A graphic tee is a print job on a garment job, and the two are usually done by different suppliers who blame each other when the print cracks or the placement is off by two inches. Doing cut, sew and print under one roof removes that.
We manufacture graphic t-shirts with in-house screen printing, DTG and DTF on our own cut-and-sew blanks, so placement is measured from the garment's seams, ink is matched to the fabric, and the tee and the print ship as one finished product. As a custom graphic t-shirt manufacturer, Mike Apparel runs 50-piece minimums, samples every style before bulk and turns production in 2–3 weeks, with your labels sewn in at the factory.
Fabrics we run for t-shirts
We hold these fabrics for t-shirts and knit or weave others to spec. Each has a different hand, drape and shrink profile, and the sample stage exists so you can feel the difference before committing 50 pieces to it. On this product the two fabrics we quote most are 240 GSM combed cotton jersey (smooth face for detailed screen prints) and 260 GSM cotton interlock (flattest surface for photographic DTG).
| Fabric | Specification | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 240 GSM combed cotton jersey | 100% cotton | smooth face for detailed screen prints |
| 260 GSM cotton interlock | 100% cotton | flattest surface for photographic DTG |
| 300 GSM heavy jersey | 100% cotton | heavyweight graphic tees |
| 200 GSM cotton-poly | 65/35 | cost-effective graphic tees for merch and events |
Graphic T-Shirt fits we build
We build the pattern on one of the blocks below or from your own measurements, grade it across XS to 3XL for the US market, and confirm every size on the sample before cutting bulk. For a graphic t-shirt, we usually sample the oversized graphic tee first and adjust from there.
- Oversized graphic tee
- Boxy graphic tee
- Regular fit for merch
- Long sleeve graphic tee with sleeve hits
What is inside the seams
The stitch, rib, thread and hardware choices below are what separate a factory t-shirt from a promotional blank. All are standard on our runs. Start your graphic t-shirt tech pack with this line: print placement measured from collar seam and side seams, not eyeballed.
- Print placement measured from collar seam and side seams, not eyeballed
- Panels printed after cutting for oversized or seam-crossing graphics
- Pre-shrunk fabric so prints do not distort after washing
- Taped shoulders and rib collar as standard
- Tear-away or printed neck label with your artwork
Branding the t-shirt
We handle all decoration internally, which keeps lead times at 2–3 weeks and removes the hand-off between a blank supplier and a printer. Options that suit a t-shirt: Graphic T-Shirt artwork usually goes on as screen print up to 14 colours, water-based, plastisol or discharge.
- Screen print up to 14 colours, water-based, plastisol or discharge
- Puff, high-density, cracked, foil and glow inks
- DTG for photographic artwork and small runs
- DTF transfers for multi-placement graphics
- Embroidery combined with print
For a method-by-method comparison on t-shirts, read screen printing vs DTG vs embroidery.
Your label on every t-shirt
Every t-shirt leaves the factory fully branded as your product: woven main label, woven or printed size and care labels, hem tags or hood labels, hang tags with your artwork, and packaging from plain poly bags to printed mailer boxes. Labels are produced in-house from your files. Details on our private label clothing page. On a graphic t-shirt the label set is usually a woven neck label, a size tab and a hem tag, with a hang tag on the printed tee.
Custom t-shirt price bands
Pricing for a custom t-shirt is driven by fabric weight, decoration and quantity. The bands below are per piece for the constructions on this page at typical spec, and every quote is itemised so you can see exactly what moves the number. For reference, a graphic t-shirt run of 50 pieces in 240 GSM combed cotton jersey with one embroidery and private labels sits close to the middle of the first band.
| Quantity | Price per piece (USD) |
|---|---|
| 50–100 pieces | $7.00 – $14.00 |
| 100–300 pieces | $6.16 – $12.32 |
| 300–1,000 pieces | $5.46 – $10.92 |
| 1,000+ pieces | $4.90 – $9.80 |
Quoted prices exclude freight; we quote DDP separately so you see the landed cost to your door. Sample fees are credited against the bulk order. For a full walkthrough of what drives the number, read our how much does it cost to manufacture a t-shirt in bulk?. For a graphic t-shirt order of 50 pieces, sampling is billed at roughly $15–$36 and refunded against bulk.
Graphic T-Shirt production timeline
From brief to delivered t-shirts, this is the sequence and the timing. Total time from first enquiry to goods at your door is usually five to six weeks including sampling. For a graphic t-shirt the sample stage is where panels printed after cutting for oversized or seam-crossing graphics is confirmed on a real garment.
- Brief and quote (24 hours)Send a tech pack, sketch or reference t-shirt with target quantity. We reply with fabric options, MOQ and per-piece pricing.
- Pre-production sample (7–10 days)One t-shirt in your fabric, fit, colour and branding. Revisions until approved. Read about the sampling process.
- Approval and depositSign off the sample and size set; 50% deposit reserves fabric and the production slot.
- Bulk production (2–3 weeks)Cutting, sewing, wash, decoration, labelling, QC and packing in-house, with photo updates.
- QC and DDP shipping (4–7 days by air)Inspection against the approved sample, then DDP delivery with duties paid. See our full timeline guide.
Quote a 50-piece graphic t-shirt run. No tech pack yet? A reference garment or photo is enough to start.
Made for US brands, shipped worldwide
Most of our t-shirt production ships to the United States, DDP, meaning duties, taxes and customs clearance are paid by us and included in the quote. Air freight lands in Houston or Los Angeles in four to seven days after the run ships; sea freight takes four to five weeks and costs less for larger orders. We also ship to the UK, Canada, Australia, the EU and the UAE. See streetwear manufacturing for USA brands and our DDP shipping page. For graphic t-shirt reorders over 300 pieces we quote sea freight alongside air so you can trade a few weeks for a lower landed cost.
Frequently asked questions
Which print method should I use for a graphic tee?
Screen print for solid colours and runs over 50 pieces, DTG for photographic art or samples, DTF for complex multi-position prints. We recommend per design when you send artwork.
What file formats do you need for artwork?
Vector (AI, EPS, PDF) for screen print and embroidery; 300 dpi PNG or TIFF at final size for DTG and DTF. Pantone references for colour matching.
Can you print oversized graphics across seams?
Yes. We print on cut panels before sewing so a graphic can run across the shoulder seam or wrap the side seam. This is not possible on pre-made blanks.
What is the MOQ for custom graphic t-shirts?
50 pieces per design. Multiple graphics on the same blank and colour can be split across the 50 pieces at a small setup charge per design.
Brands ordering the graphic t-shirt often pair it with: custom t-shirt manufacturer, custom long sleeve t-shirt manufacturing, custom drop shoulder t-shirt manufacturing, how much does it cost to manufacture a t-shirt in bulk?, t-shirt gsm guide.
Last updated September 5, 2026 · Mike Apparel, Sialkot. Pricing and lead times reflect current factory capacity; confirm on your quote.