Simple single-color screen/pad printing: For standard flat products, the processing fee for a single color is approximately 0.2–0.5 RMB per piece. The minimum order quantity is usually over 5,000 pieces; in regions with mature supply chains like the Pearl River Delta, the unit price can be as low as 0.3 RMB.
Multi-color registration printing: The unit price increases by about 0.3–0.5 RMB for each additional color. The actual cost per piece for four-color registration printing exceeds 1.2 RMB, primarily due to the additional material waste and labor costs associated with multiple registration passes.
Specialty printing processes:Complex processes-such as gradients, 3D thick-layer printing, or combinations of laser engraving and printing-incur unit prices more than 50% higher than standard single-color printing.
Breakdown of core cost components
Ink and consumable costs: Standard industrial-grade silicone screen printing ink costs approximately 30–70 RMB per kilogram, whereas high-end imported inks (wear-resistant or medical-grade) can cost hundreds of RMB per kilogram. Ink accounts for 15%–25% of the total printing cost.
Plate making and mold costs: Standard screen plate making costs about 50–200 RMB per design, while specialized molds for custom irregular shapes or high-precision printing cost around 500–1,500 RMB per design. These fixed costs can be amortized across large-volume orders.
Labor and equipment costs:Manual printing involves lower labor costs, whereas fully automated mechanical printing entails higher equipment depreciation costs; however, high-volume orders increase per-capita output efficiency, further reducing the cost per piece.