Screen Printing Shop
The original custom merch machine — and it still prints money
Bottom line
Worth studying, but do not buy without strong local proof.
Screen printing is a $4.6B US industry that sits at the intersection of manufacturing and creative services. A local shop produces custom apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, hats) for sports teams, schools, events, restaurants, and corporate clients. What's surprising: margins are extraordinary. A shirt bought blank for $3–$5 sells for $15–$35 printed. Established shops doing $500K–$2M in revenue routinely command 2.5–3.5x SDE multiples. The business is sticky — customers with recurring event or uniform needs come back every season, and switching costs are real (artwork approvals, turnaround relationships).
Avg Revenue
$600K
Profit Margin
32%
Acquisition Multiple
2x - 3.5x
Startup Cost
$30K - $150K
How It Works
Shops use manual or automatic screen printing presses (plus embroidery machines) to print designs on blank apparel. Orders come from direct retail walk-ins, online quote forms, and repeat B2B clients (schools, restaurants, gyms, corporate offices). Revenue peaks around school seasons, summer events, and the fall sports season. Shops charging a setup fee per color plus a per-unit price create high gross margins on volume runs.
Revenue Range
BizBite underwriting snapshot
Watch / verify
Screen Printing Shop has enough high-level data for a first look, but BizBite has not assigned a category-specific operating model yet. Treat the score as preliminary.
Category-level fit before lender-specific diligence.
Weak source data caps the final score.
Why it may work
- +Attractive 32% estimated margin profile
- +SBA dataset shows 42 recent comparable loans
Be careful
- !Source link status has not been verified yet
- !No last-checked date yet
- !No category operating model yet
- !No category model yet
Real Acquisitions in This Category
SBA 7(a) change-of-ownership loans · NAICS 323113 · Commercial Screen Printing
Deal Size Distribution
Deal Flow Over Time
Financing Profile
Recent Comparable Deals
| Closed | State | Loan | Implied deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2026 | GA | $315K | $371K |
| Dec 2025 | ME | $225K | $265K |
| Dec 2025 | WA | $40K | $47K |
| Dec 2025 | CA | $281K | $331K |
| Dec 2025 | NY | $4.6M | $5.4M |
| Dec 2025 | NY | $390K | $459K |
| Sep 2025 | IN | $60K | $71K |
| Sep 2025 | NY | $715K | $841K |
| Sep 2025 | NY | $150K | $177K |
| Sep 2025 | MA | $2.4M | $2.9M |
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA dataset, filtered to acquisitions (loans where business age is "Change of Ownership"). Implied deal size assumes an 85% loan-to-purchase ratio, a common SBA change-of-ownership structure. Charge-off rate shown only when 10+ loans have resolved (paid in full or charged off). Interest rates reflect last 24 months only. Actual deal values vary with equity injections, seller financing, and working capital terms.
Pros
- +Exceptional markup: blank shirts cost $3–5, sell printed for $15–35+
- +Recurring B2B customers (school teams, restaurants, corporate uniform programs)
- +Acquisition upside: add embroidery, DTF printing, or online order portal to existing shop
- +Equipment is durable — a used press from 2010 still runs
- +Strong acquisition market from roll-ups consolidating local shops
Cons
- -Highly seasonal revenue spikes (spring sports, summer events, fall school)
- -Art setup time and order management software create operational complexity
- -Competition from online-only DTG (direct-to-garment) providers squeezes some segments
- -Color matching and print quality require trained operators
Best For
Buyers who want a manufacturing/creative hybrid with strong repeat B2B revenue and real asset value
Operating Costs
Major costs: blank inventory (largest COGS), ink/screen materials, equipment maintenance, 2–4 employees, and facility lease. Owner-operated shops run highest margins.
SBA Financing Estimator
Adjust the deal — see if it cash flows after debt service
Estimates only. Excludes owner compensation, capex, working capital draws, and taxes. Margin assumes average occupancy and volume. Actual SBA terms vary by lender and borrower profile.
Where to Buy
Screen printing and custom apparel shops listed for sale nationwide
Printing and apparel businesses available for acquisition
Print shop valuation benchmarks: SDE multiples run 2.6x–3.26x
Acquisition Score
Scores margin (30), entry multiple (25), SBA market depth (20), category risk (15), and deal momentum (10). Higher = better acquisition candidate.
Quick Facts
- Category
- physical
- Difficulty
- 3/5
- Buy price
- $1.2M–$2.1M
Buyer's Toolkit
Essential tools to get started
Some links may be affiliate links. We only recommend tools we'd use ourselves.
Ready to Buy? Start Here →
Largest business-for-sale marketplace in the US
SBA loans and business acquisition financing — get funded fast
ROBS financing — use retirement funds to buy a business tax-free
Bookkeeping for small business owners — hands-off financials
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