Bulk t-shirt pricing always looks cheaper per piece on the wholesale price sheet. That comparison hides the real cost: the minimum order size, and everything left unsold when the guess on sizes and colors is wrong. No-minimum print on demand trades a lower per-piece wholesale price for zero cash at risk. This lays out both models side by side with real numbers.
Wholesale unit economics improve with volume. Ordering 100 or more blank tees at once commonly brings the per-piece cost down into the $6-10 range before printing, compared to a print-on-demand base price in the high teens to mid twenties. On a spreadsheet with only the per-piece number visible, bulk wins every time.
The per-piece number does not include the minimum order cash outlay, the guess on sizes and colors, storage for the unsold portion, or a separate screen printing setup fee per design and per color. A 100-piece order with a guessed size run frequently leaves a chunk of extra smalls or 2XLs that never sell at full price and end up marked down or given away.
Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.| Bulk wholesale (100 pc min) | Bear Grips Pro Shops | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum order | 100+ pieces | 1 piece |
| Cash needed upfront | $800-$1,500+ | $0 |
| Per-piece base cost | $6-10 (before print) | $19.88 (all-inclusive) |
| Risk of dead stock | High, sizes/colors are guessed | None, buyer picks size/color at checkout |
| Setup fee per design/color | Common, $50-150 | None |
Bulk pricing earns its place in a few specific situations: a large event giveaway with a guaranteed use for every piece, a bestseller design already validated through print-on-demand sales, or a confirmed order from a single buyer like a gym ordering 50 team shirts. Outside of those cases, no-minimum print on demand carries far less financial risk for anyone still testing what a design or product will actually do. Start with no minimum at shops.beargrips.com, or see the full no-inventory cost breakdown for the bigger picture.
One piece or one hundred, same per-piece price. No setup fee, no wholesale commitment required.
Start FreeOnly if the entire minimum order sells through at full retail price. Any unsold portion erases the per-piece savings.
One piece. There is no minimum order required.
No. The per-piece base price stays the same whether one piece sells or a hundred, so there is nothing to lose by not committing to bulk.
Yes, at the same per-piece price and with no setup fee, whether the order is for 1 piece or 100.
Bear Grips Pro Shops