Cotton Yarn Prices Are Rising: What It Means for Custom T-Shirt Orders

If you have asked for a T-shirt quote recently and noticed prices creeping up, there is a clear reason. According to a report in Mint, cotton yarn prices in India have risen by nearly 60% this year, and the government is now considering a minimum export price (MEP) on cotton yarn to protect domestic textile manufacturers. An MEP is a floor price below which yarn cannot be exported, which is meant to keep more yarn available at home for Indian mills and garment makers.

At Teesgraphy we are a Hyderabad-based custom printing company with our own manufacturing unit, so yarn and fabric prices affect us directly. Here is what this news means for you as a buyer of custom T-shirts, hoodies and merchandise.

Why Yarn Prices Matter for Your T-Shirt

Yarn is the starting point of every garment. Cotton is spun into yarn, yarn is knitted into fabric, and fabric is cut and stitched into the round neck T-shirts you print your logo on. When yarn costs rise, every step after it gets more expensive: knitting, dyeing, cutting and stitching. For a basic cotton tee, fabric is the single biggest part of the cost, so a big jump in yarn prices shows up in the final price within weeks.

What a Minimum Export Price Could Change

When export prices are high, spinners prefer to ship yarn abroad. A floor price on exports makes that less attractive and can help keep domestic supply steady. For Indian garment buyers this could mean:

Less risk of sudden fabric shortages during peak seasons.
Prices that stop rising as fast, although they are unlikely to fall back overnight.
More stable lead times for bulk orders, because mills can plan production better.

Nothing is final yet, so the safest assumption for the next few months is that prices stay firm.

How This Affects Bulk and Corporate Orders

If you are planning uniforms, event tees, college fest merchandise or employee corporate kits, the timing of your order matters. Quotes are usually based on current fabric costs. A price you get today may not hold in two months if yarn keeps rising. Larger orders feel this the most: a small increase per piece adds up quickly across 500 or 1,000 T-shirts.

How Teesgraphy Keeps Prices Low

We run our own manufacturing unit in Hyderabad, which gives us more control than a reseller who buys finished garments from several layers of suppliers. That helps in a few practical ways:

No middlemen: we buy fabric and make the garments ourselves, so there are fewer margins added on top.
Planned fabric buying: for confirmed bulk orders we can lock fabric early.
Right fabric for the job: we help you choose the GSM and blend that fits your budget, from 100% cotton to cotton-poly blends, without losing quality.
Quality checks in-house: every batch is checked before it leaves our unit, so you do not pay for reprints.

Smart Tips for Buyers Right Now

Confirm your quantity and design early and ask for a quote valid for a fixed period.
Combine smaller orders (for example, team tees and event tees) into one batch to get a better per-piece price.
Ask about blended fabrics if 100% cotton is stretching your budget. Good blends print well and last long.
Keep the design simple for screen printing on large runs; fewer colours means a lower cost.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will custom T-shirt prices keep going up?

Prices depend on yarn and fabric markets. For now they are firm, so ordering early is the safest way to lock in a good rate.

Does Teesgraphy compromise on fabric to keep prices low?

No. We keep costs low by manufacturing in-house and avoiding middlemen, not by using poor-quality fabric.

What is the minimum order quantity?

We handle both small batches and bulk orders. Share your quantity and we will suggest the most cost-effective option.

Source: India weighs minimum export price on cotton yarn to protect domestic textile manufacturers, Mint, 8 October 2026. This article summarises the original report and adds Teesgraphy's view for custom T-shirt and merchandise buyers.

Plan Your Bulk T-Shirt Order with Teesgraphy

Ready to start? Message us on WhatsApp or call 8885547134. Tell us your quantity, fabric preference and delivery date, and our Hyderabad team will send a clear quote before costs move again.