A 100-shirt order is where a simple idea becomes a real production project. You may be outfitting a school team, trade crew, company staff, fundraiser, event volunteers, or a growing apparel brand. At this quantity, small decisions about shirt style, artwork, sizes, and delivery can affect your budget and whether everyone actually wants to wear the finished product.
Ordering 100 custom t shirts does not need to be complicated, but it does benefit from a clear plan. The goal is not just to get a good price. It is to receive apparel that fits the job, represents your organization well, and arrives before the date that matters.
Start With the Job Your Shirts Need to Do
Before choosing ink colors or browsing garment options, decide how the shirts will be used. A volunteer shirt for a one-day community event has different needs than a work shirt worn every week. A school spirit shirt may prioritize a bold design and an affordable price, while a construction crew may need durable fabric, high-visibility color options, and consistent reordering later.
Think about who will wear the shirts, how often they will be worn, and what conditions they will face. Cotton is familiar, comfortable, and often cost-effective for events and promotions. Cotton-poly blends can offer a softer feel and better shape retention. Performance fabrics are useful for athletic programs, outdoor staff, and active events, although the recommended print method may change depending on the fabric.
Color matters operationally, too. Black and dark colors can hide shop dirt and daily wear. White and light colors can make a colorful design pop, but may require more maintenance. If you expect repeat orders, choose a shirt color and style that are likely to remain available instead of building your program around a hard-to-source seasonal blank.
Build Your 100 Custom T Shirts Order Around Sizing
Sizing is one of the easiest places to lose money. Ordering 100 shirts in a standard size run without checking your group can leave you with too many mediums and not enough larger sizes. For employee uniforms, schools, teams, and organizations with a defined roster, collect sizes directly whenever possible.
If you need to estimate, use your prior order history first. If no history exists, ask your production partner for a recommended size breakdown based on the audience. Adult and youth garments should be treated as separate products, not as interchangeable sizes. The same is true for unisex, women’s, and performance cuts, which can fit differently even when the size label is the same.
Leave room for a few extras if the shirts support a multi-day event, new-hire onboarding, or a crew that may grow. A small overage in popular sizes is usually more practical than trying to reorder a handful of shirts after the event. Still, avoid adding extras just because the quantity feels safer. Your budget should go toward sizes your group will use.
Keep the Design Clear at Production Size
A good shirt design does not have to be complicated. In fact, simple designs often print more cleanly, cost less, and get worn more often. Your organization name, logo, event date, sponsor line, or crew designation should be readable from a normal distance.
Start with the essentials: what must be seen, where it should appear, and who will see it. A left-chest logo and a larger back design are common for businesses and trades. A full-front graphic can work well for school events, campaigns, and fundraisers. If sponsors are part of the project, confirm their logo requirements early and make sure the back layout has enough room for readable marks.
Avoid sending screenshots, low-resolution social graphics, or images pulled from the web. Those files may look acceptable on a phone but can produce blurry edges when enlarged for printing. Vector artwork, print-ready files, or high-resolution original files give production teams the best starting point. If your artwork needs cleanup, request design support before the production clock is running.
A proof is the checkpoint that protects your order. Review spelling, shirt color, ink colors, placement, garment sizes, quantities, and the final design dimensions. Have the person responsible for the organization approve it in writing. A fast approval process helps meet deadlines, but a rushed review can create 100 identical mistakes.
Choose a Print Method That Fits the Design
Screen printing is often a strong choice for 100 shirts, especially when the design uses a limited number of colors and the same artwork will be printed across the full order. It produces durable, consistent results and typically becomes more economical as quantities rise. The trade-off is that each ink color and print location can add setup and production considerations.
DTF printing can be a useful option for detailed, full-color artwork, short runs with many design variations, or designs that need fine detail. It can work across a wide range of garments, but the feel of the print can differ from traditional screen printing. For a large front graphic on a lightweight shirt, the hand feel may influence which method makes the most sense.
Embroidery is generally better for polos, jackets, hats, and workwear than for standard T-shirts. If your project includes apparel beyond tees, this is where using one production partner can simplify the order. Your shirts, hats, event banners, name badges, and recognition items can be planned as one coordinated program rather than separate purchases with mismatched colors and deadlines.
There is no single best method for every 100-piece order. The right choice depends on fabric, artwork, number of ink colors, placements, budget, and the finished feel you want.
Price the Whole Project, Not Just the Shirt
The lowest shirt price is not always the lowest finished-order cost. A quote should account for the garment, printing, number of colors, print locations, artwork preparation if needed, and any deadline-related services. Ask what is included so you can compare options accurately.
For example, moving from a three-color front print to a one-color front print may create meaningful savings. Changing from front-and-back printing to a large front design may do the same. But cutting a back print that carries needed sponsor recognition or employee identification may reduce the shirt’s usefulness. Decide what can be simplified without weakening the purpose of the order.
Consider the value of durability as well. A shirt worn once for a race has a different cost target than a uniform shirt employees will wash every week. Spending slightly more on a better blank can make sense for recurring staff apparel, while a budget-friendly option may be right for a giveaway with a fixed attendance count.
Work Backward From Your In-Hands Date
The date that matters is not the day production begins. It is the day the shirts need to be in hands, sorted, and ready for distribution. If they are for an event on Friday, delivery on Friday morning may already be too late.
Work backward from your in-hands date and allow time for artwork preparation, proof approval, garment availability, production, quality checks, shipping or local pickup, and sorting. Rush service can help when a timeline is tight, but it may limit garment choices or add cost. It is most effective when the artwork and quantity details are already settled.
For Los Angeles-area organizations, local pickup can remove some shipping uncertainty and make last-minute coordination easier. For nationwide programs, confirm the delivery address, receiving hours, and whether someone will be available to accept the shipment. A school office, jobsite, hotel, or event venue may have specific receiving rules that should be addressed before the order ships.
Make Reorders Easier Before the First Order Is Done
A 100-shirt order often becomes the starting point for future needs. Your staff may need replacements. A winning team may need another run. A fundraiser may sell through faster than expected. Save the approved artwork, garment style, ink information, and size breakdown after the first production run.
If your organization orders regularly, establish a repeatable standard: approved logo files, preferred garment colors, placement specifications, and a simple reorder process. AKD Ink can support that kind of ongoing program alongside the related items that tend to follow, from hats and banners to business print and awards.
The best next step is simple: gather your in-hands date, estimated size run, artwork, and must-have details before requesting pricing. With those basics in place, your 100 shirts can move from a loose idea to a dependable order that your group is ready to wear.