How to save money on custom apparel orders

Plan confirmed needs together, compare like-for-like options and avoid buying uncertain inventory just to chase a lower unit price.

By Printz Experts Published August 28, 2026 Montreal, Quebec

Combined project plan Known needs

Staff shirts ✓

Club crewnecks ✓

Event caps ✓

One organized request Compare options

The short answer

Saving money usually starts with ordering the right things once—not simply ordering the most pieces. Confirm real demand, organize known upcoming needs in one request, compare the same specifications and avoid speculative extras. Whether a larger or mixed order receives different pricing must be confirmed from live product pricing or a Printz Experts quote.

1Plan

2Combine

3Compare

4Confirm

Start here

Cost-efficient does not always mean cheapest

The lowest starting price is only one part of the decision. A garment that does not suit the wearer, an incorrect size breakdown or a box of unused extras can make the total project less efficient even when the unit price looks attractive.

Order for a real use

Connect every product and quantity to a confirmed wearer, event, staff need or sales plan.

Compare the same job

Keep garment, colour, artwork and print locations consistent when comparing options.

Combine known needs

Put related, confirmed requirements into one organized request so they can be evaluated together.

Confirm the actual policy

Do not assume different products, designs or dates automatically share the same pricing tier.

Know the variables

What should be held constant when you compare?

A useful comparison changes one decision at a time. If the garment, quantity, colour, artwork and number of requested print locations all change at once, you cannot tell which choice changed the result.

Exact garment or product
Colour and size breakdown
Total requested quantity
Artwork and number of versions
Requested print locations
Required date and fulfilment details

Best comparison: ask for a baseline option and one clearly defined alternative. For example, keep the same garment and quantity while comparing one requested print location with two.

Bundle intelligently

Combine confirmed needs—not guesses

A business, team or club may know about several upcoming needs at the same time: staff apparel, an event, onboarding, club merchandise or a seasonal restock. Put those requirements in one quote request when the products, quantities and dates are genuinely known.

This lets the full project be reviewed together, but it does not guarantee that different garments or designs will be combined into one discount. Ask for an itemized response so you can see how each part is being evaluated.

Bundle-planning worksheet
Need	Garment	Required date	Confirmed quantity	Confidence	Quote action
Current staff	Exact product	Known date	Confirmed roster	High	Include now
Upcoming event	Shortlisted product	Known date	Expected attendance	Medium	Request as an option
Possible future idea	Undecided	Unknown	Unconfirmed	Low	Keep separate

Do not buy uncertain inventory only to reach a larger number. The Business Development Bank of Canada notes that excess inventory can tie up capital and storage space. A lower unit price does not automatically create better value if the extra garments remain unused.

Reduce unnecessary variation

Standardize where it helps the group

Reusing a clear brand system can simplify decisions, approvals and future reorders. That might mean one approved logo file, a small set of garment colours and consistent placement rules across a staff or club program.

Keep one approved master logo.
Use a controlled garment-colour palette.
Define repeatable placement rules.
Record the exact product and colour used for future reference.
Keep the final size roster and artwork version together.

Standardization can reduce coordination work, but this guide does not claim that fewer colours or designs automatically cost less. Ask for pricing using the exact configuration you want.

Right-size the order

Balance reorders against excess stock

Ordering too little can create a second round of coordination. Ordering too much can leave money tied up in garments no one needs. The useful quantity is based on confirmed demand, realistic upcoming needs and an intentional—not automatic—contingency.

Three numbers to calculate first

Confirmed need: actual wearers, sales commitments or registered participants.
Known upcoming need: additional people or events with enough information to plan responsibly.
Intentional contingency: only the extras the organization can justify, store and realistically use.

Use the custom apparel order checklist to prepare the size roster, artwork and project details before submitting the combined request.

Ask better quote questions

Request scenarios you can actually compare

Instead of asking only, “What is the cheapest option?”, ask for alternatives that answer a real decision.

Three useful quote scenarios

Keep the project details clear and let each version answer one question.

Option A

Confirmed need

The products and quantities the organization is ready to approve now.

Option B

Known bundle

The same request plus a documented upcoming need that may be sensible to coordinate.

Option C

Controlled alternative

One different garment or placement decision, with everything else held constant.

Compare total value

Look beyond the headline unit price

Review what the organization will actually receive and use. A smaller, fully assigned order may be more efficient than a larger order filled with speculative sizes or products.

Total project price, not only the starting or lowest unit price
Number of garments that have confirmed wearers or planned use
Garment choice and suitability
Requested print locations and artwork versions
Uncertain extras and available storage
Administrative work required to collect another order later

Common mistakes

Five custom-apparel budget myths

“The largest order is always the best deal.”

A lower unit price can still create a larger total expense or unwanted stock. Start with demand.

“Different products automatically combine.”

Mixed-product and quantity rules vary. Submit the desired bundle and ask how it will be evaluated.

“The cheapest garment gives the best value.”

The right garment depends on the wearer and use. Review the T-shirt fit comparison when choosing shirts.

“Extra inventory is always safer.”

Extras should have a defined reason. Unplanned stock can tie up cash and storage.

“Starting price tells me the total.”

Compare the full configuration: product, quantity, sizes, artwork, locations and required project details.

Choose the right path

Use the Designer or request a quote?

A straightforward product and design can begin online. A combined, mixed, uncertain or deadline-sensitive project should be described through the quote form so the exact request can be evaluated.

Start Designing

Use the online Designer when the garment, artwork and order path are straightforward.

Start designing

Get a Quote

Submit the combined project and request itemized scenarios for group or mixed needs.

Get a quote

Common questions

Budget and bundling FAQ

Does ordering more always reduce the total cost?

No. A higher quantity can create different unit pricing in some configurations, but it also increases the total number of items purchased. Compare the full total and confirm that the extra garments have a real use.

Can shirts, crewnecks and caps be bundled together?

List the exact product mix in a quote request and ask Printz Experts to confirm how it will be priced. Do not assume different products automatically share one quantity or discount tier.

Is one large order better than several smaller orders?

It depends on how certain the demand is, when each item is needed, available storage and the actual quoted options. Combine known needs; keep uncertain future ideas separate or request them as alternatives.

Should I order extra garments?

Only when the organization has a reason for the contingency and can realistically use or store the extras. Confirm known sizes first and avoid a generic percentage that may not fit your group.

Will using fewer colours automatically make DTF printing cheaper?

Do not assume so. DTF and product pricing depend on the actual configuration. Compare the design you want with a clearly defined alternative through the live product flow or quote process.

What is the best way to compare two quote options?

Keep the same product, quantity, artwork and fulfilment details, then change only the decision you are testing—such as the number of print locations or the garment choice.