The workings, not a black box.

Each calculator uses explicit arithmetic and inputs you can change. Sample numbers illustrate the workflow; they are not recommended production settings.

Cost and job margin

Job pricing combines blanks, consumables, labor, setup, and overhead. Job margin is modeled job profit divided by selling price, using every cost included in this estimate. Because the cost base may include allocated overhead, this is not necessarily your accounting gross margin or your business net margin. The quote excludes tax and shipping. If you add those costs, include them deliberately in your own quote.

Materials estimates

Ink uses measured grams per impression, a handling allowance, and a screen/tool reserve. Emulsion uses a measured wet-volume consumption rate for the complete coating recipe. Neither tool substitutes a generic mesh-based rule for a test run.

Rounding

Blank quantities and break-even quantities round up to whole units. Money is displayed to two decimal places. The pricing calculator rounds unit selling price up to the next cent and calculates the job quote from that rounded unit price, so the displayed total agrees with the quoted price per shirt.

Useful checks

A $600 cost with a 40% target margin produces a $1,000 quote. A 156 threads/inch mesh converts to approximately 61.42 threads/cm. At a 10% expected reject rate, 100 finished shirts require 112 starting blanks after rounding up.

Scope and limitations

All jobs are simplified estimates. Include each print location, underbase, special ink, spoilage cost, and finishing step in the appropriate inputs. No supplier-specific yield or production specification is assumed.

Editorial policy and example provenance

Screenprintcalc uses AI-assisted drafting and development to explain its calculators. Examples are original constructed scenarios, not a field study, supplier yield test, or market-price survey. Automated arithmetic checks cover the calculator examples, rounding, unit conversions, and a no-break-even case.

Material usage must come from the user’s own measurement or a suitable supplier specification. We do not assign generic production yields to mesh counts or invent experience, ratings, testimonials, or industry credentials.

Units and costing conventions

Currency selection changes formatting only, without converting exchange rates. Mesh conversion uses the exact 2.54 cm per inch relationship documented by NIST. Ink uses mass in grams and kilograms; emulsion uses wet volume in milliliters. Do not convert between mass and volume without the actual material density.

Checking or reporting a discrepancy

First compare the input units and whether an allowance is included twice. If the arithmetic still differs, keep the tool URL, input values, expected result, and displayed result. You can reach the project developer through the professional profile linked on the About page. A response time is not guaranteed.

Updates

Dates are changed for substantive content or calculation revisions, not simply to make a page appear fresh. The September 22, 2026 revision clarifies job-margin terminology, adds task-specific job records and a connected cost example, and changes the site name to Screenprintcalc.