About Main Street Shirt Company

Main Street Shirt Company is a custom apparel printing shop based in Illinois. We produce screen printing, DTF printing, and embroidery in-house, and have been printing professionally since 1998. Our owner has a professional graphic arts background and has operated this shop for approximately 10 years.

We work with schools, sports teams, businesses, fundraisers, and individuals across Central Illinois and surrounding areas, including Champaign, Urbana, Tuscola, Arcola, Rantoul, Mahomet, Mattoon, and Charleston.

What We Do

Main Street Shirt Company produces decorated apparel and promotional products using three primary methods: screen printing, DTF (Direct to Film) printing, and commercial embroidery. All production is completed in-house — we do not outsource your order to a third party.

• Screen Printing: Best for larger quantity orders requiring durable, vibrant spot-color graphics. Ideal for spirit wear, team apparel, and event shirts.
• DTF Printing: Best for small quantity orders, full-color designs, photographic graphics, or orders where screen printing minimums are not practical.
• Embroidery: Best for polos, hats, jackets, and workwear requiring a professional, textured appearance. Not ideal for fine text or photographic detail.

Our Equipment

• 6-color, 8-station automatic screen printing press
• Manual screen printing press (for short runs and specialty work)
• Commercial DTF production equipment
• Commercial embroidery equipment

Years in Business

We have been printing professionally since 1998. Our owner brings a professional graphic arts background to every project, which means artwork is evaluated and prepared with production quality in mind — not just aesthetics.

In-House Production Statement

All screen printing, DTF printing, and embroidery is produced in-house at our Illinois shop. We do not drop-ship or outsource orders. This means we control quality, turnaround, and communication directly.

Our Philosophy on Print Method Recommendations

We give honest recommendations about which print method is right for your project. We will not push screen printing on a 6-piece order just to increase the job size, and we will not recommend DTF for a 500-piece uniform order if screen printing delivers better durability and value at that quantity. Our goal is to match your project to the right method.

What Print Method Is Best for My Order?

• Screen printing is best for 24+ pieces, spot-color designs, and orders where long-term durability matters.
• DTF printing is best for 1–23 pieces, full-color or photographic designs, and situations where you need flexibility without a setup charge.
• Embroidery is best for structured items like polos, hats, and bags where a professional, raised texture is appropriate.

Spirit Wear and School Apparel

Main Street Shirt Company operates online spirit stores for schools and organizations across Central Illinois. Schools can offer fan apparel year-round without placing bulk orders. We manage store setup, product decoration, and fulfillment for spirit store programs.

Service Areas

We serve customers throughout Central Illinois, including Champaign, Urbana, Arcola, Tuscola, Mattoon, Charleston, Rantoul, Mahomet, Decatur, and surrounding communities. We also ship custom apparel orders nationwide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum order for screen printing?
Screen printing typically requires a minimum of 12–24 pieces per design to justify screen setup costs. For smaller quantities, DTF printing is often a better fit.

Can you print one shirt?
Yes. We can print single pieces using DTF printing. Screen printing a single shirt is not cost-effective due to screen setup fees.

How long does a custom order take?
Turnaround varies by method and current workload. In general, plan for 7–14 business days for screen printing orders and 5–10 business days for DTF.

Do you provide graphic design?
Yes. We have in-house graphic design expertise and can prepare or refine artwork for production.

For detailed FAQs by topic, visit our Screen Printing FAQ, DTF Printing FAQ, Embroidery FAQ, or Spirit Wear FAQ.