Best Shirt Colors for Printing
Light or white shirts print most vividly and affordably with any method; dark shirts need a white underbase layer, which adds a step (and sometimes cost) for DTG and screen printing specifically.
Indy Custom Apparel connects Indianapolis-area customers with independent custom apparel providers. We don't own or operate a print shop — pricing, production and turnaround are set by the provider handling your order. See how it works →
The short answer.
Light or white shirts print most vividly and affordably with any method; dark shirts need a white underbase layer, which adds a step (and sometimes cost) for DTG and screen printing specifically.
- • White/light shirts — simplest, most vivid results
- • Dark shirts — need a white underbase for most methods
- • DTF — handles dark garments natively, no extra step
- • Screen printing — white underbase means an extra screen
Why dark garments cost slightly more to print
Most inks aren't opaque enough to show up on dark fabric without a white base layer underneath. DTF includes this automatically; screen printing needs an added screen (and cost); DTG needs a pretreatment step.
Tell us the project
Apparel type, quantity and timeline — takes about two minutes.
We review the details
Matched against Indianapolis-area providers with the right equipment.
You get connected
A independent provider reaches out with pricing.
Approve and produce
Proofs, pricing and turnaround are handled directly by that provider.
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Questions about best shirt colors for printing.
Yes — once you've got a sense of what you need, submit a quote request and we'll match you with an Indianapolis-area provider suited to your project.
Light or white shirts print most vividly and affordably with any method; dark shirts need a white underbase layer, which adds a step (and sometimes cost) for DTG and screen printing specifically.
Submit your project details through our quote form and we'll match you with an independent Indianapolis-area provider.
Ready to get a quote based on this guide?
Free to submit. No obligation until you approve a quote from a matched provider.