Compare custom apparel quotes using the same garment style, size breakdown, decoration method, artwork size and delivery deadline. Ask for the total delivered price and a written list of inclusions. A lower shirt price can become the higher order total when setup, extra print locations or delivery are added.
Start with one specification that every provider receives
A quote is only comparable when the underlying order is the same. Write down the garment brand and style number, garment color, quantities by size, decoration locations, artwork dimensions and the date the finished items must reach you. Include the delivery ZIP code or ask whether pickup is available. Providers serving Indianapolis may have different collection arrangements; a city name on a website does not establish a nearby storefront.
If you have not chosen a shirt, ask for two clearly named alternatives rather than a vague ‘standard tee.’ Compare each alternative on its own row. A different fit or fabric can change what employees actually wear, even when the logo is identical. Keep the approved garment specification alongside your group size breakdown.
A quote comparison worksheet
| Field | What to record | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Garment | Brand, style, color and fabric | Establishes whether the blanks are equivalent |
| Decoration | Method, dimensions and locations | A small chest print differs from a large front and back print |
| Size charges | Quantity and price for every size | Shows whether the size mix changes the total |
| Preparation | Artwork, screens, digitizing and revisions | Separates initial work from repeat production |
| Fulfillment | Delivery, pickup, packaging and deadline | Checks the order reaches the right place on time |
| Approval | Proof format, sample availability and approval date | Defines what must happen before production |
Mark missing details ‘unconfirmed.’ Do not enter zero just because a fee was omitted. A written clarification now is easier to assess than a revised invoice after you have committed.
Calculate total delivered cost per usable item
Add the garment and decoration charges, preparation charges, requested extras, delivery and any quoted tax. Divide that total by the number of finished items you expect to receive. Confirm whether the quoted total already includes those charges so you do not count them twice.
For an illustrative comparison, a 40-shirt quote totaling $480 works out to $12 per shirt. A second quote totaling $440 appears lower, but an additional $60 delivery charge makes its delivered total $500, or $12.50 per shirt. These are arithmetic examples, not Indy Custom Apparel prices or estimates of local market rates.
The existing custom t-shirt cost guide explains the inputs that affect pricing. This worksheet helps you compare actual offers after those inputs are fixed.
Should you ask for screen printing and DTF quotes?
Ask for both when either method could suit the design and garment. Compare total cost alongside print feel, color requirements and the expected reorder quantity. Avoid selecting a method from a single universal quantity threshold. The artwork, available equipment and provider’s charging model all matter.
For context, Custom Ink lists different minimum-order policies for digital printing and other decoration methods in its minimum-order guidance. That is one provider’s policy, not a rule for Indianapolis shops. Ask your matched provider to confirm its own minimums. Our screen printing and DTF comparison helps you frame the questions.
Check what ‘ready by Friday’ actually means
Record an arrival or pickup date, not just a production date. Ask when garment stock must be confirmed, when you must approve the proof, and whether a revision changes the schedule. For a conference or staff launch, include the time you need to distribute the items. A box arriving after attendees check in can meet a calendar date and still miss your event.
Confirm who handles a garment substitution, a short shipment or a decoration issue. Put the agreed approval and correction process in writing with the provider handling production. Indy Custom Apparel connects customers with independent providers; those providers set pricing and fulfillment terms.
Send a quote request that can be priced
Use this outline: ‘We need [quantity and sizes] of [garment style and color], with [artwork dimensions] at [locations], delivered to [ZIP code] by [date and time]. Please show the total delivered price, preparation charges, proof process and reorder terms. Tell us if an alternative method would fit this design better.’
Explore bulk apparel matching, then request a provider match with those specifications. Keep the returned quote and approved proof together so the next order starts from a clear record.