How Many Custom T-Shirts Should You Order for an Event?

Matching T-shirts make a group look organized and make everyone feel like part of the same team. But if you’ve ever ordered custom T-shirts for an event, you know the actual process can be tricky.

Quantity, size, fabric, and design decisions are manageable,  but a small mistake in any of these choices can leave you with shirts that don’t fit, cost more than planned, or aren’t what your group expected.

This guide shows you how to plan your custom T-shirt order for any event across Singapore. You’ll also learn how to split sizes and decide how many extra T-shirts to order without unnecessarily increasing your budget.

Use This Simple Formula for Calculating T-Shirt Quantity

Count how many people need a T-shirt, then order a few extra shirts for size exchanges, replacements, or late additions.

Basic formula:

Total T-shirts to order = Confirmed T-shirt requirements + Spare shirts

For example, imagine you’re organising a company event with the following requirements:

You decide to include a 5% reserve as a planning example.

135 × 5% = 6.75, rounded up to 7 spare shirts.

Your total order would be:

135 + 7 = 142 T-shirts

Note: The 5% figure is an example, not a standard that every event should follow. Your reserve should reflect the likelihood of last-minute changes, your budget and the availability of additional stock.

Step 1: Count Everyone Who Needs a T-Shirt

“How many shirts to order” starts with a reliable number. Not the venue capacity, and not the invite list. For example, a venue may hold 300 people, but that does not mean you need 300 T-shirts. Count the people who will actually receive one.

• People who have registered
• People who have paid
• Confirmed employees
• Students confirmed to receive a T-shirt
• Registered players
• Confirmed volunteers
• Participants who have completed an RSVP

What if attendance is uncertain?

For events with open registration or expected walk-ins, estimate how many people are likely to attend before calculating your shirt quantity.

For example

Registered participants: 200

Expected attendance: 200 × 80% = 160 people

If shirts are handed out only to attendees, use 160 as your starting estimate and add a suitable spare quantity.

However, if every registered participant has already been promised a shirt, plan for the full 200 recipients instead. Attendance estimates should not replace your confirmed shirt commitments.

Step 2: Decide How Many Extras to Order

Once you have calculated how many people need a T-shirt, decide whether you need extra shirts for late registrations, walk-ins, size exchanges, or replacements.

The number of extra T-shirts you should order depends on how certain your headcount is, whether shirts have already been promised to participants, and whether you can arrange additional shirts later.

Extra shirts can cover late additions or replacements, but only if you have the right sizes available. Finalise the size breakdown before deciding how many spare shirts to order.

How much buffer should you include?

These percentages are a general guide, not rules for every event in Singapore. Consider the following examples when deciding how much reserve stock to plan for.

Step 3: Collect T-Shirt Sizes Before Ordering

Ordering 100 shirts is one thing, but you also need to know how to divide them by size. For example, an M from one manufacturer may fit differently from an M from another. Because Chest width, body length, shoulder measurements and the intended fit can all vary.

Check the size chart for the exact T-shirt. This matters when ordering different styles, such as cotton T-shirts, Dri-Fit shirts, oversized tees or polo shirts.

TJG Print offers different apparel styles, so check the measurements listed for the specific product rather than relying on a general size label.

If your group has not ordered from the supplier before, consider whether a sample would help participants understand the fit before you finalise the quantities.

Use one method to collect everyone’s sizes

Sizes scattered across WhatsApp messages, spreadsheets and private chats can easily be recorded incorrectly. For a small group, a pinned WhatsApp poll or a shared spreadsheet may be sufficient. For a larger order, a Google Form can make it easier to collect consistent responses.

Record at least:

• Participant’s name
• Required T-shirt size
• Group or department
• Preferred colour, if applicable
• Any additional information needed to allocate the correct shirt

Set a clear submission deadline and follow up with people who have not responded.

Check the size chart for the exact T-shirt

The following is an illustrative distribution, not a recommended standard for every group.

For a real order, replace these estimates with the sizes collected from your participants.

Once the responses are in, add up each size and check that the quantities match your total order. If some people have not responded, follow up before making assumptions about their sizes.

If spare shirts are required, decide how those extras should be allocated based on your group’s likely needs and the sizes available.

Step 4: Check How Order Quantity Affects Your Budget

A larger order may reduce the price per shirt, but that does not automatically make it the cheaper option.

Printing costs can depend on quantity, garment type, artwork, print size, printing method and other production requirements. Compare quotations for the same specifications before making a decision.

Consider this hypothetical quotation:

In this example, ordering 100 shirts reduces the unit price by S 1, but increases the total spend by S 60.

If you only need 80 shirts and have no plans to use the additional 20, the lower unit price may not justify the extra expense.

Extra shirts make more sense when:

• You have another event coming up
• The design is not date-specific
• New employees or members will need them
• You regularly reorder the same design
• The shirts can be used as future merchandise

Before comparing prices, confirm whether the quotations include printing, delivery and any applicable charges for larger sizes or other specifications. A like-for-like comparison will help you understand the actual cost.

Mistakes to Avoid When Ordering Event T-Shirts

1. Ordering from the invite list: Ordering shirts for everyone on the invitation list can leave you with unnecessary stock. An invitation list shows who was invited, not who will actually attend. 
2. Skipping crew: Volunteers, organizers, crew members, or photographers need shirts too. If they are left out, you may have to place a last-minute order.
3. Guessing Sizes: Guessing sizes instead of collecting actual sizes can leave you with too many M or L shirts and not enough for people who need S, XL, or 2XL.
4. Ignoring the lead time: Custom T-shirts need time for artwork approval, printing, quality checks, and delivery or collection. Confirm your deadline with the supplier before placing the order.
5. Changing the numbers after approval: Changing the order after approval can affect the quote, size breakdown, printing schedule, and final quantity.

Need Custom T-Shirts for Your Singapore Event?

Every event is different, so the right quantity depends on your group size and requirements

If you are planning to order custom T-shirts in bulk for an event, team, or workplace, we’re happy to help you.

TJG Print offers a range of ready-stock T-shirts, including cotton and Dri-Fit styles, with 700+ customisable options for schools, businesses, teams, and events in Singapore since 2015.

Share your estimated quantity, preferred T-shirt style, design and event deadline with TJG Print to request a quotation.

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