare artwork for printing.
2. Common blanks in common colors
A popular style like the Gildan 5000 or Bella+Canvas 3001 in black, white, navy or grey is the easiest to source in every size. A specialty blank, an unusual color, or a size run heavy on 4XL and 5XL is where a short deadline gets risky. If you are flexible on the shirt, say so; it gives us more ways to make your date.
3. Simple decoration
One print location is faster than four. A front print only, no sleeve prints, no names and numbers, and no specialty inks keeps the job short. If you need a back print too, it can still be done, but every added location adds time on the press.
4. A smaller quantity
Twenty-four shirts print faster than 500. For a rush, consider ordering what you need for the date now and the rest on the standard schedule.
5. The right method for speed
This is the biggest lever, and it ties back to the price table.
- DTF (direct to film): the design is printed onto a film and heat pressed onto the shirt. There are no screens, the minimum is 12 pieces, and color count does not change the price. It works on cotton and on dark shirts, and it is the lowest price in the table at 24 pieces. More at DTF transfers.
- DTG (direct to garment): the design is printed straight onto the shirt like an inkjet. There are no screens and no minimum, so it handles full-color art and very small runs. It costs more per shirt, especially on dark shirts, because a white layer goes down first. More at DTG printing.
- Screen printing: the lowest cost for one simple design at larger quantities, but every ink color needs its own screen, and on a dark shirt we add a white underbase screen so the color stays bright. Making screens is setup work that DTF and DTG skip. Screen printing starts at 36 pieces per design, which is why the 24-piece column shows it as not available.
For most "I need it this week" orders under 50 shirts, DTF on a Gildan 5000 is the combination we would look at first. Our DTG vs DTF comparison explains how the two digital methods look and feel.
What to send us for a rush quote
Send everything in one message so nothing waits on a follow-up question:
- Your in-hands date. The date you need the shirts in your hands, not the event date if those differ. The quote form has an optional in-hands date field; fill it in.
- Your artwork as a print-ready file, plus where it goes (front, back, left chest) and roughly how big.
- The shirt you want, or "any tee in black" if you are flexible.
- Quantity by size, for example 4 S, 8 M, 8 L, 4 XL.
- Pickup, delivery or shipping. Pickup at our shop is free. Local delivery is available for a fee added to the estimate, and we ship by UPS or FedEx anywhere in the US.
The fastest way to do all of this is to build your order in the quote calculator, upload your art and enter your in-hands date. You can also call us at (562) 407-3800, Mon-Fri 8am-4pm PT.
How to tell us your date
Be specific and be early. "We need 30 shirts for a Saturday event, in hand by Friday" is something we can check against the schedule. "As soon as possible" is not. If the date is firm, say it is firm. If you have a backup date, tell us that too, because it may be the difference between yes and no.
Then move quickly on your side. Every order gets a free digital proof, and production starts only after you approve it in writing. Our standard turnaround is about 2-3 weeks after the artwork is approved and the deposit is paid, so on a rush, the hours you take to approve the proof and pay the deposit come straight out of your window.
What can and cannot be done quickly
Usually the easiest to fit into a short window:
- One front print in DTF or DTG on a common blank
- 12 to 50 shirts in standard sizes
- Art that is already print-ready
- A fast proof approval and deposit
Usually hard or impossible on a short window:
- Artwork that needs to be recreated or vectorized from a photo or screenshot
- Specialty blanks, unusual colors, or large runs of extended sizes
- Many print locations, or individual names and numbers
- Multi-color screen printing on dark shirts, which adds screens and underbase setup
- Changes after the proof is approved
None of this is a guarantee either way. A simple job can still be tight in a busy week, and a bigger one can sometimes fit when the schedule is open. That is why our rush policy is simply: rush available depending on the schedule, tell us your date. We would rather tell you no up front than promise a date we cannot keep.
For a broader look at deadlines, read rush custom apparel: what speeds up an order and our rush printing page.
Where we are
We print at our shop at 14130 Rosecrans Ave, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670, in LA County next to the Orange County line, and we serve customers across Los Angeles and Orange County, plus nationwide shipping. On a rush job, picking up at the shop is free and removes shipping time from the plan.
Frequently asked questions
Can you print custom t-shirts in 3 days in Los Angeles?
It depends on the schedule, so we cannot promise it ahead of time. Rush is available depending on the schedule. Tell us your date with print-ready art and we will tell you whether we can make it.
What is the fastest print method for custom shirts?
For small runs, DTF and DTG are usually the quickest because they need no screens. DTF has a 12-piece minimum and DTG has no minimum. Screen printing needs a screen for every color.
How much do 24 rush t-shirts cost?
A DTF front print on a black Gildan 5000 is $9.77 per shirt at 24 pieces before sales tax, or $234.48 for the order. A full-color DTG print on the same black shirt is $24.64 per shirt.
Do you charge a rush fee?
We do not publish a rush fee or a rush timeframe. Rush depends on the schedule, so tell us your date when you request a quote and we will confirm what is possible before you commit.
What is your normal turnaround?
About 2-3 weeks after the artwork is approved and the deposit is paid. Every order gets a free digital proof first, and production starts only after your written approval.
Can I pick up a rush order?
Yes. Pickup at 14130 Rosecrans Ave in Santa Fe Springs is free. Local delivery is available for a fee added to the estimate, or we ship by UPS or FedEx.
