T-shirt design: what to know

What the job involves, what changes the price, and what to ask a pro.

What t-shirt design is

A t-shirt designer creates artwork for shirts and other apparel and prepares the files for the printing method you choose, such as screen printing, embroidery or direct printing. People hire a designer for team shirts, event merchandise, brand apparel or a one time group order where the art has to look right on fabric.

Signs you need it

  • You need matching shirts for a team, club, event or staff, and the artwork has to be made from scratch
  • Your existing shirt art looks blurry or breaks up when printed on fabric
  • You are selling shirts and want a design that stands out from the stock designs customers already see
  • You need the art prepared for a specific printing method, such as embroidery stitches or screen print colors
  • You want a design that works on dark and light shirts and in more than one color

What the pro does

  • Review the group, the event or the brand, the shirt colors you want and the sizes and quantity needed
  • Sketch design directions and refine the one you choose, keeping the artwork simple enough for the printing method
  • Set the number of colors and the size and placement of the art on the shirt, front and back
  • Prepare the separated files, vector or stitch files and color proofs the printer needs
  • Check the design on a sample shirt color, or ask the printer for a test print, before the full order
  • Deliver the print ready files, the separation or stitch file and a note on the colors and sizes used

What changes the price

Every job is different, so we do not publish prices. These are the things that move the quote up or down.

  • The number of colors in the design, since each color often adds a screen or a setup step
  • The size of the design and how many placements the shirt has, such as front, back and sleeve
  • Whether the design is embroidered, screen printed or digitally printed, since each method has its own setup
  • The number of shirts ordered and the number of different sizes and colors
  • Whether the artwork needs to be drawn from scratch or built from a logo you provide
  • Whether a sample shirt or test print is required before the order

What a written quote should spell out

  • The printing method, the number of colors and the placements
  • The number of shirts, the sizes and the shirt colors used
  • The design rounds included and the proof stage before production
  • The file formats delivered, including the print file or embroidery file
  • Who owns the artwork and whether you can reorder the same design later

Questions to ask before you hire

  • Which printing method do you recommend for my design, and why?
  • Can you show me shirts you made with a similar design and number of colors?
  • Will I see a proof or a sample before the full order is printed?
  • How does the design look on dark shirts, and will it need a special base layer?
  • Who owns the artwork, and can I reorder the same design next year?
  • How do you handle sizing and what happens if some shirts come out wrong?

Red flags

  • Starts production without a proof or a sample you have approved
  • Uses artwork from the internet that is not licensed for your use
  • Will not give you the print or embroidery file after payment
  • Promises the shirts will sell out or raise your brand's profile

What you can do yourself

You can design a simple text or icon shirt in a free design tool and order a small run from an online print service that shows a proof. Hire a designer when the order is for a team or event, when the art has several colors or detail, or when the shirt must be embroidered or printed in quantity.

Licenses and permits

No license is usually required to design or print shirts. Ask instead for samples of finished shirts, references and a written statement of who owns the artwork; check with your state or local business licensing office if the designer or printer operates as a registered business.

T-shirt design questions

Can I use a sports team logo or a character on a shirt?

Usually not without permission from the owner of the logo or character. Using someone else's trademark or artwork on shirts you sell or give away can cause a dispute, so get written permission or create an original design.

Why does the color on the shirt look different from the screen?

Fabric absorbs ink differently from a screen, and the shirt color changes the result. Ask for a test print on the shirt color you plan to use.

How many extra shirts should I order?

Ask the printer whether they run extras, and whether the extras are charged. Many group orders add a few spares for sizing errors and late requests.

Pro reviewers

Pros who offer t-shirt design remotely can improve this guide, like Wikipedia. We check every edit before it goes live. Every approved edit is credited in the edit history and on the pro's profile.

Edit history

How guide reviews work

How it works

  1. 1. Describe the job

    Pick the service, add your ZIP and a sentence about what is going on.

  2. 2. Pick the pros you want

    See screened pros who serve your ZIP and choose who you want to hear from.

  3. 3. They reach out

    They contact you the way you chose: phone, email or in-app messages.

More design and marketing guides

Find a pro near you

Find a pro

About this guide

Request t-shirt design