"How much does it cost to print a logo on a pen?" "Is it better to order 50 mugs, or 200?" "What is the price difference between pad printing and laser engraving?" These are the most common questions we get from companies and marketers planning promotional products with printing. The good news: on every product on the TAEDA e-shop the price is calculated after you enter quantity, number of print colours and your chosen technology. In this article we explain how the price of printing is built, what it depends on and where to find the exact calculation for your product.
Key principle: The "from €X" price you see next to a product is always indicative (based on the smallest reasonable quantity and the simplest print). The final price is calculated on the product page after entering parameters — number of pieces, number of colours in your logo and the selected technology. This article shows what to prepare before ordering so you know what indicative prices to expect.
How the price calculation works on TAEDA products
The price of a promotional product with printing consists of two parts: the price of the product itself (e.g. pen, mug, t-shirt) and the price of printing, which depends on the number of colours and the chosen technology. Both components are driven by quantity — the higher the volume, the lower the unit price.
Next to every product on our e-shop you will see a price displayed as "from €X". This value corresponds to the price at the minimum order quantity and the simplest print (typically 1 colour). You can find the real price for your case in three steps:
- Choose a product in the relevant category — e.g. pens with printing, mugs, bottles and thermos flasks or custom printed textiles.
- Enter parameters — quantity, product colour, number of print colours and technology (where the product offers several variants).
- See the price calculated for your quantity. If you would like a precise quote including graphic preparation, fill in the inquiry form — we reply within 4 hours during business hours.
With every inquiry you receive 30 minutes of graphic preparation free of charge, a free check of your print data and a free graphic preview. The quote is non-binding and we do not charge for preparing it.
5 main factors that influence the price of printing
Whether you are choosing an inexpensive pen or a luxury Parker pen, the final price of printing always depends on the same five factors:
- Quantity. This is the biggest variable. The more pieces you order, the lower the unit price — fixed set-up costs (the screen for screen printing, the cliché for pad printing, machine set-up for laser engraving) are spread across more pieces. Between 50 and 500 units, the unit price of printing can roughly halve.
- Number of print colours. A single-colour logo is the cheapest. Each additional colour in pad printing or screen printing means another print pass and an extra cliché/screen. A full-colour logo (CMYK) is best handled with UV digital printing or sublimation, where the number of colours does not affect the price.
- Printing technology. Pad printing and screen printing are among the most affordable options for standard runs. Laser engraving is more expensive per piece, but available from 1 unit. Full-colour UV digital printing and sublimation have higher set-up costs but allow photorealistic prints.
- Product material. A plastic pen is cheaper than a metal one, a polyester t-shirt cheaper than a cotton hoodie, a paper bag cheaper than a synthetic one. The material affects both the price of the product itself and the suitability of each printing technology.
- Delivery time. Standard production takes 7–10 working days. If you need express production from 24 to 72 hours, expect an individual surcharge depending on the complexity of the order.
Price by printing technology
Choosing the technology is critical — it determines not only how the print looks, but also its price and the minimum order quantity. The table below summarises the five most commonly used technologies we offer at TAEDA. We deliberately do not list specific prices — they differ from product to product. The table serves as a guide so you know what is suitable for your type of order.
| Technology | Typical products | Number of colours | Min. quantity | Price level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pad printing (Tampondruck) | Pens, USB sticks, keychains, lighters, small plastic items | 1–4 colours (Pantone) | from 50 pcs | most affordable |
| Screen printing | T-shirts, sweatshirts, bags, umbrellas, larger surfaces | 1–6 colours (Pantone) | from 25–50 pcs | low to mid |
| Laser engraving | Metal pens (Parker), USB sticks with metal body, knives, multitools | monochrome (into the material) | from 1 pc | mid |
| UV digital printing | Full-colour logos on flat surfaces, short runs, photographs | full colour (CMYK) | from 1 pc (product-dependent) | mid to higher |
| Sublimation | Mugs, lanyards, polyester textile, all-over printing | full colour, all-over | from 36 pcs (mugs), from 100 pcs (lanyards) | mid |
Important: the same product can often be printed with several technologies, each at a different price level. For example, a plastic pen is cheapest with pad printing (1 colour), but the same pen can be printed in full colour with UV printing — that will be more expensive, but you get a photorealistic logo. We are happy to advise which option pays off — submit an inquiry and you get a graphic preview and technology recommendation free of charge.
Minimum order quantity by product type
The second most common question after price is: "From how many pieces do you actually produce?" The minimum order quantity differs by technology and product type — for some categories we print from 1 piece (typically wherever laser engraving or UV digital printing is used), for others there is a lower limit because of the fixed cost of production set-up.
| Product type | Minimum quantity | Typical technology |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic pens | from 50 pcs | pad printing |
| Metal pens | from 100 pcs (pad printing) / from 1 pc (engraving) | pad printing or laser |
| Engraved Parker and Waterman pens | from 1 pc | laser engraving |
| T-shirts, polo shirts | from 10–25 pcs (depending on technology) | screen printing, DTG, transfer printing |
| Sweatshirts | from 10–25 pcs | screen printing, embroidery |
| Mugs with sublimation | from 36 pcs | sublimation |
| Lanyards | from 100 pcs | sublimation |
| USB flash drives | from 1 pc (engraving) / from 25 pcs (pad printing) | laser, pad printing, UV printing |
| Paper bags | from 50–100 pcs | screen printing, offset |
| Synthetic bags | from 100 pcs | screen printing, sublimation |
If you need a smaller quantity than the minimum, don't give up — sometimes the issue can be solved by switching technology (e.g. transfer printing for t-shirts from 1 piece instead of screen printing) or by choosing a product we can engrave. Contact us via the contact form and we will gladly recommend an option.
Calculate your price instantly: Pick a product in the promotional products section, enter quantity and print colours and you will see the current price. With your inquiry you receive 30 minutes of graphic preparation and a non-binding preview free of charge. Request a non-binding quote →
Calculate the price on specific product categories
Instead of generic price lists, we have chosen a transparent model: prices are displayed directly on every product page and change with each parameter you enter. Here is a hub of our most popular categories where you can calculate the price in seconds:
- Pens with printing — the most popular promotional item, plastic pens from 50 pcs, metal pens from 100 pcs. Pad printing is the standard, engraving is used for premium metal models.
- Eco pens — made from recycled materials, bamboo or bioplastic. Same printing technologies, higher base price.
- Luxury Parker pens — engraving from 1 pc, ideal as a premium corporate gift or VIP merch. See also the Parker brand category.
- Pencils with printing and markers and crayons — for school events, children's activities and stationery ranges.
- Cups with printing — reusable and disposable, screen printing and digital printing.
- Mugs, bottles and thermos flasks — ceramic mugs by sublimation from 36 pcs, thermo bottles with engraving from 1 pc.
- Mug printing — a dedicated category for classic ceramic mugs printed in full colour using sublimation.
- Custom printed textiles — t-shirts, polos, caps. From 10–25 pcs depending on technology.
- Sweatshirts with printing — screen printing for larger runs, embroidery for premium corporate wear.
- Bags with printing — cotton shoppers, canvas and jute.
- Paper bags — luxury gift, eco, flat or with handles. Screen printing or offset.
- Synthetic bags — nonwoven and polyester, ideal for trade fairs.
- Lanyards — sublimation printing, full colour, from 100 pcs.
- USB flash drives — engraving from 1 pc, pad printing and UV printing for larger runs.
- Notebooks and notepads — bound, ring-bound, various formats, embossing and printing.
- Keychains with printing — metal with engraving from 1 pc, plastic with pad printing from 50 pcs.
- Lighters with printing — plastic and metal, pad printing and engraving.
- Umbrellas with printing — screen printing or sublimation on the panel.
If you are not sure which product to choose or need a gift set combining several items, take a look at the promotional products master category or send us an inquiry — we will put together a tailored offer. For printed marketing collateral, see also printed materials.
What is included in the print price for free
With every inquiry at TAEDA you receive several services included in the price that elsewhere cost extra:
- 30 minutes of graphic work free with every inquiry — our graphic designer will prepare your logo in the correct format, check colour fidelity and create a preview of the placement on the product.
- Free check of print data — we verify resolution, vector outlines and convert colours into the correct colour mode (Pantone, CMYK).
- Free quote and graphic preview — before you approve anything, you see the exact price for your quantity and a preview of how the print will look on the product.
- Print data archiving — when you order from us a second time, we already have your logo prepared in print quality and you don't need to send it again.
You can find more about what we handle as part of graphic preparation, and what to watch out for in your own artwork, in our help and advice section.
Express production — how much it costs and when it pays off
Standard production time for promotional products with printing is 7–10 working days from graphic approval. This covers most planned orders. If you need merch the day after tomorrow, we offer express production from 24 to 72 hours.
Express production carries an individual surcharge, which depends on:
- the product type and printing technology (engraving is faster than sublimation)
- the number of pieces (small runs can almost always be done express, larger runs depend on capacity)
- whether you have ready vector print data, or need additional graphic preparation
When does express pay off? When you need products at the last minute before a trade fair, conference, sports event, awards ceremony or branch opening. Always reach out — even for seemingly impossible deadlines we often find capacity.
B2B pricing and discounts for companies and agencies
If you order promotional products regularly, you receive better conditions at TAEDA than a one-off customer. Our B2B framework works like this:
- Cumulative turnover of €4,000 per year. Once you reach this threshold (sum of all invoices over the last 12 months), you automatically receive better pricing across the whole range.
- Agency mode. For advertising agencies, marketing agencies and trade partners we have a separate agency price list with better margins. Arranged individually.
- Invoice maturity of 14 or 30 days. For corporate customers and agencies — without the need for an upfront deposit.
- Repeat orders. We archive your print data — when you order the same artwork a second time, you save time on graphic preparation and often part of the fixed production cost as well.
If you want to set up B2B mode, get in touch via the contact form and we will prepare an individual offer.
Frequently asked questions — price of printing
Why is the product price shown only as "from €X"?
The price of printing depends on quantity, number of colours and technology. The "from €X" price typically corresponds to the simplest variant (smallest reasonable quantity, 1 colour, standard technology). The real price for your specific brief is displayed on the product page after entering parameters, or you can have it calculated precisely via the inquiry form — we reply within 4 hours during business hours.
Can I receive a quote without registration?
Yes. Registration is not required. Just fill in the inquiry form or send us an email describing the order (product, quantity, number of colours in the logo, delivery deadline). The quote and graphic preview are free of charge and non-binding.
What if I need a smaller quantity than the minimum?
Sometimes the issue can be solved by changing the technology — for example using transfer printing for t-shirts (viable from 1 piece) instead of screen printing. It is also worth looking at a similar product we can engrave (USB sticks, metal pens, keychains). If you still hit the minimum, contact us — we can sometimes offer "group production" where your order joins another job.
How long is the quote valid?
Typically 30 days from issue. If the prices of input materials do not change, we extend validity further. For long-term contracts (e.g. regular deliveries for an agency) we fix prices a year ahead.
Can I combine different products in one order?
Yes, and it often makes sense. Gift sets (pen + mug + notebook + bag) are one of the most common orders for corporate gifting. Combining reduces administration and often shipping costs. When combining different products we calculate each item separately — minimums and technologies differ. Send your brief via the inquiry form and we will build a tailored offer.
What is the difference between web prices and B2B prices?
Web prices are retail — valid for a standard order. B2B mode is activated once you exceed an annual turnover of €4,000 with us, or individually for agencies. In B2B mode you get better prices across the range, 14–30 day invoice maturity and priority processing of orders.
What is the indicative price level for a pen, mug and t-shirt?
A plastic pen with single-colour pad printing is one of the most affordable promotional items — typically just a few cents per piece at larger quantities. A ceramic mug with full-colour sublimation sits at a mid price level. A cotton t-shirt with screen printing is among the more expensive categories because the product itself has a higher base price. The actual prices for your brief are shown on product pages in the pens, mugs and textiles sections.
Need a precise quote? Get in touch
If you found the answers you needed in this article and now want a specific price for your order, you have two options:
- Calculate the price yourself — choose a product in the promotional products catalogue, enter quantity and print colours and you will see the price immediately.
- Have a quote prepared — fill in the inquiry form or contact us via the contact form. We reply within 4 hours during business hours; the quote and graphic preview are free of charge and non-binding.
If you are working on a larger project, combining several products, an agency order, or you are not sure which technology to choose — write to us directly. 30 minutes of graphic work and consulting are free of charge, so it pays off to talk to us even before you decide on a specific product. For inspiration and more articles on promotional products, see our help and advice and blog.