How ordering custom products actually works
If you've only ever bought a t-shirt from a website that shows a price and a shopping cart, custom decorated products work a little differently. Here's the whole thing, plainly.
There's a minimum, and it varies by item
A single embroidered polo costs almost as much to produce as twelve, because most of the cost is setting up the machine. So every item has a minimum order quantity — you'll see it on every product page. Some are as low as 6 pieces (aprons, soft shell jackets). Caps run 12 to 48 depending on style. Totes start at 50.
If you need fewer than the minimum, we can often still do it — there's a small under-minimum charge, usually $35 to $75, and we'll always show it on the quote rather than bury it.
The price drops as the quantity goes up, and it isn't gradual
The tiers on each product page are real. Going from 24 shirts to 48 can drop your per-shirt cost by 20%. Before you order, it's always worth asking us what the next tier looks like — sometimes 25% more product costs 5% more money.
There's usually a one-time setup charge on a first order
For embroidery, your logo has to be digitized — converted into stitch instructions. For screen printing, a screen is burned for each ink color. These are one-time. Once your logo is digitized, it's on file permanently and every reorder skips the charge.
We'll always show setup as its own line so you can see exactly what's one-time and what's per-piece. And on larger runs some suppliers waive it entirely — if you're close to that threshold, we'll tell you.
Nothing gets made until you approve a proof
After you order, you'll get a digital proof showing your logo at the actual size, in the actual position, in the actual colors. Nothing goes into production until you approve it in writing. This is the step that prevents nearly every expensive mistake in this industry, so we don't skip it and we don't rush you through it.
Production time is separate from shipping time
Most orders take 6 to 8 business days to produce after art approval, then ship. So a normal timeline from order to delivery is roughly two weeks. Build in a buffer — if your event is on the 20th, don't order on the 5th.
Rush is available and cheaper than most people expect if you ask early. Asking late costs a lot more.
One exception: custom matches ship ground only and cannot be expedited. Plan those further ahead.
About colors
Screens and thread can't match every color exactly. If your brand color has to be precise, we can do a PMS match for a modest charge. If close is fine, standard colors are free. We'll ask you which, rather than guessing.
What you'll owe, and when
- Under $500 — paid at checkout or by invoice link
- Over $500 — typically 50% deposit to start production, balance before shipment
- Schools, churches, municipalities, and established accounts — we accept purchase orders and net-30 terms. Choose "Check or Purchase Order — Net 30" at checkout, or just email us the PO
- Tax-exempt organizations — send us your Maryland exemption certificate once and we'll flag your account so you're never charged sales tax again
One thing to know about custom goods
Because your logo is on it, custom-decorated product can't be returned or resold. Once you approve the proof and it goes into production, the order is final except for defects or an error on our end — and if we get it wrong, we fix it at our cost. That's exactly why the proof step exists.