Screen Printing in Vancouver, BC
If you already know you want screen printing — not DTF, not embroidery — this is the Vancouver shop that runs it in-house. Screen printing is the method built for bulk: the same design repeated across dozens or hundreds of shirts, at a cost per unit that drops as the order grows. Power Print produces it locally with no minimum order and a free mockup before production, so it still works for a small run too.
How Screen Printing Actually Works
Each colour in your design gets its own mesh screen. Ink is pushed through the screen directly onto the garment, one colour at a time, then cured with heat so it bonds into the fabric rather than sitting on top of it. That's why screen-printed ink holds up through years of washing better than most other methods — it's part of the shirt, not a layer stuck to it.
Why Screen Printing Wins for Bulk Orders
Once the screens are made, printing the 50th shirt costs almost nothing extra compared to the 5th. That's the opposite of digital methods like DTF, where cost stays flat per unit regardless of quantity — which is why screen printing is usually the cheaper option once you're past roughly 20–25 pieces of the same design. Fewer colours also means lower setup cost, since each colour requires its own screen.
What We Screen Print
- T-shirts — event tees, staff shirts, fundraiser runs
- Hoodies — team and club orders
- Tote bags — retail and promotional giveaways
- Workwear — durable, wash-resistant branding for job sites
When Screen Printing Isn't the Right Call
Full-colour photographic designs, gradients, or orders under about 20 pieces usually cost less and look better with DTF printing instead — screen printing is built around flat, spot colours, not continuous tone. If your design has more than 5–6 colours, it's worth asking us before you commit; simplifying the artwork can cut your cost significantly.
Who Orders Screen Printing in Vancouver
Event organizers running 100+ identical tees, sports leagues printing season shirts, unions and associations doing member apparel, and festivals or fundraisers needing one design at volume — screen printing is built for exactly this kind of order.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about screen printing in Vancouver, BC
Where can I get screen printing done in Vancouver, BC?+
Power Print runs screen printing in-house at our own Vancouver shop, with no minimum order and a free mockup before production.
How many shirts do I need to order for screen printing to be worth it?+
Screen printing typically becomes the more cost-effective option somewhere around 20–25 pieces of the same design — below that, DTF printing usually costs less per unit since it has no screen setup fee.
Why does screen printing cost more for designs with more colours?+
Each colour in a screen-printed design needs its own mesh screen, so more colours mean more setup work and cost. Simplifying artwork to fewer spot colours often reduces the price without changing how the design reads.
Is there a minimum order for screen printing in Vancouver?+
No — Power Print accepts screen printing orders of any size, though the per-unit savings are strongest once you're ordering in bulk.
Does screen-printed ink last as long as embroidery?+
Screen printing cures ink into the fabric rather than sitting on top of it, so it holds up well through repeated washing — though heavily worn embroidery on high-friction areas can outlast print over many years. For most apparel orders, either holds up for the garment's normal lifespan.