How To Print Custom T-Shirts With No Minimum Order In Australia
For years, the standard answer from Australian print shops was: "Minimum 24 pieces." Or 50. Or 100. If you only needed 5 shirts for your small team, or 1 sample before committing to a bulk run, you were out of luck — or paying way over the odds.
That's changed. Here's exactly how to print custom t-shirts in Australia with no minimum order, what it costs, and what to watch out for.
Why Did Minimums Exist In The First Place?
Traditional screen printing requires a physical screen to be made for each colour in your design. That setup process costs time and money — typically $30–$80 per colour. To make that cost worthwhile, printers needed to spread it across a large number of shirts.
With 50 shirts, the setup cost per shirt is manageable. With 5 shirts, it's not.
That's why minimums existed. And for screen printing, they still do.
How DTG Printing Eliminated Minimums
Direct-to-Garment (DTG) printing changed everything. Instead of screens and setup, a DTG printer works like an inkjet printer — it reads your digital file and prints directly onto the fabric. There's no screen to make, no setup fee, and no reason you can't print just one shirt.
The cost per shirt is the same whether you order 1 or 100. That's the fundamental difference.
This is why DTG printing is the technology behind every legitimate no-minimum custom t-shirt service in Australia.
Step-By-Step: How To Order Custom T-Shirts With No Minimum
Step 1: Prepare Your Artwork
Your design needs to be print-ready before you order. The key requirements:
- PNG format with transparent background (recommended)
- 300 DPI at the size you want printed
- RGB colour mode
Not sure if your file is ready? Read our full artwork guide or send it to us for a free check.
Step 2: Choose Your Garment
Pick the right blank for your needs:
- 200GSM standard tee: Everyday wear, events, promotional shirts
- 220GSM fitted tee: Retail, fashion brands, premium feel
- Heavyweight 280GSM tee: Streetwear, premium merch, long-lasting workwear
For DTG printing, always choose 100% cotton or 80%+ cotton blends for best results.
Step 3: Choose Your Print Location
The most common print locations for custom t-shirts in Australia:
- Full front chest (most popular): Up to 30cm × 36cm
- Left chest logo: 10cm × 10cm — great for uniforms and workwear
- Full back: Up to 30cm × 40cm
- Sleeve: 8cm × 20cm — popular for gym and sports brands
Step 4: Place Your Order
Upload your artwork, select your garment, colour, size and quantity — even if that quantity is 1. No minimum. No setup fee. No negotiation required.
Step 5: Production and Delivery
At Diyprint, production takes 1–3 business days. Your order is then dispatched via Australia Post:
- Metro areas: 2–5 business days
- Regional areas: 5–10 business days
You'll receive a tracking number by email as soon as your order is dispatched.
What Does It Actually Cost To Print 1 Custom T-Shirt In Australia?
Pricing varies by printer, garment quality, and print size. As a general guide for a single full-front DTG print on a standard cotton tee in Australia:
- 1 shirt: $35–$55 (garment + print)
- 5 shirts: $25–$40 per shirt
- 10 shirts: $20–$35 per shirt
- 50+ shirts: $15–$25 per shirt
There are no setup fees with DTG. The price you see is the price you pay.
Who Actually Orders 1–5 Custom T-Shirts?
More people than you'd think. Common use cases we see every week at Diyprint:
- Samples before bulk orders: Smart buyers order 1–2 shirts to check quality, colour accuracy and fit before committing to 100+
- Small team uniforms: A café with 3 staff doesn't need 50 shirts
- Birthday and event gifts: Custom shirts for a group of 8 friends
- Sports teams: A local footy team with 18 players doesn't hit traditional minimums
- Prototype testing: Designers and brand founders testing new colourways or designs
- One-off personalised gifts: A single shirt with someone's name or photo
No Minimum vs Bulk: When Does It Make Sense To Order More?
While there's no minimum, ordering more does reduce your per-unit cost. Here's when it makes sense to think about volume:
- Under 10 pieces: Order exactly what you need. No reason to over-order.
- 10–50 pieces: Consider ordering a few extras as spares — reprinting single shirts later costs more than ordering them now.
- 50+ pieces: Ask about bulk pricing. At this volume, per-unit costs drop significantly.
- 100+ pieces: Contact us for a custom quote. We offer significant discounts for large runs.
Why Print Locally In Australia?
You can order custom t-shirts from overseas services with no minimum — but there are real trade-offs:
| Overseas (e.g. Printful/Printify) | Local Australian (Diyprint) | |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery time | 2–4 weeks | 3–8 business days |
| Shipping cost | $15–$30+ international | Standard Australia Post rates |
| Quality control | Hard to check before delivery | Checked locally before dispatch |
| Support | Email/ticket only, time zone delays | Australian team, fast response |
| Returns/reprints | Slow and complicated | Resolved quickly, locally |
For Australian customers who need shirts fast and want to be able to talk to a real person if something goes wrong — local printing wins every time.
Get Started: No Minimum Custom T-Shirts at Diyprint
We print custom t-shirts from 1 piece with no setup fees, no minimum orders, and a 1–3 business day turnaround. Printed locally in Australia and shipped via Australia Post with full tracking.
Get a free quote or browse our range to get started today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there really no minimum order?
Yes. You can order a single custom t-shirt with no minimum quantity and no setup fee. The price per shirt is the same whether you order 1 or 10.
How fast can I get 1 custom t-shirt printed in Australia?
At Diyprint, production takes 1–3 business days. Add 2–5 business days for metro delivery. In most cases, you'll have your shirt within a week of ordering.
Can I order different designs in the same order?
Yes. With DTG printing, every shirt in your order can have a completely different design at no extra cost. This is one of the biggest advantages over screen printing.
What if I'm not happy with the print?
If your order arrives with a print defect or error on our part, we'll reprint or refund it. We check every order before dispatch, but if something slips through, we make it right — fast.